Do you put money in the Salvation army bucket?

[Kathi]

There were many,many years I would take a couple of cards off of Christmas trees to donate to those in need.I stopped when they started requesting Nintendo and expensive cell phones.

 

[Willie T]

How did I get pulled into this?

????????????????

 

[Edward]

I do sometimes, but not always. I have heard both good and bad about them so I give to the people on the street more than them.

I can relate to women better than men also, except in business. I'd rather deal with the husband contractor than his wife secretary. They don't understand the pitfalls of work and always seem to like to try to cut the pay somehow over nitpicking little things that are usually not relevant.

 

[Kathi]

I do sometimes, but not always. I have heard both good and bad about them so I give to the people on the street more than them.

I can relate to women better than men also, except in business. I'd rather deal with the husband contractor than his wife secretary. They don't understand the pitfalls of work and always seem to like to try to cut the pay somehow over nitpicking little things that are usually not relevant.

The wife does not understand the pitfalls of work?

 

[KevinK]

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"Kina" is my last name.

 

[Edward]

The wife does not understand the pitfalls of work?

Usually not because they've never been on a jobsite in a serious way. Sometimes you can shoot someone a price and then things crop up that one could not forsee before getting partway through the job. And usually, even if I price it loosely, saying probably between this and this dependent on how it goes...they still try to take it as a hard price on the low side of course. The husband/men understand these things and the women either don't or are just trying to squeeze the money for their benefit.

I price stuff two different ways for people, however they want it. Either Time and Materials (T&M) or Flat Rate (FR). The advantage to T&M is that is is usually cheaper than FR. The advantage to FR is that the price is the price and will not go up once quoted. When I price FR, I make allowance for unforeseen circumstances to crop up so I don't lose my butt.

Even on T&M, lots of times, I'll say 70 an hour plus materials, then later on when I hand them a bill for 4 or 5 hours labor the women like to say, hey you said 70 for labor. It's not fun to argue with women over money because many times they outright lie, and I don't like to call customers liars so I'd much rather deal with hubby because they've been there done that and understand.

 

[Kathi]

Usually not because they've never been on a jobsite in a serious way. Sometimes you can shoot someone a price and then things crop up that one could not forsee before getting partway through the job. And usually, even if I price it loosely, saying probably between this and this dependent on how it goes...they still try to take it as a hard price on the low side of course. The husband/men understand these things and the women either don't or are just trying to squeeze the money for their benefit.

I price stuff two different ways for people, however they want it. Either Time and Materials (T&M) or Flat Rate (FR). The advantage to T&M is that is is usually cheaper than FR. The advantage to FR is that the price is the price and will not go up once quoted. When I price FR, I make allowance for unforeseen circumstances to crop up so I don't lose my butt.

Even on T&M, lots of times, I'll say 70 an hour plus materials, then later on when I hand them a bill for 4 or 5 hours labor the women like to say, hey you said 70 for labor. It's not fun to argue with women over money because many times they outright lie, and I don't like to call customers liars so I'd much rather deal with hubby because they've been there done that and understand.

What if there is no husband in the house?What if the woman is working two jobs in order to put food in her children and her mouth?When you say "that women outright lie" you are assuming that all women are like that.

 

[Edward]

What if there is no husband in the house?What if the woman is working two jobs in order to put food in her children and her mouth?When you say "that women outright lie" you are assuming that all women are like that.

No I'm not. I'm speaking from experience not assuming that all women lie. If there's no hubby in the house, then I make sure that everything is understood beforehand. I choose my words well because I've been beat out of money so much in the past that I know what to look out for and what to make sure that I say. When a woman stands there and tells me that I said something that I didn't, she's lying plain and simple. I've been through this so many times that I'm well acquainted with it.

And if a woman is working two jobs and struggling to make ends meet, I take that into consideration also. I can tell the money situation by walking in the house. I discounted a lady 2.5 hours labor today to be nice.

 

[Kathi]

No I'm not. I'm speaking from experience not assuming that all women lie. If there's no hubby in the house, then I make sure that everything is understood beforehand. I choose my words well because I've been beat out of money so much in the past that I know what to look out for and what to make sure that I say. When a woman stands there and tells me that I said something that I didn't, she's lying plain and simple. I've been through this so many times that I'm well acquainted with it.

And if a woman is working two jobs and struggling to make ends meet, I take that into consideration also. I can tell the money situation by walking in the house. I discounted a lady 2.5 hours labor today to be nice.

I know there are a lot of people who lie in this world and are not honest.That makes it really rough for those who are honest, for those few who have integrity.

 

[Edward]

I know there are a lot of people who lie in this world and are not honest.That makes it really rough for those who are honest, for those few who have integrity.

Boy, you got that right sister. I agree 100%. I walk with honor and integrity.

Men lie too, don't get me wrong. I run into that too. Mostly doublespeak from lawyers and doctors and such. In my experience, poor people have a lot more honor than rich people, generally speaking.

 

[Pizza]

No I'm not. I'm speaking from experience not assuming that all women lie. If there's no hubby in the house, then I make sure that everything is understood beforehand. I choose my words well because I've been beat out of money so much in the past that I know what to look out for and what to make sure that I say. When a woman stands there and tells me that I said something that I didn't, she's lying plain and simple. I've been through this so many times that I'm well acquainted with it.

I've been there. I spent 11 years with a company in Georgia that sold and maintained radio and 911 call taking systems - most of our 911 center directors were women. We found that the ONLY way to do business with them was the 'flat rate' policy - it was just too frustrating to try to explain to them that we CANNOT predict what is going to happen AND that we CANNOT sit around and wait for other contractors to get out of the way unless we charge for it.

I had ONE male director and interacting with him was, for the most part, easier. I twice suggested to the boss that we do work for him on a T&M basis and both times it worked well.

 

[Edward]

I've been there. I spent 11 years with a company in Georgia that sold and maintained radio and 911 call taking systems - most of our 911 center directors were women. We found that the ONLY way to do business with them was the 'flat rate' policy - it was just too frustrating to try to explain to them that we CANNOT predict what is going to happen AND that we CANNOT sit around and wait for other contractors to get out of the way unless we charge for it.

I had ONE male director and interacting with him was, for the most part, easier. I twice suggested to the boss that we do work for him on a T&M basis and both times it worked well.

Right on brother. I hear you. I think that since most men have worked hard and ran into troubles on the job and escalations, that they understand it and want to see the workman get paid his worth for working his butt off. The women don't really get to see that end of it and only see the money so focus on that.

Sometimes it's obvious that they're just trying to beat you up on the price to save money. My kid needs a new bike...Sometimes I say so does my kid...

 

[Lewis]

Yes I do when I have it, and sometimes even if I can't afford it I will give something to the homeless on the street.

 

[Kathi]

Yes I do when I have it, and sometimes even if I can't afford it I will give something to the homeless on the street.

I don't give to those with a sign.There are many ways that they can get help honestly.But those agencies will not give them cash for alcohol and drugs.I have had a bad experience with approaching a lady once who had a sign that read "Very hungry please give me money so I can eat". Well,there was a deli right there.I told her "Lets go into the Deli and I will buy you a meal".She said "No way I want the cash not a meal".

 

[Pizza]

The weirdest one I had was when a 911 supervisor called me on a Sunday. One call taking position was down, so I jumped in the truck and sped over there (got stopped for speeding, but he let me go when I told him where I was headed...)

Well, I get over there and I start snooping around the position - and noticed that when I turned the keyboard over, water ran out of it. The operator said, "Oh, yea, I ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, spilled tea in it..

I headed to a local Radio Shack/hardware store and bought a $20 keyboard, put it in and restarted the position. Total time away from home: 3 Hours. So I billed $405 (3 hours at $90 an hour plus time and a half for overtime/emergency response), plus $35 for the keyboard. The director had a hissy fit over it.

We spoke later about it, and I did manage to get her to understand that it is NOT about "a simple fix" is was about costing me my Sunday afternoon with my disabled son. You want me to come and rescue you? Well, NO ONE goes to work and does not expect to be paid.

 

[Obadiah]

...In my experience, poor people have a lot more honor than rich people, generally speaking.

A lot of times that's WHY they are poor! The don't make a habit of cheating people and ripping people off.

 

[Obadiah]

The weirdest one I had was when a 911 supervisor called me on a Sunday. One call taking position was down, so I jumped in the truck and sped over there (got stopped for speeding, but he let me go when I told him where I was headed...)

Well, I get over there and I start snooping around the position - and noticed that when I turned the keyboard over, water ran out of it. The operator said, "Oh, yea, I ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, spilled tea in it..

I headed to a local Radio Shack/hardware store and bought a $20 keyboard, put it in and restarted the position. Total time away from home: 3 Hours. So I billed $405 (3 hours at $90 an hour plus time and a half for overtime/emergency response), plus $35 for the keyboard. The director had a hissy fit over it.

We spoke later about it, and I did manage to get her to understand that it is NOT about "a simple fix" is was about costing me my Sunday afternoon with my disabled son. You want me to come and rescue you? Well, NO ONE goes to work and does not expect to be paid.

Reminds me of a story a friend told me. Probably made up, but demonstrates the point.

An engine on a ship was malfunctioning and making a bad noise. None of the young mechanics onboard could figure out what was wrong. They went into port and called an old grizzled maritime mechanic to look at it. He listened to it run for a few minutes then struck it a few times with a hammer and the noise went away. Then he handed the captain a bill for $1000.

The captain was furious, saying "All you did was hit it with a hammer a few times. I want and ITEMIZED bill of what I'm paying $1000 for!" So the mechanic wrote out an itemized bill:

Striking engine 3 times with hammer: $3.00
Knowing where to strike engine with hammer: $997.00
Total: $1000.00

 

[AirDancer]

Reminds me of a story a friend told me. Probably made up, but demonstrates the point.

An engine on a ship was malfunctioning and making a bad noise. None of the young mechanics onboard could figure out what was wrong. They went into port and called an old grizzled maritime mechanic to look at it. He listened to it run for a few minutes then struck it a few times with a hammer and the noise went away. Then he handed the captain a bill for $1000.

The captain was furious, saying "All you did was hit it with a hammer a few times. I want and ITEMIZED bill of what I'm paying $1000 for!" So the mechanic wrote out an itemized bill:

Striking engine 3 times with hammer: $3.00
Knowing where to strike engine with hammer: $997.00
Total: $1000.00

 

[Deborah13]

Usually not because they've never been on a jobsite in a serious way. Sometimes you can shoot someone a price and then things crop up that one could not forsee before getting partway through the job. And usually, even if I price it loosely, saying probably between this and this dependent on how it goes...they still try to take it as a hard price on the low side of course. The husband/men understand these things and the women either don't or are just trying to squeeze the money for their benefit.

I price stuff two different ways for people, however they want it. Either Time and Materials (T&M) or Flat Rate (FR). The advantage to T&M is that is is usually cheaper than FR. The advantage to FR is that the price is the price and will not go up once quoted. When I price FR, I make allowance for unforeseen circumstances to crop up so I don't lose my butt.

Even on T&M, lots of times, I'll say 70 an hour plus materials, then later on when I hand them a bill for 4 or 5 hours labor the women like to say, hey you said 70 for labor. It's not fun to argue with women over money because many times they outright lie, and I don't like to call customers liars so I'd much rather deal with hubby because they've been there done that and understand.

Even when it's a bid job it's a good idea to have a stipulation where change orders are part of the contract. But maybe you don't run into much of the unexpected like can happen on large construction sites.
Engineers can wreck havoc on the best of bids. And then there's natural things like a layer of bedrock on one corner of a building of several condo units. Excavator can't dig it, call in a licensed blasting company. Change orders are a good thing.

 

[Gary]

I don't understand why anyone would care what a homeless person is going to do with that measly dollar you're giving them.

I wonder how many angels are ignored or insulted on a daily basis because of this covetous attitude?