Over the last several months I have occasionally been working for a family member. It was all fine and dandy until....I charged him what I thought was a "family price". Mind you, I didn't make a ton, in-fact, the job wasn't really worth the effort. But, their family right??? WRONG!
I think that I've finally reached the point in my life where my parents, and sister, need to realize that I am, infact, and adult. Shocker, I know, and it's been a LLLOOOOONNNNGGG time coming. A lot of the time I still don't take myself seriously, but that's usually in the confines of my own home or under the influence of random substances (A whole bottle of Ecco Domani will account for not being taken too seriously! Incase you were wondering...okay and the occassional left over Lortab I find in the medicine closet!).
Anyway, I think that my family has this idea that, the younger sister, who doesn't really have a job, and can leave work whenever she wants, and doesn't have ANYTHING ELSE going on in her life, will do it. Slave Labor I tell you!!!! Well guess what? I do have a job and if I take a week off, they have to hire a Temp and all they could do is answer the phone, and I have absolutley NOTHING else going on in my life...ya, I wish!
I guess, telling you what happened would help...I'll give you the short, short version:
1. Brother-in-law needs mural painted, tells me 3 days before he needs it done.
2. I get the time off, so does Carlos and we drive 300 miles to Mesquite to paint.
3. Building is without power, no lease is signed, and no heat in the building.
4. Paint anyway, with flashlights..you heard me, flashlights! That's some serious skills kids!
5. Finish Mural.
6. Quote Brother-in-law, 1/3rd my "Actual Cost" that I would charge anyone else, no expenses for gas, time traveled, or food.
7. Hotel room gets charged to me. I bill my Brother-in-law.
8. Hear from my sister, "He'll never have you paint for him again if you charge him like that!"
9. Awesome. Cash the check anyway.
It was a great week...
What's your opinion? Was I wrong, or was my brother-in-law just "expecting" me to do it for nothing? Have you ever done work for family that blew up in your face? Let me know!
Thanks for letting me vent!
Ciao!!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Working for Family...try it once.
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3 comments:
Hey, what I say is, love your family but don't let them take advantage of you. Basically you could hope that they would realize they were doing it, but thats not always the case. So try and make your point without being a super hose beast and if he doesn't want to do business with you anymore, thats their loss. They'll come running back when they price the competition. And if not, well you said it, you have a job!
T said it all...let him see what it would cost from someone who doesn't give a shit about him...he'll be back on his hands and knees!
WHAT? WHAT? FLASHLIGHTS? WHAT?
OK, he's crazy. You did him such a favor. That is nuts.
I do everything by the book and even with a notary if needs be with my family. I don't want anybody to think that I'm ripping them off.
I'm sure that there's times where I'm thoughtless and expect to get more than I deserve, but I refuse to be like my ex-sister-in-law who demanded that my parents pay her rent every month (even though she was divorced from their son -- and they did it -- for about 15 years!!!).
That is crazy.
(Oh, I found you through Suzi)
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