Paying for Unnecessary Chores - Page 3

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

a $20 would have been nice.....or at the very least a $10 gift card to starbucks or mcdonalds or the grocery store.

you could hand it to him and let him know you appreciate the help and that you will give him a call the next time you have some chores/odd jobs for him to do for you.

********************************************
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

SloopJohnB · ‎04-25-2020

@Biftu wrote:
My neighbor's son (he's in his 40s) knocked on my door to tell me he has cleaned up both our front lawns from pinecone like things that fall from his tree but branches hang over my property. I thanked him and an hour later he said his trash barrel was filled and can he use mine. Sure I said. He came back again and told me his father used to pay him 10 cents for every pincone he picked. I laughed and said he had a good thing going. Back again to tell me my trash bin was heavy and to call him on trash day and he will move it to the front for me. I felt like he wanted me to pay him. These pinecones don't bother me in the winter and I did not ask him to do this, although I appreciate he did it.

He has done small outdoor chores for me in the past which I asked for his help and I paid him. He took on this task on his own. Being retired I try to only pay for projects I can't do on myself. Would you have paid him?

@Biftu Is he by chance special needs? Only ask because he is in his 40's, lives with his parents I'm presuming from your post, kept coming back to your door at least 4 times, and talked about getting paid a dime per pinecone.....🌲. Maybe this was a "real" type job for him? Not inferring anything about being special needs as I have an autistic child of my own. Just trying to picture the scenario.

I would give everything I own just to have you back again.......David Gates of Bread

shoekitty · ‎03-10-2010

Give the boy a few bucks tell him you appreciate it, but please ask before he does any job. That kid sounds like he is ambitious and is saving for something.

“sometimes you have to bite your upper lip and put sunglasses on”….Bob Dylan

santorini · ‎03-09-2010

@shoekitty wrote:
Give the boy a few bucks tell him you appreciate it, but please ask before he does any job. That kid sounds like he is ambitious and is saving for something.

That would be different if he WERE a kid. He's 40.

ThinkingOutLoud · ‎05-01-2020

Depending on how long it took him, I'd consider baking a quick batch of cookies for him but not giving him money.

Mersha · ‎03-10-2010

@Biftu I like to tip for a job well done or someone that goes out of their way to help.

In regard to your issue, I would thank him and tell him you appreciated his efforts but I would not tip him as that would set a precedent for the future. He may do work that you did not request and expect to be paid.

"My desire to be well informed is currently at odds with my desire to remain sane."

Wsmom · ‎03-09-2010

He may have been just telling you the story about his dad paying him per pine cone because picking them up reminded him of that happy memory. Unless he told you that and then said "and I picked up 50 pine cones from your yard". 😀

But I agree with Mersha, you don't want to set precedence where anytime he needs a little cash he thinks he can do something for you and then you are going to pay him. Not a door I would want to open.

Also as stated, he is cleaning up the mess their tree made in your yard and then using your trash barrels. If anybody should be paying him for it it would be his parents.

jannabelle1 · ‎09-12-2010

There's something very strange IMO about a 40 year old man hinting that he wants money for picking up pine cones in your yard! No, I would not pay him...giving a man that age a $5 bill seems weird, and it's not worth $20! I would be polite, as you were, and thank him for doing it but letting him know it was not necessary. Let it go at that. If you pay him, he'll find other projects to take on at your home without asking.

goldensrbest · ‎03-10-2010

Do you know him well enough ,that this does not make you feel ,lets say a little creepy? If you don't feel weird about this ,i would give him $10.00.

When you lose some one you L~O~V~E, that Memory of them, becomes a TREASURE.

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

That is a tough one. Granted, you didn't ask him to do the job. However, I assume these pine cone thingys needed to be cleaned up at some point. I guess if he cleaned up enough to fill two garbage cans, it's worthy of some reimbursement. Maybe just $10 with a comment that you wish you could pay more but that you are on a tight budget.