Epic FU Money Stories to help others

[BlueHouse]

What I don’t like is the general connotation of FU money. It seems to empower someone or some others at the expense of self-directedness.

@Ron Scott, maybe it's the "FU" that you find troublesome.  If the same empowerment were attained with the saying "I have no more fuqs to give", would  that make it more palatable to you?  Maybe you just don't like confrontation, which is fine.  This is just sort of a mustachian "punch you in the face to get your attention" kind of saying.  No one really gets punched in the face. 

[jinga nation]

Fed emp here - a few years ago my branch had a new hire who was pregnant.  Feds accrue leave over time so you start with zero saved up.  She was planning on taking FMLA (unpaid).  I donated 40 hours of annual leave to her so she could have a week on me.  Another co-worker did similarly.  Not really difficult on my/our part (as many feds with several years of experience have more leave than they know what to do with as you can only carry over so much year to year) but the couple weeks of paid leave were much appreciated and was good for morale on the whole team.

Nice!

My previous employer had this option. Employees could donate upto 40 hours of leave, as long as we would have at least 80 hours remaining in the leave bank. I donated 20 hours to a fellow employee in 2015, as he needed time off for helping his wife and newborn and look after the other kids. Several of us donated, he was able to take 200 hours off.
(However, we learned that he was abusing the policy when 15 months later he requested it again. Corporate looked into it, this was for his 6th kid, he was the only income source, his mother and MIL were staying with him and helping out, and he was doing side work full-time while paid on donated leave. This is all we heard from his team. Corporate got rid the donation policy, said there was other stuff they couldn't reveal. But he wasn't let go. He was a good employee.)

[Abe]

I’ve gotten to the point where, when forced to take call fo emergency surgery, I just donate the money to various charities. That way when I get woken up at 2am for no reason it’s less annoying. Also I then avoid having 40% of it go to the federal government that promptly wastes a significant portion on nonsense. Everyone wins!

[Dicey]

I’ve gotten to the point where, when forced to take call fo emergency surgery, I just donate the money to various charities. That way when I get woken up at 2am for no reason it’s less annoying. Also I then avoid having 40% of it go to the federal government that promptly wastes a significant portion on nonsense. Everyone wins!

You're a good egg, @Abe!

[Turtle]

My Epic FU money story really belongs here, because it helped a former coworker much more than it helped me.  All I got out of it was the satisfaction of doing a good deed, and the knowledge that the former employer was forced to abide by their policies.

About a decade ago, I was working at a large multi-national corporation.  One of my coworkers had been trying for a while to get pregnant, including one failed round of IVF.  She was just getting ready to start a second round when we found out that our entire department was being dissolved/moved to other locations without any possibility of anyone on our team relocating.  (I wasn't someone she confided in, but it's hard to keep secrets in cube land.)

It was a long notice period, because of course they wanted us to train those other locations. 

On the day that I got pulled out by HR to be given the official package, I realized it was a very long document and decided I was reading it on their time rather than mine.  There were usually empty conference rooms somewhere in the building, so I found one and read the entire agreement from end to end.  (What were they going to do about me being away from my desk so long? Fire me?  FU attitude was in full force)

In the process of that detailed reading, I came across a segment covering pregnant employees.  Turned out that if an employee was pregnant on the last official day of work, the policy was to pay out the full maternity coverage in addition to everything else detailed in the agreement.  Having heard that stress could interfere with IVF success, I wasn't about to mention this to the former coworker unless she made an official announcement of her status, though.

Then on a totally random chance, I happened to run into her at my local Target a couple weeks before the final day, and she told me they were expecting twins.  I asked, and it turned out she wasn't aware of the policy and was thrilled to find out that she was eligible for 12 extra weeks of pay.

That will forever be the most expensive baby present I ever give, and it almost never happened because that wasn't her regular Target, and even back then I wasn't in there very often.

No one at my former company was ever aware that I was responsible for them needing to uphold that policy, but it definitely gave me some extra satisfaction. 

I used the severance to fund a sabbatical at home with my kids for the summer, and then found a much higher paying job after they went back to school.  That layoff definitely worked out in my favor in the long run.

[Kris]

My Epic FU money story really belongs here, because it helped a former coworker much more than it helped me.  All I got out of it was the satisfaction of doing a good deed, and the knowledge that the former employer was forced to abide by their policies.

About a decade ago, I was working at a large multi-national corporation.  One of my coworkers had been trying for a while to get pregnant, including one failed round of IVF.  She was just getting ready to start a second round when we found out that our entire department was being dissolved/moved to other locations without any possibility of anyone on our team relocating.  (I wasn't someone she confided in, but it's hard to keep secrets in cube land.)

It was a long notice period, because of course they wanted us to train those other locations. 

On the day that I got pulled out by HR to be given the official package, I realized it was a very long document and decided I was reading it on their time rather than mine.  There were usually empty conference rooms somewhere in the building, so I found one and read the entire agreement from end to end.  (What were they going to do about me being away from my desk so long? Fire me?  FU attitude was in full force)

In the process of that detailed reading, I came across a segment covering pregnant employees.  Turned out that if an employee was pregnant on the last official day of work, the policy was to pay out the full maternity coverage in addition to everything else detailed in the agreement.  Having heard that stress could interfere with IVF success, I wasn't about to mention this to the former coworker unless she made an official announcement of her status, though.

Then on a totally random chance, I happened to run into her at my local Target a couple weeks before the final day, and she told me they were expecting twins.  I asked, and it turned out she wasn't aware of the policy and was thrilled to find out that she was eligible for 12 extra weeks of pay.

That will forever be the most expensive baby present I ever give, and it almost never happened because that wasn't her regular Target, and even back then I wasn't in there very often.

No one at my former company was ever aware that I was responsible for them needing to uphold that policy, but it definitely gave me some extra satisfaction. 

I used the severance to fund a sabbatical at home with my kids for the summer, and then found a much higher paying job after they went back to school.  That layoff definitely worked out in my favor in the long run.

That's a good one. Love it!

[ATtiny85]

My Epic FU money story really belongs here, because it helped a former coworker much more than it helped me.  All I got out of it was the satisfaction of doing a good deed, and the knowledge that the former employer was forced to abide by their policies.

I used the severance to fund a sabbatical at home with my kids for the summer, and then found a much higher paying job after they went back to school.  That layoff definitely worked out in my favor in the long run.

Awesome! A nice double win! Thanks for sharing.

[Turtle]

My Epic FU money story really belongs here, because it helped a former coworker much more than it helped me.  All I got out of it was the satisfaction of doing a good deed, and the knowledge that the former employer was forced to abide by their policies.

I used the severance to fund a sabbatical at home with my kids for the summer, and then found a much higher paying job after they went back to school.  That layoff definitely worked out in my favor in the long run.

Awesome! A nice double win! Thanks for sharing.

You're welcome.  There's some good stories in this thread, so I thought it wouldn't hurt to pop it up for any newer folks.

[jeninco]

My Epic FU money story really belongs here, because it helped a former coworker much more than it helped me.  All I got out of it was the satisfaction of doing a good deed, and the knowledge that the former employer was forced to abide by their policies.

I used the severance to fund a sabbatical at home with my kids for the summer, and then found a much higher paying job after they went back to school.  That layoff definitely worked out in my favor in the long run.

Awesome! A nice double win! Thanks for sharing.

This is 100% Awesome! And great job actually reading the entire thing -- I'm always amazed that people don't read binding legal documents all the way to the end before signing them!

[Zamboni]

Love that, Turtle! Great job!

[elysianfields]

WTG Turtle! Win win for the mom with the twins!

[AMandM]

As a mother of twins who still, 30 years later, has only a hazy memory of the first three months, I salute you, Turtle.

And as the mother of a fed who had to work extra for months ahead to be able to get six weeks off when she had her baby, I salute you, too, simonsez.

[moneytaichi]

I have a story to share: When one of my reports (originally from another country) was hired, his contract said that the company would sponsor him Green Card if his work is satisfactory after 6-month. For the background: it's a HUGE deal for people who immigrate to US and need Green Card to stay. He approached me and asked about Green Card 3 months after he joined the company. I asked my boss. She is an abusive person who has little empathy for her people. She said my report needs one year to prove himself before getting sponsored. I checked with HR and confirmed the contract term. I asked HR showed my boss the contract with her signature on it ;-)

Obviously she didn't like me not follow her order and exposed her shit. But I didn't want to confront her further, which may create damages to my report. I coached my report focus on delivering work and getting visibility across the organization. I also shared with my boss on my own challenges of working with her directly. She sensed that I was unhappy and backed down on her bully style a bit. After a month or two, she told me to proceed with the green card process for my report. She also agreed other terms I listed.

I am happy that I have helped my report, and I am also on my way out, thanks for FY money.

[Adventine]

I have a story to share: When one of my reports (originally from another country) was hired, his contract said that the company would sponsor him Green Card if his work is satisfactory after 6-month. For the background: it's a HUGE deal for people who immigrate to US and need Green Card to stay. He approached me and asked about Green Card 3 months after he joined the company. I asked my boss. She is an abusive person who has little empathy for her people. She said my report needs one year to prove himself before getting sponsored. I checked with HR and confirmed the contract term. I asked HR showed my boss the contract with her signature on it ;-)

Obviously she didn't like me not follow her order and exposed her shit. But I didn't want to confront her further, which may create damages to my report. I coached my report focus on delivering work and getting visibility across the organization. I also shared with my boss on my own challenges of working with her directly. She sensed that I was unhappy and backed down on her bully style a bit. After a month or two, she told me to proceed with the green card process for my report. She also agreed other terms I listed.

I am happy that I have helped my report, and I am also on my way out, thanks for FY money.

Good for you! I had to go through the green card process through marriage and I know it's 10x tougher to get it through employment. Extremely good karma for you.

[Just Joe]

I've worked with a few people who went through the whole immigration / citizenship process. I still don't understand all the steps but learned from them what a big deal it is - and celebrated over a cup of coffee. Good people every one of them.

[Turtle]

I have a story to share: When one of my reports (originally from another country) was hired, his contract said that the company would sponsor him Green Card if his work is satisfactory after 6-month. For the background: it's a HUGE deal for people who immigrate to US and need Green Card to stay. He approached me and asked about Green Card 3 months after he joined the company. I asked my boss. She is an abusive person who has little empathy for her people. She said my report needs one year to prove himself before getting sponsored. I checked with HR and confirmed the contract term. I asked HR showed my boss the contract with her signature on it ;-)

Obviously she didn't like me not follow her order and exposed her shit. But I didn't want to confront her further, which may create damages to my report. I coached my report focus on delivering work and getting visibility across the organization. I also shared with my boss on my own challenges of working with her directly. She sensed that I was unhappy and backed down on her bully style a bit. After a month or two, she told me to proceed with the green card process for my report. She also agreed other terms I listed.

I am happy that I have helped my report, and I am also on my way out, thanks for FY money.

Good for you and good for your employee!  It pays to have things in writing.

[crocheted_stache]

Ooh, the thread is so old I'm getting the warning. Here goes, anyway.

Compared to other parts of the library budget, adult literacy is relatively expensive for how few people it serves. For the hundred or so people it serves at a time, however, it is life-changing. It opens doors to jobs, education, driver's licenses, basic life skills, and all kinds of things most people take for granted. Illiteracy and low literacy are invisible, and they're much more prevalent than many people realize. Adult literacy is basically a social service, but in the library, and when viewed that way, the return on investment is immense.

Years ago, a local official was doing their darndest to dismantle the library's adult literacy program.

In addition to participating in some passionate and well-directed organizing with some of the program's volunteers, I did a couple of things to help preserve the program.

A local state congressman put out a call for some award, and I nominated the two staff members who coordinated the program. This had the unintended but welcome effect of getting the congressman's attention on the library and the literacy program. English was not his native language, and he very much appreciated the value in the program and the library in general. He presented the award to the literacy program staff and made a point to attend several library and literacy program events thereafter. Good luck pulling the plug on the congressman's new favorite program.

This is where the FU money-for-good comes in: I also made a donation to the literacy program through the Friends of the Library. I deliberately made it a large enough number to a) do some real good for the program and b) make it tough to ignore.

To the best of my knowledge, the official is since retired and the program is still going, if somewhat reorganized along the way. I don't know how much I personally had to do with either outcome, but I like to think I helped tip the scales.

[Adventine]

@crocheted_stache You have a heart of gold. Your story hits home because I work at a library and a large part of my job is creating programs for adults. Thank you for caring about your local library!

[crocheted_stache]

@crocheted_stache You have a heart of gold. Your story hits home because I work at a library and a large part of my job is creating programs for adults. Thank you for caring about your local library!

Yay, adult library services!

Occasionally I run across a paper where someone tries to put a numerical value on the return on investment of libraries, and it seems like the result is generally a feeble, hand-waving underestimate.

Just in my own personal experience, I don't know how I'd put a value on having access to the books that put me as a then-twentysomething on a path toward financial literacy, personal finance, and eventually FI. Or all those that helped me make better decisions around buying a home or choosing and getting jobs. And that's potentially quantifiable, unlike the access to explore a range of other subjects outside my education and career just to explore what interests me, learn about hobby interests, meet like-minded people, and enjoy inexpensive entertainment.

When I say the adult literacy program is life-changing, I mean that some of the program's participants have earned GEDs and even gone on to college despite growing up in an assortment of circumstances that thwarted their education as youth, including "social promotion" (advancing to the next grade based on age despite a shaky grasp of the material); living in or fleeing war zones/refugee camps; and in at least a few cases, growing up in a place and time where no one cared if Black children got an education, at all. One participant was a union member who read his contract, started asking questions about the "living wage" provision he found in it, and ended up leading a successful campaign for a raise for everyone in his division at his workplace.

The program has helped several participants get through the citizenship process, too. The library holds monthly or quarterly clinics for the citizenship process stuff, with help from an outside entity that knows that part, and the literacy program helps its participants who want help with the interview and exam preparation.

I don't begin to know how to put a price tag or return on investment on any of this, either, but it's got to be a better deal all round than jails and prisons.

The stories I'm recalling here are all a few years old. Writing this now, I'm thinking I should get myself up to date and start bringing the literacy program and the libraries in general to the attention of the current candidates for that seat in the state legislature. Hmm.

[lifeandlimb]

Then on a totally random chance, I happened to run into her at my local Target a couple weeks before the final day, and she told me they were expecting twins.  I asked, and it turned out she wasn't aware of the policy and was thrilled to find out that she was eligible for 12 extra weeks of pay.

After a month or two, she told me to proceed with the green card process for my report. She also agreed other terms I listed.

I am happy that I have helped my report, and I am also on my way out, thanks for FY money.

To the best of my knowledge, the official is since retired and the program is still going, if somewhat reorganized along the way. I don't know how much I personally had to do with either outcome, but I like to think I helped tip the scales.

Fuck yeah, I love these epic stories of empowering and looking out for other people! These are the coolest because it reminds me that FI can have positive indirect effects on so many more people than just ourselves.

[Chris Pascale]

@SwordGuy I love your opening post on this. Thanks for sharing.

I don't think of this as an FU Money type of thing, but I've raised some hell in the history dept at my college, trying to fix the fact that one of my peer's office "falls on a spectrum between total dog shit and wondering if purgatory is all it's cracked up to be."

I did this mainly because I was shocked at this horrible closet she was stuck into, especially since she's nearly ABD, and will need a space conducive to creating good scholarship as she prepares to defend. Also, there are several offices with empty desks. She's been denied. Another student wrote to the dept admin saying he's the only person in an office for 3, and she could be moved in with him.

Staff have said to people-other-than-me that my behavior was inappropriate, and all requests have been denied. My guess is that it's because they know that if men and women had an office together, all they'd do is bang all day, and it would overwhelm the health office's condom budget. I respect their attention to this matter, but it's still insensible.

There are other issues I've raised concerns with, specifically telling the Dept Head that the department is "knee capping the scholarship and career potential" of the students by being so cheap - that students are opting not to apply to attend conferences because they know they won't get any financial support as the school charges them $1,400 a month for a room while paying a stipend of $26,000.

For this last part, I'm preparing to speak at the State University Conference next year if my proposal is accepted. But it takes money to attend the conference, and perhaps the security that my personal funds/future are not solely in the hands that I plan to slap.

[Dicey]

@crocheted_stache You have a heart of gold. Your story hits home because I work at a library and a large part of my job is creating programs for adults. Thank you for caring about your local library!

Ditto! I have a library board meeting tonight and I'm working my ass off for the upcoming fundraiser. Go, libraries and those who love them!

[Siebrie]

Well, my Technical Director colleague had a meeting with the Chair of our Board about his salary. There's only 3 of us in this non-profit, so remuneration goes via the Board. He had a 2-hour meeting about his grievances, and the Chair was shocked we don't have a 13th month. The Chair will now suggest to the rest of the Board that we will all 3 receive a 13th month :)
The Technical Director has just turned 60, is an excellent expert and a nice colleague. We cannot afford to lose him, so the Board is willing to bend a bit more than they would for a normal company and employee.

[uniwelder]

Well, my Technical Director colleague had a meeting with the Chair of our Board about his salary. There's only 3 of us in this non-profit, so remuneration goes via the Board. He had a 2-hour meeting about his grievances, and the Chair was shocked we don't have a 13th month. The Chair will now suggest to the rest of the Board that we will all 3 receive a 13th month :)
The Technical Director has just turned 60, is an excellent expert and a nice colleague. We cannot afford to lose him, so the Board is willing to bend a bit more than they would for a normal company and employee.

What country are you in?  Being an ignorant American, this is the first time I've heard of 13 month accounting.  For those just as puzzled, it means splitting the year into 4 week pay periods, rather than 1 month periods.

edited to add-- I also just learned an alternative method is to pay double in December, like having a bonus equal to 1 month of salary.

[deborah]

Belgium

[poetdereves]

DW and I are on the path to FI and have a shared value of being generous. Honestly, one of my favorite parts of a higher income is the ability to give so much away.

Just like everyone else, I don't intend to brag and nearly all of our giving is done anonymously because we aren't looking for credit, but just trying to give other people a little help or a good day.

Some of the recent FU money things we have done for others:
-Recently tipped $1,000 cash to a local server while out at dinner. We have wanted to do this for a while and set a day on the calendar. Went to our restaurant of choice and decided whoever took our table would get it. We left before he noticed and I will never know how he will spend it, and I don't really care. I assume it make his day.
-DW used to travel overseas during summers to do medical clinics and sanitary education to small villages in an African country. She hasn't gone in a long time because of work and family duties, but we saved up enough money to have a water well installed and maintained in one of those villages. It is working well and provides clean water to dozens of local families. We will probably never meet them or get to drink from the well, but the chances for that village's children to become better educated and healthier are substantially increased since the mother's don't have to spend their day walking miles to get water out of a dirty puddle full of parasites that cause dysentery.
-Numerous plane tickets, rental cars, and hotels for friends and family who are headed to weddings, funerals, job interviews, etc. and need a little help.
-Paying for my dad's massages/physical therapy as he navigates early onset Parkinson's disease while being the sole breadwinner for he and my mother while working a physically demanding warehouse job.

All of these things don't really cost a ton, but make a difference. Very inspired by other people trying to do good things.

[SwordGuy]

The recent posts all make me very happy!

[NV Teacher]

I will be retiring at the end of this school year and I will be moving back to my hometown to be close family.  It costs me about $4000 a year for the house here between utilities, taxes, insurance, etc.  I have set up four scholorships for $1000 each for students that attended the school I have been teaching at.  It's not a lot but I hope that it will give some students a small boost. 

[crocheted_stache]

This was not that recent, and more "F that" than "FU."

I used a phone for 4 years and then gave it to someone I know, who used it for another few years. It was old enough that the battery could be popped out and replaced with no special tools or know-how, and we replaced it along the way.

Anyway, when the second owner upgraded, it was still going, at least on Wi-Fi. It came back to me. I listed it on one of the local free places, and someone asked for it to listen to music while walking for exercise.

Either just after I promised it to Walking for Exercise or just after I handed it off, I got one last request for it from an unhoused person, saying it would be "a lifeline." We corresponded a bit, and he volunteered that he could not get an Obama phone for lack of ID. ID, in turn, was stuck in bureaucratic limbo because the government here needed something from the state where he used to live, and the old state wouldn't or couldn't, or he'd have needed to show up. He'd tried.

The old phone was on its way by the time he asked, and there was no way that an antique, carrier-locked phone like that would have been much help to him, anyway. I made an unsuccessful attempt to talk DH out of his old phone.

Then I bought the guy a basic, unlocked phone and a card for some prepaid service. The whole thing was maybe $150. I figured, I can't fix everything else, but I can fix this, and just maybe he can connect with services.

I haven't heard from him since. I hope it's still working for him and that he's okay, wherever he may be.

[Siebrie]

Well, my Technical Director colleague had a meeting with the Chair of our Board about his salary. There's only 3 of us in this non-profit, so remuneration goes via the Board. He had a 2-hour meeting about his grievances, and the Chair was shocked we don't have a 13th month. The Chair will now suggest to the rest of the Board that we will all 3 receive a 13th month :)
The Technical Director has just turned 60, is an excellent expert and a nice colleague. We cannot afford to lose him, so the Board is willing to bend a bit more than they would for a normal company and employee.

What country are you in?  Being an ignorant American, this is the first time I've heard of 13 month accounting.  For those just as puzzled, it means splitting the year into 4 week pay periods, rather than 1 month periods.

edited to add-- I also just learned an alternative method is to pay double in December, like having a bonus equal to 1 month of salary.

I'm in Belgium, where this extra month at the end of the year is pretty common for office workers. It's usually described in the Collective Labour Agreement. Usually, there is no thresholds to reach or numbers to make, you just have to be employed at that time. Some contracts even have a 14th month. AND we have a month's vacation pay in May :)

[eyesonthehorizon]

... I can't fix everything else, but I can fix this....

If we could bottle this & smuggle it into the water supply we’d have world peace by next month.