Mooching off the man?

[Ftao93]

So, at work, I am fortunate they provide things like coffee, creamer, snacks, fruit, etc.

Usually I am content to have some yogurt or eggs for breakfast.  Sometimes I come in and eat some delicious organic bananas or a kaishi bar, on the company dime.  I try to keep snacks to trail mix, nuts, etc.

Here's one though:  I see this as creating a weird need.  I believe you should be able to get up, make food, eat, and get to work most of the time without killing yourself.  Of course, we have no kids.

I guess for me personally, I would rather have another 1% raise than 'gourmet', mostly bad for you processed foods provided.  Though it obviously works very much in my favor at times.  Trying to avoid sounding like an ungrateful jerk, since there have been plenty of times in my life where I've not had enough food.  Millions go through this daily.

Thoughts?

[iris lily]

For years my employer did not provide coffee, and then one day it started. YAY! Coffee is necessary.

All of that other stuff you mention is not. That's a pretty luxurious food bar. Still, I doubt that it costs 1% of your salary although it's not only the cost of the food, it's the cost to obtain it, prepare it, keep it cleaned up.

Whatever benefits one's employer wishes to provide are benefits he (sometimes the corporate "he") wishes to provide. It's an extra and we can argue with it or ignore it or take advantage of it.

For me, it's the annual staff recognition dinner that I'm pretty much obligated to attend. Ok, I was ordered to attend! haha. And while it's only 1 night of the year,  my employer fells compelled to hold it on the Saturday 2 weeks before Christmas. That's holiday party frenzy in my neighborhood but nope, I've gotta go to a work party. Where I get one measley ticket for one free drink. And then, the "retirees" are all invited and I think "why why why do they come, they are not required to come, and if they didn't come I could have two free drinks."

 hahaha whine and wine, and whine about wine and lack of same, that's me.

[the fixer]

The WORST is when an employer provides candy and junk food. The temptation being there every day is really tough to deal with, especially for someone who's used to thinking about it as just free calories. Employers that do that should automatically have to pay 50% higher healthcare premiums.

[nereo]

overall, I think employers have found that offering perks makes for a better work experience.  Things like free coffee, reduced (or free) daycare, on-site bike storage, free meals (check out google-kitchens) keep workers happy and make them less likely to leave for a no-perks job.  The rub is that you won't use (or even like) some of the perks offered.

Of course, it adds to the bottom line which ultimately reduces how much they can pay employees.  The opposite extreme is that they offer nothing; no coffee, no company pens or paper, no free parking, no anything.  Most people find that kind of work environment oppressive.

My advice is to try to lobby for better, healthier snacks, and acknowledge that you won't like or use every perk.

[chucklesmcgee]

When your employer plops a $10 tank of coffee and stops 50 people from taking 20 minutes to go out and buy coffee, it's basically spending $1 for an extra 100 minutes of productivity. Not a bad deal for the employer, so I understand why we get coffee and not a raise.

[windawake]

I wish my employer provided fruit! I've had banana cravings all week and ran out of bananas at home. MMmmm, bananas.

[Ftao93]

I think from a cost perspective, these come from different silos.

The stuff provided is an 'administrative cost' and is written off easily.  The productivity is another I hadn't thought of!

Since Mustachians are inherently a very analytical, smart bunch, I thought I would get this kind of brainstorming from even this humble thought.

thanks for replying.  I think I will be content with this great boon (my company isn't horribly evil really, I would just rather have a little more $$).

[Jamesqf]

I believe you should be able to get up, make food, eat, and get to work most of the time without killing yourself.

Effing morning people :-)  For some of us, poring cereal in a bowl and getting the milk in with it is testing our limits.  Slicing some fruit on top might involve adding unexpected bits of protein...

[Eric]

The WORST is when an employer provides candy and junk food.

It's not the worst for those of us that enjoy it!  In fact, it's pretty awesome!  I think I'll have a Tootsie Pop right now...

[4alpacas]

The WORST is when an employer provides candy and junk food.

It's not the worst for those of us that enjoy it!  In fact, it's pretty awesome!  I think I'll have a Tootsie Pop right now...

SO jealous!  My company provides no free food...so sad.  :(  My coworkers do bring in baked goods and fruit (massive amounts from their fruit trees) occasionally. 

[avonlea]

The WORST is when an employer provides candy and junk food.

It's not the worst for those of us that enjoy it!  In fact, it's pretty awesome!  I think I'll have a Tootsie Pop right now...

Do let us know if you figure out how many licks it takes to get to the center.  :)

[zinnie]

I save a lot of money on coffee by drinking my employer-provided coffee on work days. Then my home stash lasts a lot longer!

I wouldn't lower my standard of what I eat to save money, if the employer only provided processed stuff or candy, but if they had fruit? I would definitely "mooch" off of them. Calling this "mooching off the man" seems a little extreme, though. It is an employee benefit! :)

[Ftao93]

I save a lot of money on coffee by drinking my employer-provided coffee on work days. Then my home stash lasts a lot longer!

Oh indeed!  I love Peets, which is not super cheap, but not expensive either. 

For a while, they did folgers here, which I hate.  And only Hazelnut creamer, which I believe is a punishment, not a flavor :P.

We lobbied for different stuff and are now satisfied.   

I will enter Costco this summer and see what cost analysis I can do vs. other markets.   I generally like them as a company.

[Mori]

I believe you should be able to get up, make food, eat, and get to work most of the time without killing yourself.

Effing morning people :-)  For some of us, poring cereal in a bowl and getting the milk in with it is testing our limits.  Slicing some fruit on top might involve adding unexpected bits of protein...

:) I'm just slow in the morning--hard to get all that done without mysteriously losing time somehow.

[jrhampt]

For years my employer did not provide coffee, and then one day it started. YAY! Coffee is necessary.

All of that other stuff you mention is not.

How is coffee a necessity??

[4alpacas]

For years my employer did not provide coffee, and then one day it started. YAY! Coffee is necessary.

All of that other stuff you mention is not.

How is coffee a necessity??

I don't drink coffee, so I don't think it's a necessity. 

Candy is necessary!

[Annamal]

I believe you should be able to get up, make food, eat, and get to work most of the time without killing yourself.

Effing morning people :-)  For some of us, poring cereal in a bowl and getting the milk in with it is testing our limits.  Slicing some fruit on top might involve adding unexpected bits of protein...

Hah...I have solved this problem, I make a big batch of baked oatmeal(with either bananas or spinach) in the evening before the start of the week and slice it up. That way as long as I don't hit myself with the fridge door, I'm golden.

[Annamal]

For years my employer did not provide coffee, and then one day it started. YAY! Coffee is necessary.

All of that other stuff you mention is not.

How is coffee a necessity??

For is it not written, where there are programmers there must also be vast quantities of caffeine...

I give it up every so often but I seem to be able to solve problems much better when I'm using (and yes I am aware this is a drug dependence).

[iris lily]

cessity??

For is it not written, where there are programmers there must also be vast quantities of caffeine...

I give it up every so often but I seem to be able to solve problems much better when I'm using (and yes I am aware this is a drug dependence).

Yes my dept is right next to IT and so the coffee, it is flowing, and our former head of IT had a mainline into his arm for the coffee.

[wtjbatman]

My old employer gave us free peanut butter jelly sandwiches but no coffee. My current employer does free coffee and a free turkey every thanksgiving. Pretty much every job has these little benefits, I'd hardly call it mooching off the man. And I seriously doubt my salary has been impacted by them.

[warfreak2]

I have a tray of sandwiches, because there was a meeting upstairs earlier.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

I think the Mustachian thing to do is to evaluate your entire job situation to determine if it suits you, then to take full advantage of any perks it might provide. I mean, not to be a jerk about it or anything, just to use what's there if it's something that you want/need.

[Silvie]

My current employer offers free soft drinks and fruit juices, organic fruit, coffee and tea. Every Friday, we get a free breakfast.

My previous employers also offered free coffee and tea (they had a really fancy coffee machine with latte machiato, cappuccino, espresso, hot chocolate, etc) and free soft drinks as well. Maybe in Europe it's more common to offer free drinks than in the US?