Author Topic: Epic FU money stories  (Read 2794920 times)

woopwoop

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1450 on: February 08, 2017, 01:14:45 PM »
My very first (and only) FU story was when I was 16 and had just gotten my first job at an ice cream shop over the summer. After a month or so of working, my mom told me I could go on a trip by myself to visit family in France... I was ecstatic! But when I told the manager and asked for two weeks off, she said I couldn't have it.

What? This was the first job I'd ever had, and it seemed strange to me that I wasn't allowed to come and go as I pleased, and I said, quite surprisedly, that I was going no matter what. The manager made a big fuss about it and said that I wasn't responsible, blah blah blah, you're fired! I went home and cried, but decided to go on the trip - not much of a decision really, as I didn't NEED the money. I worked up until I left, and the manager seemed almost happy to see me "fired."

And then when I came back from vacation, I went back to the ice cream place, where they were still hiring. The owner was surprised to see me, hadn't I been fired? I said yes, but I'm a good worker and I just wanted to take a trip so you should hire me back. And they did, haha! The manager was so butthurt to see me back on the schedule, but I was the only employee that would show up on time and do the work so there was really nothing she could say about it.

Suck it, TCBY!

mm1970

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1451 on: February 08, 2017, 02:08:02 PM »
I have one.

Context: I was an engineering director down in Silicon Valley. All engineering programs reported in to me. I was in very good standing, got promotions every 6-12 months, year after year, more responsibility, yada yada all that. But, I'd hit the glass ceiling, having been told there was nowhere for me to go. Coincidentally, I was the only female director in the entire, vast place.

My MIL had died after a grueling bout with cancer, hospice, that whole shitty, undeserved kind of end. My husband was unemployed, as he'd quit his job (also in engineering) to take care of his mother in another part of the state (as others have pointed out, another key thing that FU money enables you to do).

It was a busy Software Season at my job, so we cut our annual (and, as you can probably gather, desperately needed) vacation with friends short, returning home on Thursday instead of Sunday.

Lesson #1: Everything bad happens when you go on vacation.

Lesson #2: Never, ever, EVER cut your vacation short. Ever.

I returned to work on Friday and, by 10 AM, was in a meeting with my (guilty, semi freaked out looking) boss explaining that, in the few days I'd been gone, some man had been interviewed and hired to take a brand new VP level position over me, *and* take over my team.

But it gets better... wait for it... My boss said he "hoped I'd stay on" and "could still be the new guy's assistant."

I said "I am no one's assistant. I'm leaving." And then I walked right out of the room and over to my desk, where I realized I probably should have asked my husband about this first, seeing as how we now had no income, him not having a job at the time and all. I texted him and said "Got a sec? Think I just quit my job." He called me and the very first words out of his mouth were, "Want me to come and help pack up your desk? Nothing would give me greater satisfaction than seeing you walk the fuck out of that place."

And that, ladies, is the moment you KNOW you married the perfect man. Unconditional support, he didn't even need to know why, and income, we could figure that out.

The details that emerged in the hours after my boss's announcement were priceless, and even more damning. It turned out my boss's boss had not even interviewed and was totally clueless about this hire (who would report to him), and instantly started fighting it like mad. Someone leaked the results of the new guy's interview and found the majority of people had recommended "No hire" and done so STRONGLY. On, and on. Unmitigated disaster, and nice to watch from afar, happily ensconced in my FU fund.
OMFG. 

That was epic, and your husband is awesome.

Also, glass ceiling sucks rocks.  I hit it a few years ago (at manager level, not director level in engineering but not software), but have since seen new directors hired, whee!  Whatever.  Recently, boss said "you know I can't give you a raise, and we keep hiring expensive people elsewhere.  So, if you need time off without taking PTO, go ahead and take it."  Basically giving me permission to work 6 hour days when I need to.  (Which, with 2 kids, both of whom seem to love getting the stomach flu, is often!)

Also NEVER cut your vacation short!
« Last Edit: February 08, 2017, 02:14:21 PM by mm1970 »

mtn

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1452 on: February 08, 2017, 02:22:52 PM »
I have one.

Context: I was an engineering director down in Silicon Valley. All engineering programs reported in to me. I was in very good standing, got promotions every 6-12 months, year after year, more responsibility, yada yada all that. But, I'd hit the glass ceiling, having been told there was nowhere for me to go. Coincidentally, I was the only female director in the entire, vast place.

My MIL had died after a grueling bout with cancer, hospice, that whole shitty, undeserved kind of end. My husband was unemployed, as he'd quit his job (also in engineering) to take care of his mother in another part of the state (as others have pointed out, another key thing that FU money enables you to do).

It was a busy Software Season at my job, so we cut our annual (and, as you can probably gather, desperately needed) vacation with friends short, returning home on Thursday instead of Sunday.

Lesson #1: Everything bad happens when you go on vacation.

Lesson #2: Never, ever, EVER cut your vacation short. Ever.

I returned to work on Friday and, by 10 AM, was in a meeting with my (guilty, semi freaked out looking) boss explaining that, in the few days I'd been gone, some man had been interviewed and hired to take a brand new VP level position over me, *and* take over my team.

But it gets better... wait for it... My boss said he "hoped I'd stay on" and "could still be the new guy's assistant."

I said "I am no one's assistant. I'm leaving." And then I walked right out of the room and over to my desk, where I realized I probably should have asked my husband about this first, seeing as how we now had no income, him not having a job at the time and all. I texted him and said "Got a sec? Think I just quit my job." He called me and the very first words out of his mouth were, "Want me to come and help pack up your desk? Nothing would give me greater satisfaction than seeing you walk the fuck out of that place."

And that, ladies, is the moment you KNOW you married the perfect man. Unconditional support, he didn't even need to know why, and income, we could figure that out.

The details that emerged in the hours after my boss's announcement were priceless, and even more damning. It turned out my boss's boss had not even interviewed and was totally clueless about this hire (who would report to him), and instantly started fighting it like mad. Someone leaked the results of the new guy's interview and found the majority of people had recommended "No hire" and done so STRONGLY. On, and on. Unmitigated disaster, and nice to watch from afar, happily ensconced in my FU fund.
OMFG. 

That was epic, and your husband is awesome.

Also, glass ceiling sucks rocks.  I hit it a few years ago (at manager level, not director level in engineering but not software), but have since seen new directors hired, whee!  Whatever.  Recently, boss said "you know I can't give you a raise, and we keep hiring expensive people elsewhere.  So, if you need time off without taking PTO, go ahead and take it."  Basically giving me permission to work 6 hour days when I need to.  (Which, with 2 kids, both of whom seem to love getting the stomach flu, is often!)

Also NEVER cut your vacation short!

Another example of A glass ceiling (not the same that you're talking about here) sucking: A woman in my old job was amazing. Did way more work than anyone on the team, had knowledge that no one else did--she wasn't irreplaceable, but she wasn't someone you'd want to replace.

At a performance review, she basically asked why she wasn't the next level up. They told her that they don't promote to that level. She prodded further and found it was that that department didn't promote to that level. Within 4 months, 4 of us out of 12 had left that team, in part because of that knowledge.

arebelspy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1453 on: February 09, 2017, 03:18:00 AM »
This is one of my favorite threads. Thanks to all who shared their stories in the last few days. I loved each one of them! :)
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paddedhat

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1454 on: February 09, 2017, 04:50:12 AM »
My very first (and only) FU story was when I was 16 and had just gotten my first job at an ice cream shop over the summer. After a month or so of working, my mom told me I could go on a trip by myself to visit family in France... I was ecstatic! But when I told the manager and asked for two weeks off, she said I couldn't have it.

What? This was the first job I'd ever had, and it seemed strange to me that I wasn't allowed to come and go as I pleased, and I said, quite surprisedly, that I was going no matter what. The manager made a big fuss about it and said that I wasn't responsible, blah blah blah, you're fired! I went home and cried, but decided to go on the trip - not much of a decision really, as I didn't NEED the money. I worked up until I left, and the manager seemed almost happy to see me "fired."

And then when I came back from vacation, I went back to the ice cream place, where they were still hiring. The owner was surprised to see me, hadn't I been fired? I said yes, but I'm a good worker and I just wanted to take a trip so you should hire me back. And they did, haha! The manager was so butthurt to see me back on the schedule, but I was the only employee that would show up on time and do the work so there was really nothing she could say about it.

Suck it, TCBY!

My son, at the same tended age, seemed to have inherited similar values. At 14 YO and after a vigorous search, he found a job at a local Subway shop. Sadly, the franchisee turned out to be pretty mentally ill. She was obsessed with winning some kind of secret shopper, corporate award for cleanliness, or something. She was also obsessed with the fact that every minimum wage serf of hers had to be in motion, every second on the clock. She had her management obsessively controlled to the point that they were terrified of her, and were flat out neurotic, as if she could physically harm them for not giving 100% every moment.  He put up with the very unhealthy environment for about six weeks. One evening I picked him up for a ride home, and he told me he was done with the whole psycho scene, and quit. He was sent out into the empty dining area to rewipe tables that were already clean to operating room standards, He then got called into the office, and told that he was slacking off, and was observed leaning against a table in the dining area, a moment ago. He asked the assistant manager how she could possibly know that, since she was in a closet sized office, in the  back of the store, with the door closed? After a bit of hesitation, she admitted that the owner spent her off hours, at home on her laptop, watching mutiple hidden cameras, and called constantly to bitch about whatever didn't suit her. He then said, "I'm done with you fruit loops, I quit".  His mom was furious, and believed like a good worker drone, that you should never just quit a job. ( like a fourteen year old could damage their CV, FFS) He told his mom that it wasn't up for debate, he was done. He quickly got a job at a local diner, and worked there until he left for college. The owner of the diner later told me he was the hardest working local kid he ever hired. He is now a well paid Engineer, and his mom and I are real proud of him.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2017, 04:52:43 AM by paddedhat »

theadvicist

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1455 on: February 09, 2017, 05:26:54 AM »
Not so much a FU money story, as a 'I have a job elsewhere and don't need you' story, but I'm enjoying this thread so much I wanted to contribute.

My first day at University I ordered drinks at a bar (come on now, I wasn't there to study!), and chatted with the barman, who turned out to be the owner, who offered me a job. Of course I said yes! More drinking money.

It turned out to be a pretty bad job. Three hour shifts, so I gave up my whole evening for like £14 and came home stinking of beer and smoke, so always had to have a shower. They also made me (non-smoker) clean out the ashtrays, gag.

I hated the job, but not working wasn't an option. I opened a yellow pages and looked for insurance brokers, since I'd done call-centre work before. I just called each one and said, "Hi, I'm an undergrad new to the area looking for part-time admin work". Called all 6 places, left messages. Turns out one lady called me back, called me in for an interview, and said, "I really need someone! I was just so busy I didn't have time to think about advertising!". I worked there the whole time I was at Uni and learnt SO MUCH from that lovely lady.

Meanwhile at the bar, the fired us all (sent P45s and everything) every holiday so that we didn't accrue holiday pay. When I went in all surprised at having been fired (wtf!) I was told they did that to everyone, every holiday, don't worry, come back for my usual shift in January, the bar was quiet when there were no students in town, so they didn't need us student staff then anyway.

I also once got told off for spending too long in the loo, and didn't get paid to clear up at the end of the night, even though it took a good 20 mins. We were allowed to stay on after for one free drink, but you know what? I don't want my payment in alcohol, with co-workers I don't particularly like, meaning I have to stay even later and walk home alone at midnight. Why do I want a drink anyway, I'm showering and going straight to bed!

I served my notice at the bar, of course. But they were seriously shocked when I resigned. What? You don't want to clean gum out of ashtrays full of cigarettes for minimum wage? And be told how long you can spend in the bathroom?

Thank goodness for jobs like that though. Makes me smile every day I come to a tidy clean office and get paid to drink coffee and quietly get on with things.

mm1970

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1456 on: February 09, 2017, 12:55:12 PM »
Quote
Another example of A glass ceiling (not the same that you're talking about here) sucking: A woman in my old job was amazing. Did way more work than anyone on the team, had knowledge that no one else did--she wasn't irreplaceable, but she wasn't someone you'd want to replace.

At a performance review, she basically asked why she wasn't the next level up. They told her that they don't promote to that level. She prodded further and found it was that that department didn't promote to that level. Within 4 months, 4 of us out of 12 had left that team, in part because of that knowledge.
Yeah, I've been there too.  About 9 years ago, I quit a job.  I was working 30 hours a week and had 2 people working for me.  Due to some changes, my company decided to close down our project at our site.  They offered the 5 of us a job at the same site but in a different group.

The problem: I didn't like that group.  The other problem: I'd been trying to get promoted for 2 years.  I'd had a response of "yes of course!" but then that boss left.  I had three bosses in a year and a half and the newest one (who was very green) was working on it when this change happened.  So I was to get ANOTHER new boss.

I finally went to his boss (the VP) and said "okay, I am due for a promotion and have been working at the next level up for 2 years".  I got "well, that shouldn't be an issue, and why does the title matter?" (because: pay dude, I'm already at the top of the lower pay grade).  So I got a non-answer.  Also, they didn't "believe in part time work so you'll have to work full time, but whatever hours you want".  Uh, thanks?  So, I said "pick one: promotion or let me stay part time".  I got neither.  So I left.

Lather, rinse, repeat for 2 of the next 3 women engineers at the company.  I think they finally learned on #3!

omachi

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1457 on: February 09, 2017, 03:31:30 PM »
Not mine, but DW's, but let's keep the story train rolling.

She worked for a small company, maybe a dozen people total. It was owned by three guys, with one of them controlling the majority of the company and, of course, doing none of the work. She got an internship there as she was finishing up her undergrad and was hired on full time when she graduated. She went pretty quickly from doing production work to management, as nobody there could manage their way out of a wet paper sack. Majority owner was happy to have somebody doing his job and to actually and finally be making a profit. She kept track of all the clients, jobs, workers, etc. for a while and they actually started to make real money. She wasn't being paid much, since the company couldn't afford much when she was hired, so time to ask for a raise and proper title. She knows how the financials look and what she's contributed, going from something like $200K in revenue to $1M without changing company size, so she knows it is both deserved and in the budget.

It would have been so easy for them to just bump her pay by like 50% and say good job, keep it up. She wasn't making much. But no, the majority owner didn't like that she had the gall to ask. She was told she could have a 3% raise and that the owners had been thinking about bringing her in on ownership, but now they weren't going to. Classic BS, but maybe think because she's only a few years out of school at this point that it'd work. She comes home rightfully upset, says she doesn't feel respected and doesn't like working for this jerk. Then she asks point blank "Can I just quit?" to which the response was of course! "Really?" She has nothing lined up and is worried about it, but we have our FU money and my salary covered all our expenses and then some anyway. Immediate relief on her part.

She gives notice and they freak out. One of the minority owners (a decent guy) breaks down in tears, knowing what they're losing and being unable to stop it. Majority owner slings crap about how she's destroying what she worked for and that he'd give her a chance to rescind her resignation and maybe they could work out a little bit larger of a raise. After refusing she's told she can just leave.

A few months later she'd over doubled her salary elsewhere. Small company ends up being audited for shady tax practices. Blessing in disguise, really, and having FU money made it all possible and stress-free.

Just Joe

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1458 on: February 10, 2017, 10:06:53 AM »
FU money is nice and so is enough networking to have a job to return to when the new one goes south. I was able to do that when I was younger. Was working a "little" job for average pay while going to college. When the BS got too deep I quit and returned to a previous job making less money but much less BS too. No days off.

All very important learning exercises to me at that point in time. There were some real small town characters in those chapters. What came of that was a desire to focus on engineering and not dealing with people.

nippycrisp

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1459 on: February 10, 2017, 11:35:52 AM »
OK, I'll chip in and contribute ours: My SO is an emergency room veterinarian who sees some crazy stuff. Two years ago, in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, a guy comes in with a Sphynx (a hairless cat) that has a severely broken femur, 90-degree break on the X-ray. According to the owner, the cat ran out the front door and was hit by a car. It's a little unusual story; this is December, and hairless cats in Chicago rarely race into the street. Plus, the cat has no signs of road rash from skidding on pavement after an impact. SO can't reset the bone manually and tells the owner that the cat needs surgery to insert a plate in his leg. Costs maybe $3K. "Too much," the client says. SO suggests amputating the cat's leg, which is only several hundred dollars. No go again. SO then refers him to a low-cost clinic. Client declines again, ardently insisting he wants his animal euthanized.

The plot thickens somewhat when SO offers him the option of opening Care Credit (this is a credit card for medical or vet care, allowing him to pay in installments if money is tight). The client reveals he's married and claims his wife in on safari in Africa. It seems money isn't much of an issue to these folks, but the guy doesn't want to pay anything to repair his easily-fixable cat. All he wants is to put him to sleep before the wife comes home. SO had already noticed that the injury (and lack of road rash) matches the result of the cat being kicked, possibly by the client who now wants the cat dead*.

The thing is, this is a really sweet kitty. Despite being in significant pain, he's purring and nuzzling anyone who gets in range. So makes one more try to save his life: since this is an exotic pet that will have no trouble being adopted, she offers to have the guy relinquish his rights to the cat. In about two seconds, the guy signs the cat over and is out the door, and my SO finds herself with a sweet, broken-legged cat. I learn of this at 7 AM the next morning, when SO pokes me awake and informs me we have a new guest living in a crate in our second bedroom.

Flash forward three months. We'd paid an orthopedic surgeon to patch the cat back together and he's almost totally recovered. As you might be able to guess, we've bonded with the cat during his convalescence; the plan to find someone else to adopt him is pretty much in the bin at this point - Hamlet is now the newest member of our family.

You know what happens next: At some point, the client's wife returned from Africa and was (understandably) distraught at the absence of her pet. Who knows what the husband told her, but after several months the story of the missing cat finds its way to the couples normal (non-emergency) veterinarian. This vet tells the couple he'll get their cat back and calls the ER, claiming that the case was mishandled and that he should have been consulted (in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve, not bloody likely). Here's the thing: this guy runs a decent-sized practice in the city and refers a good bit of business to the emergency hospital. Management of the hospital reviews the case and finds a well-documented record of what happened. Even so, management promises that they'll get my SO to return the cat immediately. Cue our ringing phone. A truncated version of the conversation that followed:

ER: We need you to return the cat.
Us: Why?
ER: It's their pet.
Us: Not anymore - the guy signed him over. Now he wants it back... after several months? 
ER: We need to keep the business of (angry vet).
Us: I don't think you understand - the cat would be dead if we hadn't stepped in. We paid to bring the cat back to health.
ER: We get it; in fact, we'll pay for the treatment if you return the cat.
Us: He signed it over legally.
ER: We already promised (angry vet) you'd return the cat.
Us: You shouldn't have done that, eh?
ER: You need to return this cat. If you don't, you're risking your job.

Like many responsible adults, SO had never been fired and took the threat very seriously. I, on the other hand, was pissed off. The client had readily signed over the cat - he'd even returned later to drop off some sweaters for him, so there wasn't some last-second change of heart. Moreover, they'd waited months to ask. A cynical man might say that they did this deliberately, to give us time to fix their pet before asking for its return. The ER management was also on my shit list - they were willing to override their own employee - not to mention go into their own pocket - to keep a referrer who was making unreasonable demands - happy. That was hard to respect. I almost wanted them to fire my SO so she wouldn't have to work with such spineless cowards.

I stepped in and told the ER's director that, as one of the cat's co-owners, I wasn't willing to return the cat. If they wanted to try, go ahead and sue me. They reminded me that I was putting SO's job at risk. This was the equivalent of them folding their hand; in addition to having sufficient savings to last a couple of decades, vets are in very high demand; she'd have another gig in a day or two. We had the pleasure of telling them to pound sand. To be honest, I thought it would be more satisfying to watch the medical director bluster and fold, but the guy was too nice - he was just doing what his corporate overlords demanded. It was kind of sad, watching his half-hearted efforts. Naturally, nothing came of it - my SO continued working there and the newest member of our family continued rubbing his face against my stubble whenever he could.   

Picture of outcome attached (I hope).

*I'm not for sure saying the animal was abused, but it's a definite possibility, according to SO.

G-dog

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1460 on: February 10, 2017, 11:40:14 AM »
So glad you saved the cat! Had it gone back, the abuse would have continued.

No doubt the other folks have already gotten another cat.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1461 on: February 10, 2017, 11:51:00 AM »
What a great story!  I'm not a fan of hairless cats, but that one looks adorable (the sweater covering him up helps ;-).  How many people would have caved and sent the him back into an abusive home...

BlueHouse

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1462 on: February 10, 2017, 12:00:37 PM »
What a great story!  I'm not a fan of hairless cats, but that one looks adorable (the sweater covering him up helps ;-).  How many people would have caved and sent the him back into an abusive home...
I am going to love all hairless cats from now on because they could be Hamlet.  Good job on saving his life (both times).

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1463 on: February 10, 2017, 12:05:19 PM »
Awww, great story, nippycrisp!

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1464 on: February 10, 2017, 01:35:57 PM »
Good story!  I'm glad that Hamlet now has a loving home without any dangers.

My only qualm would be if the wife really was in Africa for those months and missed the cat as soon as she returned, never knowing that her husband injured it originally and worked to get rid of it.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1465 on: February 10, 2017, 06:32:27 PM »
Yay for nippycrisp and crispySO! Also, that cat sweater is fabulous.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1466 on: February 10, 2017, 07:45:04 PM »
Nippycrisp that was awesome. And that sweater is awesome too.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1467 on: February 10, 2017, 07:52:24 PM »
Nippycrisp that was awesome. And that sweater is awesome too.
Right? +1 on both accounts. Need more cat-related-money stories with happy endings around here.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1468 on: February 10, 2017, 08:49:55 PM »
Naturally, nothing came of it - my SO continued working there and the newest member of our family continued rubbing his face against my stubble whenever he could.   

Big kiss for Hamlet and a huge thank you to your SO and you, nippycrisp.  FU money saving an innocent life is wonderful.

Wonder how "we can't get back the cat you signed away" went over with the wife.  Hope it opened her eyes WRT her husband.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1469 on: February 10, 2017, 09:26:31 PM »
20 years ago I was 8 months pregnant, we had just bought our house. I had only been out of school for 2 years.  One day, my  boss walks me down the hall and tells me the company wanted to lay me off.  We were a really busy pharmacy.  The staff was great, our customers were loyal.  My boss had been hired on after me and he told me he wasn't going to let them do that to me, he was going to quit.  He already had a second, part time job that he could move into full time and was happy to go.   He still works there.   The other pharmacist was much older, ready to retire and spend some time with his wife.  He also quit.   I had my baby.  Boss left.  Company had to contract with a temporary agency to staff the pharmacy in my absence.  Second pharmacist left.   They now had to have two temporary pharmacists.  It cost them more than double the going rate for pharmacists.    I had to go in and do an inventory during my maternity leave.  I came back, the best technician quit.  I had no experience in management, I had to leave my new baby.  We were still really busy. I called one of my preceptors that I had worked for during school.  He put me in touch with my current company.  At the time there was a terrible pharmacist shortage and I had a job in less than a week and I left!!  It was a good move.   Not long after, the district manager called me and offered me more money if I would come back.   It was significant, but I was happy where I was and I told them no.  Afterwards,  I would often wander by the old place and every time there were new faces.  I could tell things were slowing down.  The company went downhill.  Stores started closing across the country.  Finally,  the entire store closed in 2013.  Company is still in trouble.  I had a very lucky escape and I think fondly of my two coworkers who had the F/U money to save my job.
     

SwordGuy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1470 on: February 10, 2017, 11:55:31 PM »
Not really an FU money story, but Hamlet's story reminded me of this one.

My dad got sick and went into the hospital.

So my mom took his cat to the vet and had it put to sleep.

Not a damn thing wrong with the cat (other than being unlucky).

Didn't discuss it with my dad beforehand.

She called and told me about it afterward.

I was **not nice** to my mom in that discussion.   **At all.**

I did not say a single dirty word but my mom had an absolute understanding of how I felt about what she had done. 

It bothered her so much that she called my wife the next day and tried to get sympathy from my wife.

(My wife, when we were dating, was forbidden by my mom to go to my mom's home.   My mom had never met her at that time.)

(My wife had two children in her first marriage, I've raised them as my own.   My mother did not consider that I had any children or that she had any grand children.)

(My wife was always polite and cordial to my mom, but there was no love lost on either side.   And I can't fault my wife one single bit for that, either.)

She didn't get any sympathy from my lovely wife.   My wife was more diplomatic than I was (and also had the benefit of hearing about it beforehand), but my mom also knew in no uncertain terms that what she did was unforgivable. 

My dad got a new cat when he got out of the hospital.   I was not privy to any discussions they might have had on that particular topic.

When he got sick and passed away some years later, mom didn't have the cat put to sleep either.   Now that she's passed on, dad's new cat lives with us.   

And he's happy.   He's taking a nap on the couch near me while I write this.


msilenus

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1471 on: February 11, 2017, 11:52:05 AM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

ambimammular

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1472 on: February 12, 2017, 08:49:19 AM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.

radram

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1473 on: February 12, 2017, 04:22:36 PM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.

I missed the hidden message. Anyone care to share?

JLee

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1474 on: February 12, 2017, 06:36:07 PM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.

I missed the hidden message. Anyone care to share?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku

arebelspy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1475 on: February 12, 2017, 07:33:55 PM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.

I missed the hidden message. Anyone care to share?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku

I get that it's a hauku.  I don't get the content.
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

radram

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1476 on: February 12, 2017, 07:41:24 PM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.

I missed the hidden message. Anyone care to share?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku

I get that it's a hauku.  I don't get the content.

Ditto.

JLee

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1477 on: February 12, 2017, 07:51:57 PM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.

I missed the hidden message. Anyone care to share?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku

I get that it's a hauku.  I don't get the content.

Ditto.

Oh. Well, that's all I've got. :P

Metric Mouse

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1478 on: February 12, 2017, 07:59:16 PM »
Summers at the farm,
Playing with babushka's goat.
Kittens every year.

I see what you did, and I appreciate it.
It wouldn't be happiness without a violin playing goat.

Abe Froman

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1479 on: February 13, 2017, 07:00:43 AM »
Agree with ARS, this is by FAR the best thread on this forum.
Although I have been a guest lurker for a long time I have finally made myself legit -->http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/profile/?u=31677 on the forum, but mostly to follow this thread more easily.

I suppose I am lucky that my work around the salted cured meats industry has proven to be filled with top quality folks and no working through the 'meat grinder.'

dandarc

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1480 on: February 13, 2017, 07:50:30 AM »
Agree with ARS, this is by FAR the best thread on this forum.
Although I have been a guest lurker for a long time I have finally made myself legit -->http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/profile/?u=31677 on the forum, but mostly to follow this thread more easily.

I suppose I am lucky that my work around the salted cured meats industry has proven to be filled with top quality folks and no working through the 'meat grinder.'
Pastrami is the most sensual of the dried, salted meats.

radram

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1481 on: February 14, 2017, 06:50:18 AM »

Hvillian

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1482 on: February 14, 2017, 07:57:26 AM »
I would love to hear a story from one of these people.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-13/one-reason-staffers-quit-google-s-car-project-the-company-paid-them-so-much

Are any of you here?

I thought the exact same thing when I saw that in the news this morning.

Tris Prior

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1483 on: February 14, 2017, 11:14:16 AM »
I am so happy that Hamlet has a safe and happy home with you. I almost couldn't read your whole post once it became clear that some sort of abuse might've occurred. Heartbreaking. That poor kitty.

And..... I live in Chicago, and have had occasion to avail myself of the kitty ER on a few occasions. I've never gotten anything but wonderful treatment there, but knowing that their corporate overlords would pull that sort of thing does give me pause, I admit.

(Also wondering who the regular Angry Vet who sends them all the business is, though I understand why you wouldn't want to say. My vet owns the practice and is female so at least I know it's not mine!)

PaulMaxime

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1484 on: February 19, 2017, 09:23:13 PM »
I would love to hear a story from one of these people.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-13/one-reason-staffers-quit-google-s-car-project-the-company-paid-them-so-much

Are any of you here?

I'm a former Googler. Worked there 8 years. Pretty much FI at this point but I am still working for another couple years I think.

Zamboni

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1485 on: February 19, 2017, 09:36:21 PM »
This is not my story, but an epic FU money (or really an epic FU skill set) story published via a blog:
https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber

I think I'll pass on ever traveling via Uber again . . . most of their drivers are also on other apps anyway.

EricL

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1486 on: February 19, 2017, 10:55:18 PM »
This is not my story, but an epic FU money (or really an epic FU skill set) story published via a blog:
https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber

I think I'll pass on ever traveling via Uber again . . . most of their drivers are also on other apps anyway.

Quite a story about a company headquartered in such a so called progressive city in a liberalish state.  If Über is really that way it's doomed. That type of environment and institutional stupidity will poison more than just work related gender issues. 

Edit: And now the story's out: https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/19/former-uber-engineer-says-company-ignored-repeated-reports-of-harassment/
« Last Edit: February 19, 2017, 10:58:11 PM by EricL »

10dollarsatatime

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1487 on: February 19, 2017, 11:35:24 PM »
Could have been epic...

There's been a ton of work drama.  I've been doing my supervisor's job for years.  But I enjoy the job, and moves were made to keep the supervisor out of my hair.  He left for medical reasons last September.  I spend the next 4 months doing all of the things.  They finally open his job once the FMLA runs out.  I have to apply for it just like everyone else.

Here's the thing.  I refuse to train a new supervisor.  If I don't get the position, I'm leaving.  I have a year's worth of expenses sitting around.  I can make more freelancing in 4 months than I can in a year at this job.  AND I have another side gig that would easily translate to a full time thing.  I tell this to the boss.  He tells his boss.  .... I get the job, at the highest pay step they can give me.

But I was prepared to clean out my office the day of the interview.  It was a good feeling.

Dicey

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1488 on: February 20, 2017, 12:06:54 AM »
^^ Hooray! ^^ Well played.

radram

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1489 on: February 20, 2017, 05:58:31 AM »

I'm a former Googler. Worked there 8 years. Pretty much FI at this point but I am still working for another couple years I think.

You said you used to work there.. Did you achieve FI, but then left to do something else just because you wanted to? Details please :)

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1490 on: February 20, 2017, 08:07:00 AM »
But I was prepared to clean out my office the day of the interview.  It was a good feeling.
I don't know about the rest of you, but this is certainly epic in my book.

mm1970

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1491 on: February 20, 2017, 03:01:38 PM »
This is not my story, but an epic FU money (or really an epic FU skill set) story published via a blog:
https://www.susanjfowler.com/blog/2017/2/19/reflecting-on-one-very-strange-year-at-uber

I think I'll pass on ever traveling via Uber again . . . most of their drivers are also on other apps anyway.

Quite a story about a company headquartered in such a so called progressive city in a liberalish state.  If Über is really that way it's doomed. That type of environment and institutional stupidity will poison more than just work related gender issues. 

Edit: And now the story's out: https://techcrunch.com/2017/02/19/former-uber-engineer-says-company-ignored-repeated-reports-of-harassment/
I read this just this morning.  Ugh...

Mother Fussbudget

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1492 on: February 20, 2017, 03:47:11 PM »
LONG... perhaps not 'Epic', but FU money played a HUGE role. Unprecedented.  Monumental.  Big League.  FU First...  (sorry)
It sure was interesting to 'experience'... I'll use letters (A, B, C, etc) to represent company names to protect the innocent.

Two weeks ago, my manager at wireless company T dropped by to tell me that my contract date was up due to new tenure restrictions. (Been in my current role for 3.5 years - new rules say only 18 months allowed). [At the 1-year mark in this position, I decided to do an arguably un-mustachian thing, and purchase a house close to T so I could bike to work AND my son could stay in the right school district, but that's another story].  I contacted my account representative, and she added me to my firm's 'available list' immediately.  I brushed up my resume, and was sent a bunch of bench-guide documentation - since I was likely to be on-the-bench / or between gigs.  As a point of reference, the last time I was on-the-bench 3.5 years ago, I was between gigs for 3 months(!) - during that time I received a small salary, but no hourly compensation (the bread-and-butter of management consultant contractors).

That night, I went home, and crunched numbers...  With a FIRE date 14 months away, I worked with the numbers to see if I could pull the date in sooner.  With lots of belt tightening, I could ACTUALLY PULL IT OFF, and FIRE with around a 6% withdrawal rate for the first 3 years.  Still sounded risky. 
BUT... if I could SELL MY HOUSE, I'd be at or above my FIRE number TODAY.  Problem is, I didn't really want to sell the house.

The next day, joined a weekly call for people on-the-bench to hear about current job prospects, and network with other bench warmers. I found out the average 'bench time' for my firm currently averages only 3 weeks.  Not bad - maybe time for a little rest & relaxation??  I researched flights to sunny climes, and pictured palm trees, and sand between my toes...  ah!  I buffed up the resume, removed things from 10 years ago, and things looked very up-to-date. 

Thursday, I was sought-out via email about a job opportunity at coffee roaster S.  It would be a great fit, I would really like the culture, blah, blah, blah.  So my resume got submitted. 

That Friday, I was called during my drive to work about a 'perfect fit' job at culture-less wireless company A. Good money, I could save a project that was wallowing, etc.  There was also discussion about positions opening soon at software company M who had wanted to hire me 3 years ago, but weren't willing to pay the right $$.  Now things were different, and that was again a real possibility.

Last week, Monday... Tues... Weds... nothing.  No word.  No calls.  No emails.  I called my realtor on Tuesday about SELLING MY HOUSE, and starting geographic arbitrage earlier than planned. In Seattle's overheated housing market, I could net ~$200K if I sold today.  50% appreciation in just over 2 years!!  More to think about.

Weds I missed the weekly bench call - I was on a project related call.  Noon: finally heard that A would not 'show me the money', and the account rep there knew I would take a 'long sabbatical' rather than accept a lower rate.  I expressed my thanks, and realized I'm literally in One More Year syndrome - but I'll only work if the $$ is right.

Weds afternoon, after a party at T headquarters, I bumped into another account rep in-the-elevator. He said hi, and mentioned he had recommended me for a new gig, and asked for my updated resume.  He said, "Please send it", and got off the elevator. No dummy here, I got off WITH HIM instead of going to my destination.  We chatted for 5 minutes about a project manager role that would keep me at T in a new role that wouldn't be subject to any tenure / time limits.  Since it would be at the headquarters building (instead of 11 miles away in hilly Bot Hell), I would again be able to bike to work.  [Yea rolling gym!]

Thursday morning, 'elevator account rep guy' said he'd reviewed my resume, and wondered if I could pump it up to make it look more 'Project Manager-y'.  I went through, and changed the words Program Manager to Project Manager in several key places, and sent an update.  PERFECT!, he said.  When are you free to work in a new role?  March 1st, I said, but I could start immediately if I could give my current team ~10% of my time between now and Mid-March.  He said, Great. When can you interview tomorrow/Friday?.  I says:  Friday Anytime After 1pm.  He set up a Friday 1pm this-is-the-role meeting with him, and a 4pm interview with the hiring manager. 

My Friday started with a traffic slog to Bot Hell to do my current role work, followed by a lunch-time trip back home, and a bike-ride into headquarters.  On the ride in, I literally had to avoid running into my CURRENT manager on the sidewalk.  I told him why I was there, and that if it went well, I would be starting in a new role sooner than expected, giving 10% of my time to his team.  He said he was ALREADY AWARE of this plan(?), and gave me the green light.

The 1pm get-up-to-speed meet went smoothly. Rep guy gave me a heads up on which parts of my resume would pluck the right strings for the hiring manager - that Quality Manager role at retailer A... oops... (not to be confused with wireless A) - as an example.

At 1:30, I the hiring manager emailed
Can you meet earlier than 4pm?
   How about 2:30?
Great. Thanks for being flexible. See you then.
At 2:30, hiring manager bought me a nice soy-chai consumer-sucka-cuppa-pricey coffee drink, and we chatted.
   I'm a get sh***tuff done guy. Project Management isn't rocket science - a box for every thing, and every thing in it's box, blah, blah. 
When were you at retailer-A? I was there too you know.
   2005-2007. A little over 2 years. I built a team from one person - me - to 8 people.  A team that's now 85+ people spread across five continents.
Did you know person-X?
   I've heard the name.  I knew person-Y.
I know person-Y as well.  Small world.  Well... I'm not gonna lie.  We're up against a wall on this one.  We want it to ship in 15 working days, so I need you to start right away. There's a 3pm meeting to review the project, can you make it?
   Sure. When do I start officially.
Start?  You started when I saw your name on the resume. Welcome to the team.

This weekend, I called my realtor, and told him I'd be staying put for the foreseeable future.  Gotta love the flexibility of FU money. 

But it looks like I'll only have time for a weekend stay-cation... oh well.  14 months (or less) to go!

[NOTE:  earlier references to 'dog years' removed - it was a reference to working at retailer A where one year seemed like 7 years out of your life in a real cut-throat environment.]
« Last Edit: February 20, 2017, 05:58:24 PM by Mother Fussbudget »

shelivesthedream

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1493 on: February 20, 2017, 04:02:56 PM »
That's a great story, but what's with the dog years?

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1494 on: February 20, 2017, 04:13:06 PM »
That's a great story, but what's with the dog years?

And all the quotes.  And hyphens.  Good story but that was one painful read.

gerardc

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1495 on: February 20, 2017, 04:15:41 PM »
I would love to hear a story from one of these people.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-13/one-reason-staffers-quit-google-s-car-project-the-company-paid-them-so-much

Are any of you here?

From the interview video: "These types of people... not the type of people who're gonna retire, sit around" so I guess not :(

Some of them are founding their own start ups with what they have learned at Google

Dicey

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1496 on: February 20, 2017, 11:41:13 PM »

And all the quotes.  And hyphens.  Good story. but that was one painful read.
FTFY. Loved the story, no problem following along, and I'm not the sharpest shovel in the toolshed.

shelivesthedream

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1497 on: February 21, 2017, 01:16:42 AM »
Quote from: Mother Fussbudget link=topic=18251.msg1441068#msg1441068
[NOTE:  earlier references to 'dog years' removed - it was a reference to working at retailer A where one year seemed like 7 years out of your life in a real cut-throat environment.]

Ah... I get it now! It's funny now you've explained it.

arebelspy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1498 on: February 21, 2017, 01:31:25 AM »
Could have been epic...

There's been a ton of work drama.  I've been doing my supervisor's job for years.  But I enjoy the job, and moves were made to keep the supervisor out of my hair.  He left for medical reasons last September.  I spend the next 4 months doing all of the things.  They finally open his job once the FMLA runs out.  I have to apply for it just like everyone else.

Here's the thing.  I refuse to train a new supervisor.  If I don't get the position, I'm leaving.  I have a year's worth of expenses sitting around.  I can make more freelancing in 4 months than I can in a year at this job.  AND I have another side gig that would easily translate to a full time thing.  I tell this to the boss.  He tells his boss.  .... I get the job, at the highest pay step they can give me.

But I was prepared to clean out my office the day of the interview.  It was a good feeling.

Nice!

We want it to ship in 15 working days, so I need you to start right away.

Your next few weeks sound like hell, but congrats!  Having that FU money to be able to say "nah, I'll take a sabbatical if you won't show me the money" is so awesome.  :D

Just one more year!
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
If you want to know more about me, this Business Insider profile tells the story pretty well.
I (rarely) blog at AdventuringAlong.com. Check out the Now page to see what I'm up to currently.

Guesl982374

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #1499 on: February 21, 2017, 08:08:42 AM »
Could have been epic...

There's been a ton of work drama.  I've been doing my supervisor's job for years.  But I enjoy the job, and moves were made to keep the supervisor out of my hair.  He left for medical reasons last September.  I spend the next 4 months doing all of the things.  They finally open his job once the FMLA runs out.  I have to apply for it just like everyone else.

Here's the thing.  I refuse to train a new supervisor.  If I don't get the position, I'm leaving.  I have a year's worth of expenses sitting around.  I can make more freelancing in 4 months than I can in a year at this job.  AND I have another side gig that would easily translate to a full time thing.  I tell this to the boss.  He tells his boss.  .... I get the job, at the highest pay step they can give me.

But I was prepared to clean out my office the day of the interview.  It was a good feeling.

Perfect use of leverage. I love it.