Author Topic: Epic FU money stories  (Read 2794895 times)

mtn

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #650 on: September 25, 2015, 09:32:29 AM »
I think I have the opposite of one-more-year (perhaps this should be in the MM people problems)

Love the job, love the technical challenges but in a meeting today discussing the next 3-5 years of growth projections and the $Bn valuation they are busy dreaming about all I can think of is; I don't care - I can leave today and live like a grad student, I can do 2more years and live comfortably for ever. I could probably leave sooner if I could persuade my wife that we can live off savings.

I feel like as soon as you start feeling either "one more year" or what you are describing, you need to put in a hard line on 3 dates:
Date 1: The date that you can live in an efficiency apartment forever
Date 2: The date that you can keep up your current lifestyle without any changes
Date 3: The date that you can improve your current lifestyle.

Aim to retire at Date 2. If you miss it, when you hit date 3, you're out no matter what.

Threshkin

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #651 on: September 25, 2015, 10:04:23 AM »
I think I have the opposite of one-more-year (perhaps this should be in the MM people problems)

Love the job, love the technical challenges but in a meeting today discussing the next 3-5 years of growth projections and the $Bn valuation they are busy dreaming about all I can think of is; I don't care - I can leave today and live like a grad student, I can do 2more years and live comfortably for ever. I could probably leave sooner if I could persuade my wife that we can live off savings.

I feel like as soon as you start feeling either "one more year" or what you are describing, you need to put in a hard line on 3 dates:
Date 1: The date that you can live in an efficiency apartment forever
Date 2: The date that you can keep up your current lifestyle without any changes
Date 3: The date that you can improve your current lifestyle.

Aim to retire at Date 2. If you miss it, when you hit date 3, you're out no matter what.

mtn, the trap with this is that #3 is open ended.  How much "improvement" is enough?  An extra $10/month, an extra $1,000, more?

zephyr911

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #652 on: September 25, 2015, 11:16:59 AM »
And I'm not sure exactly how, but Glassdoor can be manipulated by the company as well. My former (toxic) workplace has pretty high ratings due to a high percentage of what, to someone who has worked there, are obviously fake positive reviews. Especially telling is the fact that a genuine, bad review gets posted, and then shortly thereafter a whole bunch of glowing reviews magically get posted within about a week. I have not bothered to review the company for this reason. They are I'm sure trying to protect their image as they are always hiring a ton (with growth plus massive turnover, they have to be!) and also have been getting their story out in the press a lot, wouldn't do to have it so easy to search for reviews that say how awful it is to work there.
Is their stock ticker AMZN? lol

mtn

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #653 on: September 25, 2015, 12:10:05 PM »
I think I have the opposite of one-more-year (perhaps this should be in the MM people problems)

Love the job, love the technical challenges but in a meeting today discussing the next 3-5 years of growth projections and the $Bn valuation they are busy dreaming about all I can think of is; I don't care - I can leave today and live like a grad student, I can do 2more years and live comfortably for ever. I could probably leave sooner if I could persuade my wife that we can live off savings.

I feel like as soon as you start feeling either "one more year" or what you are describing, you need to put in a hard line on 3 dates:
Date 1: The date that you can live in an efficiency apartment forever
Date 2: The date that you can keep up your current lifestyle without any changes
Date 3: The date that you can improve your current lifestyle.

Aim to retire at Date 2. If you miss it, when you hit date 3, you're out no matter what.

mtn, the trap with this is that #3 is open ended.  How much "improvement" is enough?  An extra $10/month, an extra $1,000, more?

Open ended, yeah, but probably easily determined for most people.

For me, it is the amount to own/buy a small house or apartment in Chicagoland and a vacation house in the UP, 4 trips every year, a fun car, a fishing boat, speed boat, and maybe 20 rounds of golf a year. How much is necessary for that? Depending on the housing situation with the rent/owning/buying, probably about $100-$150k a year. 

Rollin

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #654 on: September 25, 2015, 12:15:43 PM »
I think I have the opposite of one-more-year (perhaps this should be in the MM people problems)

Love the job, love the technical challenges but in a meeting today discussing the next 3-5 years of growth projections and the $Bn valuation they are busy dreaming about all I can think of is; I don't care - I can leave today and live like a grad student, I can do 2more years and live comfortably for ever. I could probably leave sooner if I could persuade my wife that we can live off savings.
nbs - I'm in the same boat.  Got new people with some really great energy and ideas, but hey, guess what - I'm gone come 4/16/16.  No one knows this yet though so it can feel odd when they talk about giving me a promotion and what my role will be.

Rollin

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #655 on: September 25, 2015, 12:18:54 PM »
I think I have the opposite of one-more-year (perhaps this should be in the MM people problems)

Love the job, love the technical challenges but in a meeting today discussing the next 3-5 years of growth projections and the $Bn valuation they are busy dreaming about all I can think of is; I don't care - I can leave today and live like a grad student, I can do 2more years and live comfortably for ever. I could probably leave sooner if I could persuade my wife that we can live off savings.

I feel like as soon as you start feeling either "one more year" or what you are describing, you need to put in a hard line on 3 dates:
Date 1: The date that you can live in an efficiency apartment forever
Date 2: The date that you can keep up your current lifestyle without any changes
Date 3: The date that you can improve your current lifestyle.

Aim to retire at Date 2. If you miss it, when you hit date 3, you're out no matter what.

mtn, the trap with this is that #3 is open ended.  How much "improvement" is enough?  An extra $10/month, an extra $1,000, more?

Open ended, yeah, but probably easily determined for most people.

For me, it is the amount to own/buy a small house or apartment in Chicagoland and a vacation house in the UP, 4 trips every year, a fun car, a fishing boat, speed boat, and maybe 20 rounds of golf a year. How much is necessary for that? Depending on the housing situation with the rent/owning/buying, probably about $100-$150k a year.

However, going to the UP you need to figure a line item for lotsa beeyer, ya no.

StetsTerhune

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #656 on: September 25, 2015, 12:46:35 PM »
I love love love this thread, I must've missed it when it was first here, and have been reading it slowly all the way through since its "revival."

My big take-away from this, is that I don't have any interesting FU money stories, precisely because I have pretty much always had FU money and/or an FU resume. The fact that I'm just generally a malcontent, and the fact that I have FU money and the skills to easily get a new job means that I don't put up with anything 1/100th as bad as some of the stories on here.

I've changed jobs 4 times, always because my manager has done something mildly annoying to me. I just thought to myself, "I'll bet I can find something better than this" and gone back to my desk and updated my resume.  My only issue in life is that my current gig is so sweet that I know I won't find a job this good again. So I put up with the mild annoyance of an over-eager, %$%@ of a manager. Pretty much the opposite of an FU money story, but in a good way

zephyr911

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #657 on: September 25, 2015, 01:13:35 PM »
I've never had FU money in my life, because I'm a dumbass. I've only ever managed to accumulate anything by pushing money to places where I can't touch it, as much as possible. Even after a year and a half reading here, and saving tons, my savings "strategy" pretty much amounts to keeping myself cash-poor so I don't have to really become a badass about spending.
I gather that for many people, paying off all consumer debt and building up a cash cushion is an early baby step on the road to FIRE. For me, investment had to come first and those two things will come last.

plainjane

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #658 on: September 25, 2015, 01:39:09 PM »
If this thread isn't enough for you - http://www.askamanager.org/2015/09/tell-us-your-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back-moment-with-your-job.html#comments has a lot of comments now.  Not quite from the FU money perspective, but still a fair amount of epic FU stories.

The Pigeon

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #659 on: September 25, 2015, 03:32:15 PM »
If this thread isn't enough for you - http://www.askamanager.org/2015/09/tell-us-your-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back-moment-with-your-job.html#comments has a lot of comments now.  Not quite from the FU money perspective, but still a fair amount of epic FU stories.

Wow. That site offers so many awful employee-oppression / stupid rule stories. OMG, employees have take so much shit, and have to bear it with a fake smile whilst withering inside. I'm not sorry to be through with that BS! Ugh!

Middlesbrough

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #660 on: September 25, 2015, 05:59:35 PM »
I've never had FU money in my life, because I'm a dumbass. I've only ever managed to accumulate anything by pushing money to places where I can't touch it, as much as possible. Even after a year and a half reading here, and saving tons, my savings "strategy" pretty much amounts to keeping myself cash-poor so I don't have to really become a badass about spending.
I gather that for many people, paying off all consumer debt and building up a cash cushion is an early baby step on the road to FIRE. For me, investment had to come first and those two things will come last.
I haven't had to say FU either and I am right there with you. Having cash to me means I did something wrong. Gotta shove money in all the tax advantage holes.

FLA

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #661 on: September 25, 2015, 09:09:34 PM »
my FU story:  stupidly, I invested well in index funds, not so well in husbands. When I went part time for child rearing, he decided we will put our 403B money in his acct and try to live off my tiny salary (yes, I know, you don't have to say it, I was 26 and had milk brain).  Fast forward, very bad man, I left. His lawyer fought mine so hard on that 403B money, mine saying I should get what I would've had had I not been part-time.  They argued his account, his money.  My lawyer said expect to get maybe 20k if lucky. The judge reads it, interprets it his own way from our divorce decree and I got 86k.  I looked at my lawyer, she was shocked. 

His attorney demanded to see the math, the divorce decree was correct, this was my right and he had agreed to it and must follow it. It was all money I had earned that he transferred to his account or money I would've contributed when working full time plus interest.   Ex stood up slammed his chair and stomped out of the courtroom, only to be led back in by the bailiff,  judge said, "you get up, when I tell you to get up. Any more nonsense and you will be cited for contempt of court and spend a night in jail."  Then he was reading my attorney's response to the petition again, in which she told of several times over the course of our marriage, my ex forged my signature on 403b docs during market turn downs, when he would move everything to cash. I happened to find out accidentally. The judge said, "you forged your wife's signature to gain control of her 403b without telling her?  How many times?  1? 3? 10?  Guess how many are legal-ZERO! This is disgusting! I am standing up now, you may as well, I am leaving and then you may leave.  We clear here?"

money is the only way to hurt my ex, even when it's me taking back my money.  He had been humiliated in court.  He got caught doing illegal things, he never thought he would lose, for the first and last time, I finally for once "got him".  Best FU money story in my book.

markbike528CBX

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #662 on: September 27, 2015, 12:41:45 AM »
If this thread isn't enough for you - http://www.askamanager.org/2015/09/tell-us-your-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back-moment-with-your-job.html#comments has a lot of comments now.  Not quite from the FU money perspective, but still a fair amount of epic FU stories.

Read the entire thread to date.    I'm loath to say it,  but OMFG!   
I feel so much better about my minor life difficulties by comparision to the examples presented.

zephyr911

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #663 on: September 27, 2015, 05:34:27 PM »
If this thread isn't enough for you - http://www.askamanager.org/2015/09/tell-us-your-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back-moment-with-your-job.html#comments has a lot of comments now.  Not quite from the FU money perspective, but still a fair amount of epic FU stories.

Wow. That site offers so many awful employee-oppression / stupid rule stories. OMG, employees have take so much shit, and have to bear it with a fake smile whilst withering inside. I'm not sorry to be through with that BS! Ugh!
Probably not the intended result, but after reading a few dozen of those, I'm just amazed by how lucky I am to have the job I do, and wonder why I would ever want to leave. Hahaha

cerebus

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #664 on: September 28, 2015, 03:16:22 AM »
my FU story:  stupidly, I invested well in index funds, not so well in husbands. When I went part time for child rearing, he decided we will put our 403B money in his acct and try to live off my tiny salary (yes, I know, you don't have to say it, I was 26 and had milk brain).  Fast forward, very bad man, I left. His lawyer fought mine so hard on that 403B money, mine saying I should get what I would've had had I not been part-time.  They argued his account, his money.  My lawyer said expect to get maybe 20k if lucky. The judge reads it, interprets it his own way from our divorce decree and I got 86k.  I looked at my lawyer, she was shocked. 

His attorney demanded to see the math, the divorce decree was correct, this was my right and he had agreed to it and must follow it. It was all money I had earned that he transferred to his account or money I would've contributed when working full time plus interest.   Ex stood up slammed his chair and stomped out of the courtroom, only to be led back in by the bailiff,  judge said, "you get up, when I tell you to get up. Any more nonsense and you will be cited for contempt of court and spend a night in jail."  Then he was reading my attorney's response to the petition again, in which she told of several times over the course of our marriage, my ex forged my signature on 403b docs during market turn downs, when he would move everything to cash. I happened to find out accidentally. The judge said, "you forged your wife's signature to gain control of her 403b without telling her?  How many times?  1? 3? 10?  Guess how many are legal-ZERO! This is disgusting! I am standing up now, you may as well, I am leaving and then you may leave.  We clear here?"

money is the only way to hurt my ex, even when it's me taking back my money.  He had been humiliated in court.  He got caught doing illegal things, he never thought he would lose, for the first and last time, I finally for once "got him".  Best FU money story in my book.

Awesome story.

Crabbie

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #665 on: September 28, 2015, 08:24:27 AM »
A few years ago the company I was working for was under some seriously hard times financially. There was a layoff coming, a fairly significant portion of the company. I was safe for various reasons (technical lead, seniority, expertise, that kind of stuff), but we had a new hire on the team who had relocated from across the country who was going to be let go. I spoke to my manager and volunteered to be laid off instead. He's still working there, last I heard.


As a bonus, a few months later, I ended up landing a dream job at 3x my old salary.

markbike528CBX

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #666 on: September 28, 2015, 08:49:01 AM »
A few years ago the company I was working for was under some seriously hard times financially. There was a layoff coming, a fairly significant portion of the company. I was safe for various reasons (technical lead, seniority, expertise, that kind of stuff), but we had a new hire on the team who had relocated from across the country who was going to be let go. I spoke to my manager and volunteered to be laid off instead. He's still working there, last I heard.

As a bonus, a few months later, I ended up landing a dream job at 3x my old salary.

Nice to see others thinking along the same lines, and actually doing it.   
Two layoffs ago, I was contemplating volunteering to go, but was pointedly told by someone in-the-know that volunteering wasn't possible.   

Got blindsided by the last layoffs, where I definitely would have volunteered. 
The first I knew about it was one of my colleagues say "did [Markbike528CBX's mentoree] just get layed-off?".

Now having survivor guilt.  Accelerated the job/retirement hunt.   Not sure I could get 3x salary though.
« Last Edit: September 28, 2015, 08:51:27 AM by markbike528CBX »

jlajr

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #667 on: September 28, 2015, 09:11:44 AM »
A few years ago the company I was working for was under some seriously hard times financially. There was a layoff coming, a fairly significant portion of the company. I was safe for various reasons (technical lead, seniority, expertise, that kind of stuff), but we had a new hire on the team who had relocated from across the country who was going to be let go. I spoke to my manager and volunteered to be laid off instead. He's still working there, last I heard.


As a bonus, a few months later, I ended up landing a dream job at 3x my old salary.

Using FU money to do something good for someone else instead of saying FU... Wow. Respect.

AZDude

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #668 on: September 28, 2015, 10:22:39 AM »
A few years ago the company I was working for was under some seriously hard times financially. There was a layoff coming, a fairly significant portion of the company. I was safe for various reasons (technical lead, seniority, expertise, that kind of stuff), but we had a new hire on the team who had relocated from across the country who was going to be let go. I spoke to my manager and volunteered to be laid off instead. He's still working there, last I heard.


As a bonus, a few months later, I ended up landing a dream job at 3x my old salary.

Wow, nice job man.

HairyUpperLip

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #669 on: September 28, 2015, 11:41:48 AM »
wow, great thread.

Faraday

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #670 on: September 28, 2015, 02:37:38 PM »
A few years ago the company I was working for was under some seriously hard times financially. There was a layoff coming, a fairly significant portion of the company. I was safe for various reasons (technical lead, seniority, expertise, that kind of stuff), but we had a new hire on the team who had relocated from across the country who was going to be let go. I spoke to my manager and volunteered to be laid off instead. He's still working there, last I heard.


As a bonus, a few months later, I ended up landing a dream job at 3x my old salary.

This is a perfect example of how important it can be to know the right time and way to LEAVE a job. This is a tiny tale with giant impact!

MoonShadow

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #671 on: September 28, 2015, 06:25:10 PM »
If this thread isn't enough for you - http://www.askamanager.org/2015/09/tell-us-your-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back-moment-with-your-job.html#comments has a lot of comments now.  Not quite from the FU money perspective, but still a fair amount of epic FU stories.

Wow. That site offers so many awful employee-oppression / stupid rule stories. OMG, employees have take so much shit, and have to bear it with a fake smile whilst withering inside. I'm not sorry to be through with that BS! Ugh!
Probably not the intended result, but after reading a few dozen of those, I'm just amazed by how lucky I am to have the job I do, and wonder why I would ever want to leave. Hahaha

Well, I have had the best job in the world for the past 10 years, but the writing is on the wall.  The parent company is selling off my division to a competitor, and management has already started acting like this is a season of Survivor.  Everyone is just waiting to see who gets voted off the island this week.  I'm not management, per se, so I think it will be a while before the new bosses get to cutting in my section; but I still want to be ready in case I need to pull a golden parachute of my own making.  Lord knows they aren't going to offer one.

zephyr911

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #672 on: September 28, 2015, 08:49:40 PM »
Well, I have had the best job in the world for the past 10 years, but the writing is on the wall.  The parent company is selling off my division to a competitor, and management has already started acting like this is a season of Survivor.  Everyone is just waiting to see who gets voted off the island this week.  I'm not management, per se, so I think it will be a while before the new bosses get to cutting in my section; but I still want to be ready in case I need to pull a golden parachute of my own making.  Lord knows they aren't going to offer one.
Ooh. Keep your eyes open and be ready for anything!
I'm a fed, and even better, I'm not paid for by tax dollars, so I'd have to fuck up pretty hard to lose my job. But I'm stagnant here, uninterested in advancing, and my latest run of luck with leadership changes is bound to fail eventually. The next time the neverending game of Musical Officers drops a psycho micromanager on us, I need to have my shit in order.
And that's all before I even think about personal goals and dreams, which lie well outside the mission of the current organization, though I generally like my coworkers and the environment. Stupid idealism and shit.

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #673 on: September 29, 2015, 06:08:08 AM »
Great stories! Here's mine:

I had been working for 5.5 years at a giant multinational telecommunication company, in the last 2 years as a senior accountant. The salary was a joke. New junior accountants started to get higher salaries than the seniors, because the annual raise was so low. My teammates were awesome, the managers... not so awesome. The workload was huge, and it was bigger and bigger each year, each month. They were always happy with my work, but I got a new manager right after I became a senior accountant, and things got different.

I got many new tasks, including SAP testing (at night on weekends), coordinating others' work, etc. One of my idea saved countless of hours of work and saved us from making big mistakes, so it was a big contribution. I had voluntary overtimes, and I reached all my targets that were set at the beginning of the year. Then we got our usual annual review, and I got a very bad grade. I told my boss that I had reached all my targets. She replied that my targets had been defined by my previous manager, so she didn't know what my targets were. She added that the problem was my attitude. I mentioned her the (mostly voluntary) overtimes, the night shifts, the double (triple) workload that should be handled by two or three people, but she wasn't interested. She told me I should have obeyed her all the time (there was one time when I told that her idea is not viable - okay, the team was present, I made a mistake, it wasn't professional), and that (as a senior) I was responsible for a giant mistake of one of my co-workers. She added that I didn't hold any trainings (it was not my job, and I had sent many information emails instead), I wasn't proactive enough, and the best one: I should have been a role model (which was apparently the most important task of a senior accountant). I replied with a question: Shouldn't be the managers the role models? She remained silent for a few seconds (LOL), and told me that "yes, they should be". Anyway, I was so angry that I almost punched her in the face. I would never EVER hit a woman (I wouldn't hit anyone), but I was so close this time (I was literally blinded by anger, and totally lost control for a sec - it was quite frightening). Anyway, I remained silent, and supernaturally calm. My manager told me that this bad grade wouldn't affect me in any way, but she lied. I had to make humiliating home works and I didn't get a raise that year.

I told myself: why would I work so much if there's no benefit? So I decreased my 8 hour workday to 4-5. I heavily concentrated solely on my targets, and didn't give a crap about anything else. I was always smiling and showed a positive, proactive, friendly attitude (while I was thinking FU all). The outcome: I got a reward of excellence, and next year suddenly my work was "exceptional". My boss almost fell in love with me, and I slowly became indispensable.

Then I sent my CV to an ever bigger company, and they hired me instantly (+40% raise, the workplace was 10 minutes away (instead of 35 minutes)). Of course I quit. My boss was astonished and became a nervous wreck. When I told her I quit, she immediately started calling the big bosses to find a way to make me stay. I told her: "I would stay if you offered a 15% raise" She told me it's impossible. Then I signed the paper and gave it to her. I gave 1 month notice (it's the minimum in Hungary). I was in a middle of a project, they had to cancel it, because there was no-one who could have proceed with it. My teammeates and I were devastated, because we were all friends, but I had to make this move. I was happy to leave this terrible job, but I was also sad that I because of leaving my friends behind.

And the funny thing is that the new job was horrible, 6 months later I quit :) It's even funnier that I returned to the previous company, but to a different department. I'm only an accountant now, but I get more money than as a senior accountant :) I mostly enjoy what I do now, and I have plenty of free time to learn new things (Excel, VBA, etc.) during the day. The best thing is that my bosses (finally!) appreciate my skills and innovative ideas. I'm planning to work here until FIRE :)

So the process was:
Decent job, low salary and stupid/mean bosses --> "Hey, I have FU money!" --> Terrible job, excellent salary --> "Hey, I have FU money!" --> Excellent job with excellent bosses

Pooperman

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #674 on: September 29, 2015, 06:37:26 AM »
So, give people the finger 'till one hugs you?

Dumb blonde

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #675 on: September 29, 2015, 08:39:00 AM »
Not epic, but here's my story.  I was working freelance on a job. I was a manager to a small team, while I myself reported to 3 managers (!), who could not stand eachother and fought over who was responsible for me and my team. They all wanted control over my team. That's why they hired me: so none of them had control over my team.

The team I managed was great: nice, hard working people who had suffered under this management crisis for years. I didn't like the atmosphere and lost quite a bit of sleep, but I kept around so my team could just do their jobs. It paid well, I was working freelance after all. When I started this job my husband and me had just had a few miserable business years, so I could really use the money.

After about 9 months things got nasty. I had to fight off members of other teams who were trying to take over responsibilities from members of my team, obviously staged by their managers who were trying to take control. I told one of the employees (member of another team) how I felt about this kind of behaviour, that I did not like it and that it had to end. This obviously was not appreciated, and a meeting with my 3 managers was called. I was ready to quit at this point. I had slept bad for months, worked my ass off for my team while trying to keep my 3 managers satisfied, when all they did was fight.

One of the managers insisted that I told my side of the story, all ins and outs. So I did, I told them all what had happened, how I had to fight people off to keep my own team working happily, and I told them what their own teammembers had done trying to take over responsibilities from my team. After telling this, I was suddenly being accused of being the toxic factor. Where did I find the nerve to speak so low of their employees. They did not fire me. And I did not quit on the spot. I should have, but I was too flabbergasted about what had just happened. I stayed around for a few more months. I found replacement for my own position, but she quit after two months, while I was still there finishing up a project. On my last day one of the managers begged me to stay. I felt bad for my team leaving them, but I couldn't take it anymore. I did not have another job lined up, but I had saved up most of the money I had earned on this job so I  had enough money to last me for months. I found another job soon after this, so I never had to use the money.

A few months back the manager who asked me to stay called me again on my cell. I did not answer. He didn't leave a voicemail message.

« Last Edit: September 29, 2015, 08:53:19 AM by Dumb blonde »

nobodyspecial

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #676 on: September 29, 2015, 08:47:29 AM »
That's the point that your freelance rate suddenly goes up 500%


regulator

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #677 on: September 29, 2015, 08:29:36 PM »
I have heard some epic ones from burnt out Wall Streeters that were used and abused.  I think my favorite is a tossup between the guy who put a guppy in every radiator on the floor before he left (stinks out loud whenever the heat goes up) and the dude who dropped a "steamer" in his desk drawer, broke the key off in the lock, and marched out, never to be seen again.

JoeBlow

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #678 on: September 29, 2015, 10:24:10 PM »
I have heard some epic ones from burnt out Wall Streeters that were used and abused.  I think my favorite is a tossup between the guy who put a guppy in every radiator on the floor before he left (stinks out loud whenever the heat goes up) and the dude who dropped a "steamer" in his desk drawer, broke the key off in the lock, and marched out, never to be seen again.

Do you happen to have a link to that?  That would keep me entertained for hours.

regulator

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #679 on: September 29, 2015, 10:28:00 PM »
I have heard some epic ones from burnt out Wall Streeters that were used and abused.  I think my favorite is a tossup between the guy who put a guppy in every radiator on the floor before he left (stinks out loud whenever the heat goes up) and the dude who dropped a "steamer" in his desk drawer, broke the key off in the lock, and marched out, never to be seen again.

Do you happen to have a link to that?  That would keep me entertained for hours.

Sorry, this is all person to person.  Got to hear the tales by working in the trenches with the burnt out.

cripzychiken

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #680 on: September 30, 2015, 06:21:39 AM »

I told myself: why would I work so much if there's no benefit? So I decreased my 8 hour workday to 4-5. I heavily concentrated solely on my targets, and didn't give a crap about anything else. I was always smiling and showed a positive, proactive, friendly attitude (while I was thinking FU all). The outcome: I got a reward of excellence, and next year suddenly my work was "exceptional". My boss almost fell in love with me, and I slowly became indispensable.


Had I coworker who was about to retire and wanted to get a severance package during the next round of layoffs (a few months out) so he did the same thing.  Worked the bare minimum, walked out of meeting if anyone started to talk about anything that wasn't his exact job, refused to help anyone else if it wasn't required for his job.  But his job was done perfectly - since he had 8 hours a day to do it rather than his previous 3-4 hours (and 4-5 of other's peoples crap).

Ended up not getting laid off, but instead got an award for "ignoring the distractions of the work place" so he went to the ceremony they threw him and gave his notice to the CEO there (after he was handed his bonus check).

markbike528CBX

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #681 on: September 30, 2015, 10:13:34 AM »
I've thought "The Wally Method" could back-fire.
 First time I've seen evidence of it doing so in such a big way.

madisonengr

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #682 on: October 11, 2015, 10:41:24 PM »
My story is having FU money provided a lever that I was able to use to get a 20% raise and overall stronger position at work a few years back.

At that point, I had 13 years of experience and many successful projects under my belt at my company. Although my work was well respected and I'd always received good reviews and slightly above average raises, because I had been there so long and what was happening with the outside market my salary was significantly lower than what the company would have had to pay someone to replace me.

I had pretty frank conversation with my boss about salary. He basically agreed that I should be paid the number I put forth, but he needed to get approval from up the chain. Initially I was optimistic that I would be receiving a raise within a few weeks.

But then nothing happened. My boss, who works in a different city, was kind of avoiding me and when I did see him always had excuses for the delays. He was actually employing the playbook our purchasing department uses when a supplier tries push through a price increase.

After about 2 months of this I had a brief and polite conversation with my boss just before Thanksgiving. I told him I was just looking for a yay or a nay on the raise. He was very deferential and apologized for the delays. I think at that point he first understood I really was going to leave if I didn't get the raise. And while I had been patiently waiting for the decision, there was a limit to my patience.

But in any case nothing changed. A few more weeks passed and I still did not receive an answer. I only got more excuses about decision makers being busy with other things, travel, etc. So around 6pm a few days before Christmas, I gave notice to my boss and explained that in the new year I was not willing to work for less than the number we had first discussed.

My boss was noticeably unsettled and asked me if I had another job lined up. I didn't. I informed him I'd just planned to spend 3 months skiing in Colorado and after that I'd come back home and decide what to do. I was serious. This was my plan. At that point I had a certain amount of freedom because I had about 20x my annual spend saved in a variety of assets.

My boss started giving me some BS about the company missing on some financial targets due to soft sales, etc.. I had suspected this might be coming and had prepped for it in advance -- I volleyed back at him key figures and statements from the annual report that was released a few months earlier (it's a publicly traded company) that painted a rosy picture. Overall earnings and free cash flow were strong and of course were absolutely huge numbers compared to what I was asking for.

At that point my boss and the company sprang into action, finally! By 8am the next morning the raise was authorized effective immediately and I even got a promoted title which I didn't ask for or really care about because I still had the same job responsibilities.

The only reason I was able to pull off this gambit is because of my FU stash. I doubt any of my peers would have been able to do this without having another job lined up. As a group, they generally have affinities for F250's, vacation cottages and oversized surburban houses on large lots.

Depending on what the stock market does and my happiness with my job at the time -  I should be giving my final, non-negotiable(!) notice in 2-6 years.

Shane

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #683 on: October 12, 2015, 11:08:53 AM »
^
 l

Nice story. Thanks for sharing!

frugalecon

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #684 on: October 13, 2015, 05:02:02 PM »
My story is having FU money provided a lever that I was able to use to get a 20% raise...

The only reason I was able to pull off this gambit is because of my FU stash. I doubt any of my peers would have been able to do this without having another job lined up. As a group, they generally have affinities for F250's, vacation cottages and oversized surburban houses on large lots.

Depending on what the stock market does and my happiness with my job at the time -  I should be giving my final, non-negotiable(!) notice in 2-6 years.

This story makes me wonder if bosses take note of which of the underlings are stretched and have little leverage when they are thinking about who will get the real sh*t assignments. Is management that forward thinking?

atrex

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #685 on: October 13, 2015, 05:35:38 PM »
This story makes me wonder if bosses take note of which of the underlings are stretched and have little leverage when they are thinking about who will get the real sh*t assignments. Is management that forward thinking?

Many do.  A very kind and awesome boss I had once noted that I seemed to get anxious easily when clients got upset.  When I responded that it made me worry about my job, he asked if I had stashed much away?  His concern was genuine and I never saw him try to take advantage of someone, but if he makes the connection between job anxiety and financial security, you can bet his more machiavellian counterparts do as well.

happy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #686 on: October 14, 2015, 05:34:25 AM »
Yes I think this does happen.  In the past, I know I've seen management make decisions based on the fact that the employee has limited options, with an attitude of  "If they don't like it bad luck".

Faraday

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #687 on: October 14, 2015, 08:33:48 AM »
My story is having FU money provided a lever that I was able to use to get a 20% raise...
....
This story makes me wonder if bosses take note of which of the underlings are stretched and have little leverage when they are thinking about who will get the real sh*t assignments. Is management that forward thinking?

IMHO, it happens more purposefully in private or family-owned businesses but I believe it happens everywhere. I worked for one family-owned business where a family member kept track of that kind of information so it could be used when needed.

I grew up in a very rural, backwoods area where rules are often bent or broken depending on personal and business relationships. I have no doubt there are banks who would divulge financial information about employees to an employer if they were asked and if the employer did a lot of business with the bank. 

tallen

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #688 on: October 14, 2015, 11:16:22 AM »
Some management knows who they can push and who they can't, others don't. My shop's general manager had to make the company owners stop dealing directly with employees a few years ago. They come out one time and wanted me to cut a corner to save money and make a deadline that also made it dangerous to do, I refused. They got real pissed and called the GM in from home to make me do it or fire me, he calmed them down (after much arguing) and got them to do it the right (safe) way, and told him ALL handling of employees has to go through him from now on (they where getting in a habit of coming out and pissing employees off, I was just the first one to tell them no). My boss actually thanked me for making a stand so that he could make that change. Took a year or two to stop getting dirty looks from them though lol

tallen

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #689 on: October 14, 2015, 11:24:05 AM »
On the other hand it's rather amusing to see someone who thinks the place can't run without them try to make silly demands or think they can get away with bad conduct end up in the office begging to keep their job. It's not always management that's the bad guy.

Wilson Hall

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #690 on: October 14, 2015, 11:25:47 AM »
This story makes me wonder if bosses take note of which of the underlings are stretched and have little leverage when they are thinking about who will get the real sh*t assignments. Is management that forward thinking?

Many do.  A very kind and awesome boss I had once noted that I seemed to get anxious easily when clients got upset.  When I responded that it made me worry about my job, he asked if I had stashed much away?  His concern was genuine and I never saw him try to take advantage of someone, but if he makes the connection between job anxiety and financial security, you can bet his more machiavellian counterparts do as well.

I've seen this happen several times: managers would give single parents heavier workload/crummier assignments/more attitude because they knew the employees couldn't simply up and walk away. An organization I worked for years ago was notorious for pushing people into "acting" management positions without extra pay until the position could be filled for real. Apparently it was legal for this to be done for up to a year. I asked a colleague why anyone would put up with this treatment, and she said that people with families to support and few opportunities to move into a better position elsewhere often had no choice. This solidified my determination to keep enough of an emergency fund to be able to walk away at any time.

Rezdent

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #691 on: October 14, 2015, 02:10:28 PM »
My story is having FU money provided a lever that I was able to use to get a 20% raise...

The only reason I was able to pull off this gambit is because of my FU stash. I doubt any of my peers would have been able to do this without having another job lined up. As a group, they generally have affinities for F250's, vacation cottages and oversized surburban houses on large lots.

Depending on what the stock market does and my happiness with my job at the time -  I should be giving my final, non-negotiable(!) notice in 2-6 years.

This story makes me wonder if bosses take note of which of the underlings are stretched and have little leverage when they are thinking about who will get the real sh*t assignments. Is management that forward thinking?
I've seen this too, and it worked both ways; I had a job once where my less-experienced coworker kept getting assigned to overtime shifts even after I had repeatedly requested more overtime.  When I confronted the manager they told me that the coworker had children, and so needed the money more than I did...wtf?

Next round of layoffs, this coworker was spared in spite of less seniority and less productivity.  I believe they let some of us go because we were more likely to find good jobs.

bzzzt

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #692 on: October 14, 2015, 06:38:14 PM »
I've seen this too, and it worked both ways; I had a job once where my less-experienced coworker kept getting assigned to overtime shifts even after I had repeatedly requested more overtime.  When I confronted the manager they told me that the coworker had children, and so needed the money more than I did...wtf?

I've also seen that and it really sucked because some were under employed while the "guy with the family" was using it for stupid shit like terrazzo tile in his kitchen and a big SUV for this wife.

Just because someone "needs the money" doesn't mean it's for legitimate shit.

asauer

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #693 on: October 15, 2015, 05:52:56 AM »
I taught one year of school when I was fresh out of college. It was one of the worst periods of my life as I was young, inexperienced, our state school systems sucks and I had 4 different principals in 6 months. I lived at home that year and saved all my money. At the end of the year I quit to travel the world for 3 months. My teacher friends were incredulous--I only needed one more year for "tenure"!

I love teaching and I substitute quite a bit. I've been a sub for for 5 years now. Every year I get asked to teach full-time and because of my FU money, I don't even hesitate saying NO. I love being in the classroom, teaching the kids, and walking away every day from the drama of working for the Department of Education in the People's Republic of Hawaii. I also only sub for teachers I like and respect and who leave me great sub plans.

FU money allows me to continue to love to teach!

Right on! I love being a college adjunct for the same reason.  I get to go and teach and have a great time but I don't have to worry about budgets and political drama!  My department head has asked me to apply for a full-time role but I already have a job I like reasonably well that pays way more...soo...no.

AmandaS1989

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #694 on: October 15, 2015, 10:20:58 AM »
I have read this thread over the course of two days and a fire has been lit. I am more determined than ever to stash away my own FU money because you never know what could happen.

I just need to pay these stupid CCs off first, but with the help of my tax refund coming up I will hopefully be CC-debt free by April or May of 2016! Then I can really start building that stash and paying down some student loans.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #695 on: October 30, 2015, 03:00:19 PM »
Have another (small) epic FU story, along the lines of FU money not having to be about quitting, but just standing strong.  I was pulled into the CEOs office by my boss, which peaked my interest, as that never happens.  Apparently, our company is going to be moving the office across the country, and as I'm the head IT person, I was one of the first told since I'll need to help plan and coordinate things.  Relocation assistance will be offered to everyone.  So in front of the CEO my boss asks if I'd be interested in moving to X location.  I just say 'No.'  We look at each other for a while as he's not sure what to say.  'Why not?  Nice city, nice area, etc etc'.  'No thanks'.  Then he finally says 'well, telecommuting might also be an option for you'.  'Yea, thought that might be the case' (in my head, not out loud).  The CEO and CFO both have families in school here, I know they're sure as hell not moving across the country.  The place we're moving to is actually a really good location, I wouldn't mind moving there at all, but I was willing to call their bluff in order to not box myself.  And I have been thinking about finding another job that would let me telecommute so I can live anywhere, or be nomadic, so this might work out even better.

Pooperman

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #696 on: October 30, 2015, 04:19:29 PM »
Have another (small) epic FU story, along the lines of FU money not having to be about quitting, but just standing strong.  I was pulled into the CEOs office by my boss, which peaked my interest, as that never happens.  Apparently, our company is going to be moving the office across the country, and as I'm the head IT person, I was one of the first told since I'll need to help plan and coordinate things.  Relocation assistance will be offered to everyone.  So in front of the CEO my boss asks if I'd be interested in moving to X location.  I just say 'No.'  We look at each other for a while as he's not sure what to say.  'Why not?  Nice city, nice area, etc etc'.  'No thanks'.  Then he finally says 'well, telecommuting might also be an option for you'.  'Yea, thought that might be the case' (in my head, not out loud).  The CEO and CFO both have families in school here, I know they're sure as hell not moving across the country.  The place we're moving to is actually a really good location, I wouldn't mind moving there at all, but I was willing to call their bluff in order to not box myself.  And I have been thinking about finding another job that would let me telecommute so I can live anywhere, or be nomadic, so this might work out even better.

Nice! By the way, it's 'piqued', not 'peaked'.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #697 on: October 30, 2015, 04:21:00 PM »
... which peaked my interest...

Nice! By the way, it's 'piqued', not 'peaked'.

Doh, thanks.  I knew that didn't look right.

MoonShadow

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #698 on: October 30, 2015, 05:06:05 PM »
Have another (small) epic FU story, along the lines of FU money not having to be about quitting, but just standing strong.  I was pulled into the CEOs office by my boss, which peaked my interest, as that never happens.  Apparently, our company is going to be moving the office across the country, and as I'm the head IT person, I was one of the first told since I'll need to help plan and coordinate things.  Relocation assistance will be offered to everyone.  So in front of the CEO my boss asks if I'd be interested in moving to X location.  I just say 'No.'  We look at each other for a while as he's not sure what to say.  'Why not?  Nice city, nice area, etc etc'.  'No thanks'.  Then he finally says 'well, telecommuting might also be an option for you'.  'Yea, thought that might be the case' (in my head, not out loud).  The CEO and CFO both have families in school here, I know they're sure as hell not moving across the country.  The place we're moving to is actually a really good location, I wouldn't mind moving there at all, but I was willing to call their bluff in order to not box myself.  And I have been thinking about finding another job that would let me telecommute so I can live anywhere, or be nomadic, so this might work out even better.

Well played, Sir.  Well played.

hdatontodo

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #699 on: October 31, 2015, 03:29:43 PM »
I have read this thread over the course of two days and a fire has been lit. I am more determined than ever to stash away my own FU money because you never know what could happen.

I just need to pay these stupid CCs off first, but with the help of my tax refund coming up I will hopefully be CC-debt free by April or May of 2016! Then I can really start building that stash and paying down some student loans.
What about changing you tax w/h now and not wait until tax time for the money