$25 for the boss

[Dancing Lotus]

It dh's bosses birthday. Every year everyone pitches in for a gift. Well its been a long winter and most of the employees are gone. There are only four people so somebody has decided to ask everybody to give $25. I know this may not sound like a lot to some of you but honestly we cant afford this. Dh's birthday is next month and I wont even spend that much on him. We spent zero on mine. DH says he is in a corner and cant say no. This makes me angry becuase I would much rather spend the money on my own family. I think 25 is too much. I need to get him the money tonight becuase they want it tomarrow. I want to say no way. I dont understand , dh is one of the hightest paid and they have all had a slow winter and everybody is broke so why would they do so much. What would you do?

[wanderlusting]

$25 does seem like a lot. Can your husband suggest a less expensive gift?

[Dancing Lotus]

I dont even know what they have in mind but I dont see why we should give him a large gift every year. That make a total of 100 bucks! I dont buy anybody a 100 dollar gift.

[FrugalMomof3]

I agree that is alot to ask for, I would talk to DH and tell him that you feel $25 is too much and suggest a less expensive gift of something like $10 each person = $40.

[annymoll]

I understand this totally, Ann. I used to have donation requests constantly when I worked. For the Unit Supervisor, for so and so who is leaving, for Doctor Blah Blah, etc. It was so bad you could count on it weekly. I just learned to opt out, or give a little less. Some people were offended, but I did what was right for me. You have to think of your own finances.

[FrugalWitch]

I don't give my Momma or DH $100 birthday gifts and as a former boss I would feel very uncomfortable receiving one from my employees. It just smacks of excessive brown-nosing to me. Does your DH's boss give the employees birthday gifts?

If the rest of the office insists on kissing-up, just let them get the boss a nice lunch take-out (or delivery) instead.

[geckoace]

what are they buying him??? that does seem rather spendy for a boss gift. i think he should find out what they are shooting for and suggest something more reasonable

[Dancing Lotus]

I just asked dh and he doesnt even know.
No he doesnt give birthday gifts but he is very generous at christmas. He even gives gifts to the spouses and kids. But that is his choice.

[guest56464]

It's easy to say that I wouldn't do it. But 'm not in the position that your husband is in. He probably doesn't want to be viewed by others that he works with as a "tightwad". Especially if he does make a decent amount. It seems to me like it's too late to change anything but next time something like this happens he should step up and say something before hand or take over the planning himself.

[PAVallygrl]

No he doesnt give birthday gifts but he is very generous at christmas


He is Personally or the COMPANY is?

No $25 is Way too much. I'd bake a cake and have DH bring it in to him and ten be done with it. The brown nosers want to throw in that kind of money, then tell DH to let them know that he'll bring the cake.

[DixieJ]

I agree, I think $25 is way to much. If I were in the the position of the boss, I would feel uncomfortable with receiving that kind of gift from my employees. I think a cake would be much more in line. (or a basket of cookies or something)


Dixie Jean

[Libby]

Perhaps suggest to hubby to OPT OUT as some others have already suggested. I too agree that $25 is a bit much for a gift for the boss and thats not the total either!! I mean its one thing if you're VERY close friends with the boss - aka spend your OFF WORK HOURS together etc but $100 for your boss? Um no. Suggest to hubby that he buy his own lil 'personalized' gift for the boss instead. I know if I were boss, Id feel better getting something from one person vs a group thing. It shows more character and thought.

BTW: if it means that much to the other 'team members' who are contributing $25 each they can just split hubbys portion among themselves. Its the thought that counts, not the group gift that the boss will probably not enjoy.

Just my two cents.

[Marie78]

$25 does seem like a lot of money, I am sorry that your Dh is in this tough position. I remember when I worked in a bank as a part time teller we were always dishing out $5 or more a month for some "event" that was going on. It became annoying and added up quickly.

[Dancing Lotus]

Well I dont know if this matters or not but the boss is also the owner, one of them anyways.

I just gave dh the money, he said its always been 25 he just never told me and gave them the money from his own spending money. But he was broke this time so he had to ask me for more money. Oh- well I guess its up to him. IT just bugs me.

[3pups]

I work in a small office and we just got our boss a $35 gift card to a store he loved (hunting I believe). I don't think I gave more that 10 dollars for that and his Christmas. I think $25 a person is alittle extreme.