schnoo Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Oh yeah!!! I\'ve dealt with THESE types before. Truly financially challenged people do not whine about their situation. I oughta know. I couldn\'t afford to have a quilt longarmed so I bought a machine!(?) Now I don\'t have the time to quilt my own!!!!!!!! A "friend" of my Mom\'s asked (on Nov 11)me if I could squeeze in a baby quilt for x-mas and I said yes if she got it to me that next week. (this was the same person who said to my mom that she didn\'t want to pay an arm and a leg(my price!) for quilting a previous top she needed done so she took it to a "limited pantos only" quilter instead) Needless to say she dropped it off at my moms first of Dec and still expected it to get done. I had remembered what she said before about the arm and leg charge and decided she was going to pay my minimum charge of $50.(x-mas rush included) The backing had an extra 1.5 inches all around...... SHE DRIVES A LEXUS!!!!! :mad:.....As long as I live people will never cease to amaze and annoy me!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 I was in line at the super market after work today. I had my "Price-Plus" card, my list of sale items and a few coupons. The cashier rang up my bill and I paid for my groceries. OK. everything was normal there. The woman who had been in front of me in the line dressed like the CEO of a large corporation. I was admiring her attire and the way she help her head up high. She had to be "well off," nice haircut, nails done professionally, etc. Then she whipped out her food stamps to pay her bill!!! How can someone get food stamps when they have so much? Dishonesty? Deceit? The cashier was watching me watch the previous customer and added that the lady drives a new car, too. What an insult to us taxpayers! I\'ll bet this lady would not be able to tell the difference between a handmade quilt and one that was "imported." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matildanme Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 I think that the price you charge for your work should be the same regardless of how rich/poor your customers are. I certainly wouldn\'t dream of pushing my prices up just because a customer had "money", heaven knows, money isn\'t that easy to come by for most folk so maybe they work real hard for it, just like we do. Having said that I wouldn\'t discount my work either, as my time is just as valuable as the next persons. The people I know with the biggest $$$$$ sure don\'t look like they have it and the ones with the flash lifestyles live on credit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Sandy, OMG! :o This exact same thing happened to me at the Fred Meyer grocery store in Fairbanks a few years ago... I will never forget it... I was standing in the grocery checkout line and this very nice couple ahead of me was dressed in full length fur (I think it was mink), leather jacket, the lady had diamonds galore on all the fingers, etc. they were totally dressed to the nines... and they had this huge (HUGE) loaded grocery cart full of food; I am guessing at least $300 worth. I was admiring their beautiful clothes and when it was time to pay, it seemed to take forever! I was getting a little impatient, so I looked closer and noticed that they whipped out food stamps and the checker was counting it all out... yikes! I was shocked. What the H-E double hockey sticks is wrong with this picture? Eh? Every year I volunteer to be a "Santa Delivery Driver" for our local food bank and I gotta tell you that this humbles me. There are some very poor people who live in my community. One elderly lady I delivered to lived in this trailer and her floor had these little hand towels laying all over the floor in various locations. She said "dont step on the towels because that\'s where the holes are." Her floor had broken through the the sub floor below. Well, the group I was with reported this and we had someone (volunteers of labor and supplies) go in and put new floors in her trailer. God bless those people. PS: She was so grateful for us to deliver her a Christmas meal that she gave us all little butterflies made out of pipe cleaners. She was a sweet heart. Those sorts of things make my day and help me to put things back in perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Shana, Great stories. I love the one about the poor old lady who got a new floor, thanks to the good souls who went to help her out. That is what life should be about - helping one another. Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltsbyNini Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Sandy and Shana I had to respond to your concern abolut the food stamp issue. Here in GA we get a \'credit card\' for food stamps. It is the same card that is issued to foster parents! I cannot tell you the number of stares and really rude questions and comments we get at the grocery store! Not everyone using a \'food stamp card\' is using it for food stamps. I can\'t tell you the number of cashiers that have even refused to take it, because they thought we were using it fraudulently! Over the past 5 years I have spent waaaaay too much time trying to enlighten ignorant people about this (maybe THIS is why the foster program is in so much trouble!), even getting into an argument with a store manager! No longer will I shop there, and they have had a \'friendly\' visit from DFACS.... (one little girl (she was barely a teenager) gave me a lecture on how I was only a foster mom because I could get money! Like the 200 a month I get will even begin to make up for the money we spend each month to give my kids a comfortable life... not to mention that I gave up a VERY lucrative job to become a stay at home mom for them!) I guess this has touched a nerve in me. While I will be the first to agree that there is too much fraud and misuse in the food stamp program, just remember, no matter what kind of new car I drive, or where I live, or how I\'m dressed, you don\'t truly know what my situation is. Now I will get off my soap box and return to trying to think of excuses to finish getting ready for our Christmas party tonight, and trying to figure out how I can be at the doctor\'s office for my TBI son and be cleaning the carpets at the same time! Jeanne Morris Monroe, GA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Thanks, Nini. OK I stand corrected about food stamps usage. Truly, I do try not to ever judge a book by its cover, and regarding food stamps use and how nice people are dressed, even if they are wearing $20,000.00 in jewelry and fur I should not judge them. There might be more to the story. I am sorry if I offended you. Please accept my apology. I am so glad you made sacrifices and chose to stay home and raise your kids, rather than working at a job away. Kids need their mom at home, and I think you are doing the right thing. Now, get back to your Christmas party preparation!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jajab Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Marlene- I have gotten anywhere from $1.00 to 15.00 for a tip. Makes you feel good. I have only been in business a year. I was talking to my DH aunt and saying how things are slow going. I had sent out a holiday discount to my fellow guild members and didn\'t get any response. DH aunt said that she knew a couple of those people and they said I was too high. I was a little concerned, but I also know that they take it to a wonderful lady who also LA\'s and charges next to nothing. But the last 4 quilts I have gotten tips from. So I figure I can\'t be too bad. Since some of them drive an hour to get to me, and keep coming back. The biggest tip was from a guild member, and I was afraid I over charged her to begin with. That was after I heard the too high comment. I have even been told - is that all when I have quoted a price. So it all depends on the person. I know in the past I have complained about not being able to afford this and that and I decided that if I am spending my money foolishly that\'s my problem. I wouldn\'t expect someone to offer or give me a deal because of my own stupidity. I do offer a first time customer discount, but after that I don\'t. And so far everyone has been back more that once. As been said here many times before most people just need to be educated about the quilting process. This is how most of us make our living or our play money to buy more fabric and gadgets. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted December 20, 2007 Report Share Posted December 20, 2007 Jeanne, I\'m so sorry for offending you and anyone else that read my post. You\'re absolutely on target to have enlightened me to the other scenarios. I was judging the book by the cover. Sometimes there are situations (like this one) that seem so obvious that they are abusing our system, but maybe there is another explanation, like you have suggested. I will certainly bite my tongue before I make such an unkind statement like that again. Merry Christmas, Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted December 21, 2007 Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 HI Marlene I guess my fingers were ahead of my brain agian, I had offered my friend a room in our house but she laways turned me down, but was thrilled to be able to leand me some money to make sure I kept my roof over my head. Yes I do barter, I was especially pleased with two gearboxes for a car cover. It was a great deal as we both felt we had got an amazing bargain. I am happy to haggle, but not to work for nothing. I have just put my prices up wihich should give me a little more wriggle room. I\'ve been stunned by the tips some customers have offered. I have several who feel I vastly undercharge, and feel they should correct that. That is the other reason fort putting my prices up. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted December 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2007 If you have ever seen Suze Orman on PBS - she tells women "Don\'t put yourself on sale" ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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