Trying to do gift budget what about collections at work?

wacko911

Folks, its really simple. Just be a tight gitt - say no I dont give to anyone so if I give to this person I might upset someone I havent given to, so in the intrests of keeping the peace - NO THANKS. After a while people stop asking. I never get bothered with collections in work anymore, they know better!

Shineyhappy

My last job, everyone put in 3-5pounds per birthday/leaving/baby etc etc and I really begrudged doing that, it worked out about 10 pounds a month and it was just silly. Everyone looked down their noses at you if you didnt contribute and it just felt forced and horrible. Oh and when it was your birthday you had to bring in cakes and you ended up spending 30 quid on those!

In my new place there are 11 of us, I am the only girl and the boys only care about birthdays because we tend to take in a packet or two of biscuits or a bag of donughts and I think spending 2-3 quid a year is much better and far less pressure than before and I dont begrudge doing that at all.

Fortheloveofmoney

I used to work in an office where you were expected to put in £5 for people and someone stood over you collecting the money. This bought the person a present, a card and decorations for the desk. This was for special birthdays, leaving, babies, weddings etc. Oh and we had to put in £1 for Easter too. One year I refused to do Easter as I was short of money and an almighty fuss was caused. The person doing the collection told everybody and when Easter came around they tried to include me in the chocolate giving anyway. I said no because I hadn't contributed. This caused an even bigger fuss and I was told I wasn't a 'team player' as a result. :mad:

Nowadays I work in an all male department (accept me) and we don't have collections. When it's our birthday we all go out for lunch and the cost for the birthday person is split equally. We all tend to eat/drink the same amount and there are ony 3 of us so it all works out ok. Cakes are not expected either. Much nicer :T

savvy

Sounds like my workplace is a lot more relaxed! We only have the envelope come round when people are leaving/retiring, and you only contribute if you want to. When it comes to birthdays, we give individual cards just in our area/team, except on special birthdays - I had one this year and it was awesome, everyone had been VERY generous, so that was really nice

Of course though, there are TONS of charity things going around with students AND staff, and again luckily you give if you want/can. Although this is tricky whenit comes to the students because it's great to see them putting themselves out for once

lady_isa

i pay £2 a month into the flower fund at work, which get used for birthdays

we normally hve lift going round for retirements/wedding/baby/

Burlesque_Babe

Good grief......I'm quite shocked at the number of people who 'have' to put in £5!!!

At my last place, it was an envelope left with you and it was the norm to put in £1 each but if you didn't know/like the person there was no pressure. It did get a bit silly though as 3 of us moved and for a year we still got the envelope for the people we had left behind in another part of the building.

Saying that, when Iwas made redundant in May, I was told my collection was over £80!! So I was chuffed and flattered at the same time.

Now I'm self employed and working from home, I guess it is saving me £2 a month on average. Hadn't thought about that!

ceridwen

In a nutshell - one goes to work to MAKE money, not to SPEND money.

I put in what I WANT to - no more/no less. If the person is a friend - then I will buy an individual present of the size I feel appropriate. If I dont like them - I give nothing.

It is wrong to be pressurised in any way - and I do feel sorry for those who get the pressure on to hand over £5 a go!! - I would just opt out totally full stop if I was in that sort of workplace and decide they could all think what they liked about me.

Hello

Normally only a collection for babies, weddings, leavings etc and just a card for birthdays. I put in relative to how well I know/like them.

My birthday got forgotten again this year, second year on the trot. :mad: . Still, didn't buy the dreaded cakes so serves them right!

melk_2

In my workplace of 9 female each person buys the birthday present for the person's birthday after their own spending roughly 5 pounds + card wrap etc. This means everyone has to 'do' one birthday present per year. For specials eg 40, 50 etc we have a collection putting in a fiver each aprox and have a bit of a do where each one brings in a plate of food to contribute to a buffet.
Collections for the whole building - you do whatever you want.

Yorkielass

I've found everyone's thoughts really interesting - thanks for the contributions.

The worst time I was stood over was when our boss went into hospital for a fairly major and sudden operation. Her PA came round that morning and told us she had ordered flowers and it was £3 each, as I was a temp on c£13K and there were people there on 40K I felt a bit annoyed. I had to count the 10ps out my purse with this lady standing over me and felt so embarrassed - but didn't feel I could argue over £3 given the situation.

Funny how places differ so wildly.