I need some help....

[Prairie~Phlox]

I'm not sure if I should send this or not or would just like advice on what to do. Background- we did a moving job for a former neighbor last October (80 hours total over two weekends and about two weeks) and she still has not made it right by paying us (even though she's the one that kept insisting that I keep track of our hours), plus to top it off, I charged $200 for her on my Discover Card at the end of June (stupid me, but she's always made things right in the past) I know she's been gone, her sister is/was dying down in North Carolina (I'm in Indiana) but she's not called me since July 10th (I just looked at my cell phone bills) she has a track phone, not sure if she'll answer) I am not sure if I should send her another bill. This was the letter that I typed up. She has money, but claimed that she couldn't touch it until this June, but June has come and gone, she also has a friend that helps pay for things when she needs them, so it's not like she doesn't have money, he pays for her storage units (she has like three because she can't get rid of stuff) and helped pay huge booth rentals for Shipshewana. This is what I wrote. WWYD?

 

I am praying that this finds you well since I have not heard from you in several weeks. I am unsure of what is going on and I am very concerned and disappointed right now. I feel that I’ve allowed myself and my family to be taken advantage of, I know you did not mean for this to happen, however it has. First, we busted our butts last October to help you move and you told me over and over to make sure that I was keeping track of our hours or else I’d just be “screwing myself.†Well with anticipation that we were actually making a little bit of money, also came ideas of what we could use that money towards. Here it’s almost a year late, I am still waiting and haven’t seen a dime of what we are owed. Jason is self employed and if we waited this long for people to pay us, we would never be able to make it. I look at the job that we did for you no differently than a job that he has been contracted to do for someone else. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if we were just helping a friend move for several hours, but this was two weekends and time in between that we took and were there for you. Plus there were other times that you needed us and we were there, fixing flat tires or backing your trailer in your driveway. Now I have Jason upset with me because I’ve even allowed you to charge more money on our Discover Card and we have not been reimbursed for that either. Yet you seem to have enough money to pay storage fees, go to Shipshewana, etc. I am sorry if any of this comes as a shock to you. You don’t go for weeks and not let someone know what’s going on. I know that your summer has not been all that you expected it to be but I’m truly disappointed and hope that you will make this right soon.

[Danestress]

it seems unprofessional, and what you want is to be paid for doing a job like any other professional.

 

I think I would write a business letter basically saying, "This is to remind you that you owe X for moving on Y date. Please pay promptly." Then I might add a handwritten note saying, "Sue, I wanted to also remind you that you also owe $200 for the expenses I put on my Discover Card in June. We have larger expenses coming up in August, so DH is pressing me to get reimbursed for this. I know things have been tough for you with your sister. Let me know how you are all doing."

 

In other words, I would want it to be basically professional but might give it a small personal touch. Your goal here is to get paid. If you still want to express how disappointed and frustrated you are *after* you are paid, then I guess you can do it. But I don't think all that emoting increases your chances of getting paid. It might decrease them. So write the letter with a firm goal in mind. "I want my money."

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure if I should send this or not or would just like advice on what to do. Background- we did a moving job for a former neighbor last October (80 hours total over two weekends and about two weeks) and she still has not made it right by paying us (even though she's the one that kept insisting that I keep track of our hours), plus to top it off, I charged $200 for her on my Discover Card at the end of June (stupid me, but she's always made things right in the past) I know she's been gone, her sister is/was dying down in North Carolina (I'm in Indiana) but she's not called me since July 10th (I just looked at my cell phone bills) she has a track phone, not sure if she'll answer) I am not sure if I should send her another bill. This was the letter that I typed up. She has money, but claimed that she couldn't touch it until this June, but June has come and gone, she also has a friend that helps pay for things when she needs them, so it's not like she doesn't have money, he pays for her storage units (she has like three because she can't get rid of stuff) and helped pay huge booth rentals for Shipshewana. This is what I wrote. WWYD?

 

I am praying that this finds you well since I have not heard from you in several weeks. I am unsure of what is going on and I am very concerned and disappointed right now. I feel that I’ve allowed myself and my family to be taken advantage of, I know you did not mean for this to happen, however it has. First, we busted our butts last October to help you move and you told me over and over to make sure that I was keeping track of our hours or else I’d just be “screwing myself.†Well with anticipation that we were actually making a little bit of money, also came ideas of what we could use that money towards. Here it’s almost a year late, I am still waiting and haven’t seen a dime of what we are owed. Jason is self employed and if we waited this long for people to pay us, we would never be able to make it. I look at the job that we did for you no differently than a job that he has been contracted to do for someone else. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if we were just helping a friend move for several hours, but this was two weekends and time in between that we took and were there for you. Plus there were other times that you needed us and we were there, fixing flat tires or backing your trailer in your driveway. Now I have Jason upset with me because I’ve even allowed you to charge more money on our Discover Card and we have not been reimbursed for that either. Yet you seem to have enough money to pay storage fees, go to Shipshewana, etc. I am sorry if any of this comes as a shock to you. You don’t go for weeks and not let someone know what’s going on. I know that your summer has not been all that you expected it to be but I’m truly disappointed and hope that you will make this right soon.

[Laurie4b]

I would not send that letter if I wanted to get paid. Guilt is a funny motivator:it can motivate us to act quickly; just as easily, it can cause us to avoid the person or situation that makes us feel guilty.(Think of the stereotypical mother who laments to her grown child how "You never call me..." It makes the follow-up call from the child less likely in many cases, not more.) She has been putting this off, so she is not going to be motivated by guilt to act quickly and the fact that she's put it off may even be making it harder for her to act. (Procrastination creates anxiety and anxiety makes you avoid things.) So I'd get rid of the accusations and the guilt stuff and write something like this:

 

I am praying that this finds you well since I have not heard from you in several weeks. I am unsure of what is going on and I am very concerned. I know that your summer has not been all that you expected it to be, but would like to hear from you. We we need the $____ from the moving we did for you last year and the $200 we charged on our Discover card for you. Could you please send it by Sept. 1st or send half of it by Sept. 1st and half by Oct. 1st? I'll send this by certified mail so that I can be sure that it got to you.

 

After you have the $$, if you still want to, pursue the relationship stuff, but sharing your anger, etc. now is not going to help you get the money back. If you don't get a response to a certified letter, I would decide on next steps: involve a mediator, take it to court, write it off.

[Prairie~Phlox]

Thank you guys, this helps a lot. I'm just going to put both bills in an envelope and just attach a quick note that they need to be paid. I have the invoice for the bottle company and am making a copy of it.

[Harriet Vane]

it seems unprofessional, and what you want is to be paid for doing a job like any other professional.

 

I think I would write a business letter basically saying, "This is to remind you that you owe X for moving on Y date. Please pay promptly." Then I might add a handwritten note saying, "Sue, I wanted to also remind you that you also owe $200 for the expenses I put on my Discover Card in June. We have larger expenses coming up in August, so DH is pressing me to get reimbursed for this. I know things have been tough for you with your sister. Let me know how you are all doing."

 

In other words, I would want it to be basically professional but might give it a small personal touch. Your goal here is to get paid. If you still want to express how disappointed and frustrated you are *after* you are paid, then I guess you can do it. But I don't think all that emoting increases your chances of getting paid. It might decrease them. So write the letter with a firm goal in mind. "I want my money."

 

:iagree: