If you have long-term houseguests....

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
couldn't agree more!
I've had a "roomate" for over a year now, and in that year he's had a job for 2 months. Our goal was to have him pay $100/week for the space that he rents, we've managed to get about $400 out of him throughout the year

I didn't mind making sure he had a plate of dinner after he got home from work, but when he stopped working, since he's contributing almost nothing financially, I see no problem telling him, not asking, telling him to take out the trash, mow the lawn, clean out the garage, help with car repairs, etc. He's a long time friend of the family so I can't just kick him out(though I'd like to sometimes)

The way I see it, I'm paying out the woohoo every month to have this house, and on top of paying for it, I also have to bust my hump taking care of it. why should it be any different for anyone else in the household? I already have 3 kids, 2 dogs, and 11 chickens, I don't need to be anyone else's mama!

As for dogs, your house, your rules period. years ago I had another roomate who had two of the most annoying dogs on the planet, and I never could get the owners to realize that my dogs were here first. It got pretty ridiculous around here to the point I was about to put them up for sale when the owners werent looking.

Sounds to me like the roommate, since he can't pay cash, should be paying his rent in labor. Lawn & garden care, dusting and vacuuming, dishes, bathroom cleaning/scrubbing, mopping, cooking--whatever you think best suits your needs and his ability.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Ridge, I think you've already figured out that I am OCD or as DH calls it, OCCD (obsessive-compulsive cleaning disorder). Believe me I have already thought about it over and over again. DH has told me in the past about his ex's cleaning skills or lack thereof. I can see it in her daughters. DSD uses lukewarm water, very little soap and no order at all - glasses washed after a greasy pot, everything stacked in the dish drain any which way. It's driving me crazy, but at least she's doing them now. She also cooked supper last night without being asked.
Another thing that drove me crazy yesterday - After the chicks were up, DH asked her to go lock my big birds up for the night. I was having a severe spasm attack in my legs. She jumped up and went to do it right away, but the rest of the night I worried. When I go out to put my big girls up for the night I do a head count, I remove Chloe from the nestbox she likes to sleep on and I put Lil' Bit up on a roost. I check food and water and then lock both doors (human & pop). I just know she didn't do any of those things, besides lock the doors.
So it's a matter of getting her to do things, but also me learning to let go and accept the fact that things aren't always going to be done the way I want them to be.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

In a situation like that it's like hitting yourself in the head with a hammer. It feels good when you stop.

The dish washing brings back soooooooo many memories for me, shudder shudder. It was better just to do yourself, by the time ours went thru 3 times washing the dishes and they were still greasy I just gave up


Steve

 

[TsaLaGi Acres]

Quote:
I totally agree, tho' I got to a point that I'd wash all dishes because they were being broken, chipped or silverware thrown away.

What gets me is I don't understand what these ppl are 'thinking'?? In my whole life I'd of NEVER pulled some of the stunts that ppl seem to do these days just to get out of work or to as we call it 'mooch' off ppl. I have went with feeding my children beans or ramen noodles for weeks and me eating what lil' was left over from that because I never wanted to live off ppl!!!

I just don't understand !!!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

If you can ever figure out people and why they do what they do write it down on paper and please remember me as it will be the best seller of all best sellers and you will be filthy rich, you will be able to pass millions around like candy.


Steve

 

[TsaLaGi Acres]

Quote:
Are you kidding, I've got a poultry addiction, I'd be as broke as I am now!!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
Are you kidding, I've got a poultry addiction, I'd be as broke as I am now!!

Just think of all the poultry you could have when you are rolling.

Steve

 

[mamawolf544]

I cannot believe so many of us are having the same issues.
I have an old friend from High School, we have known each other better than 30 years now. A couple of years ago her husband passed away and I wont bore you with all the details but her house was being forclosed on and she went to one of the sell it quick places. And then the step-kid's came out of the woodwork. Didn't want her to sell the house, blah-blah-blah. But she has a will that was never probated. In the meantime the water, lights and everything else was turned off in this Texas summer heat. The court date was to be in 2 weeks. I said come over.

Well that was about 2 months ago and she just found out yesterday that the court date is the end of Sept.

The first week she was outside with me everytime I opened the door, that ended. I am pretty straight forward. If you think the floor needs swept, grab the broom, dont wait on me. My priorities are probably different than yours. Some of you know I have some pretty major health issues with my heart, I am on my 4th pacemaker/defibrillator right now. And the past year or so it keeps shocking the fool out of me. It just went off Wednesday night, that'll wake you up.

So I like to enjoy my family, my animals and life, so maybe the dust bunnies can wait another day. But if you want to complain, clean it.
So she camps out in my living room, I have 4 bedrooms, she takes a nap everyday on my couch which I hate. If I'm not napping on the couch I dont see any reason for anybody else to be napping!!!! She runs to fill the dishwasher but never wipes down a cabinet. But the kicker was she was using my wi-fi and she used it so much that my service was temp. shut down and I had to pay to upgrade my service. So I booted her off the wi-fi, my computer is always logged off and it is password protected. Not to mention she was on sites that I clearly did not approve of. She was using her personal laptop. But I did tell her these things. She is gone for the night visiting some man

And we are having a go to work talk when she comes back.
It is really hard to understand what people are thinking, using your water, electricity, eating your food. I guess they think the good fairy pays for it.

 

[PineappleMama]

Well... I made the aunt, or rather her boys, so miserable with my horrible mean rules (IE asking before taking over DH's SCHOOL puter) that they moved to Oklahoma!!

Score one for the pineapples.

Cutting off the wi-fi is a very good start... maybe it's time to crank up the tunes and vacuum or maybe do the windows with vinegar while she's trying to nap on your couch?

Hmmm... what else... lemme think... get her to volunteer for dish duty... then use every dish in the house... normally I'm a one pot wonder, but I can SO make a mess when I set my mind to it...

Plenty of things that might make her decide her welcome is worn out... and go find another friend/family member to leech off of.

If only my In Laws would get this idea... perhaps MIL wouldn't be just prescribed high blood pressure meds and FIL wouldn't be prescribed HEAVY migraine meds...

 

[Marshmallow Man]

Man what a bunch of horror stories. When my 2 oldest kids went to college I let them know that they could move back if they wanted to, but they would be paying for food and rent. So far they haven't talked about moving back in. I would be strung out on Valium if I had people like Pineapple was talking about.