Thursday

Things I'd Advise Against #4

My boss had her last baby and tied her tubes. She has had 3 pregnancies and worked throughout them. She has a massive amount of killer pregnancy clothing, all high end. It's all in her closet or boxed up in the attic.  (Rose Pope, Paige, Chloe, A Pea in the Pod & all good brands).

For the first time ever, I will have two weeks off at Christmas time. I want to take my family away for the holidays but that is not in my budget. See where I am going with this?

I was going to propose to my boss that I sell her items online for her on EBAY and that she give me a commission or cut of the profit. I know she wouldn't do this herself, she would probably just end up donating them.

I'm hoping she won't want any part of it it and will just say, "yeah, take them, do what you want with them." She's pretty fair. But when I propose it to her, should I have a percentage in mind for what I would ask for? What would that percentage be? I would be doing all the work, photographing, listing, answering buyer questions and shipping and handling. I'm guess that I'm not the only nanny to ever undertake this kind of thing so I'm hoping you have some suggestions.

19 comments:

TheyCallMeRed said...

No. Just no. That is so tacky!! And I would personally be super offended if my nanny asked me about it. Keep your pride, find a part time job or sell your own stuff.

Anonymous said...

Same , I'm a nanny and I find this really not apropriate.

You are supposed to be a nanny , ya know take care of children ? Make sure they are happy and well educated? Your job should strictly stop there. If your boss occasionally give you a reward for your good performance , then that's a bonus .

why on earth you want to put your nose in your bosses belongings and make money off of them ? It's her stuff and she does whatever she wants with it...

You sound so opportunist (not in a good way)

Your a nanny , and if I were you I would calm down and not mention what you aim to . If I were the mum and that you did so, I would think that you are money hungry.

Anonymous said...

I sell things for my family all the time. I get 20% of the money. The rest we use for "kid cash". Great way to clear unwanted things out and have the money for things we want to do. with the exception of one item it has all been kid related items.

Anonymous said...

You and your bosses are tacky as $#&*!

Anonymous said...

Who anonymous your the tacky one coming on here and being rude to others. How is it tacky to sell unneeded items?

Anonymous said...

*Wow

Anonymous said...

It's tacky as %&*$! You're supposed to be a professional childcare expert. If your job doesn't pay you enough to live without selling old junk online, you need a new job! Donate things you no longer need instead of hounding your boss for crap to sell.


And if your NF needs the extra income from online selling, they cannot afford a nanny

RBTC said...

i had a friend like that - when she was at my house she would go " i notice you're not using blah.." It wound up affecting the friendship

however - an appropriate way to say it is.. " i am starting to become an ebay mogul so i'm letting all who know me know - if you have something to clear out - here i am " that way she does not think you're coveting her things and being tacky - and for that matter - why NOT contact everyone and make it a project - let us know what happens

Janna said...

I'd agree with what RB said EXCEPT that in THIS case, OP IS coveting her bosses things. I never notice what my MB wears or buys. It's not my business. The fact that this op is noting her boss's clothes, brands purchased and even Uterus (knowing tubes tied) is too much!

Worry about doing your job op. Stop trying to earn an easy buck. Real online sellers scour garage, thrift store and estate sales for their product. They work hard to earn a living. They don't harass their bosses/friends/family for their items.

Just.... gross!

Anonymous said...

funny, i'm an employer and i asked my nanny to do this, i even said she could keep all the profits, but she was overwhelmed and refused to. anyway if i were your boss, i would be all for it. i love nannies who take initiative.

Anonymous said...

"And if your NF needs the extra income from online selling, they cannot afford a nanny"

What???? That makes no sense. Many well-off people who can afford nannies and pay very well sell used baby and kid items online. You think people with lots of money should just give away items that they could get a few hundred bucks for? How does that in any way relate to if someone can't afford a nanny!??!?


DJM

Anonymous said...

The usual amount is 25%. Get into an EBay chat room to confirm if you wish. It may have gone up.

RBTC said...

jackie kennedy O. resold many items all the time

Anonymous said...

@DJM, we can agree to disagree. I think it's tacky as $#%^. If my NF was moonlighting as a used item seller online, I'd move on to a family for whom "a couple hundred" wouldn't be an amount they'd feel uncomfortable donating.

Anonymous said...

You're free to feel it's tacky but it doesn't mean they "can't afford a nanny".

The wealthiest people I know watch their pennies. Doesn't mean they can't be generous in paying staff or making donations, but they don't waste opportunities to make and save money.

DJM

Anonymous said...

It's an indicator that they're living above their means. A few hundred here and there should not send them running to online sales to recoup their losses imo.

Yes, wealthy people/smart people in general are careful with money. Act wisely when it comes to spending. And use their money to make money etc...

In my opinion, someone who doesn't see the value in donating that 'few hundred' to the needy has an ungenerous spirit.

Donating isn't a waste of opportunity.

Anonymous said...

So you would stop working for a family who paid you a fair wage if they wouldn't donate a couple hundred bucks worth of clothes and chose to sell them instead?

Our family follows a close budget which includes donations to charity and savings for retirement and college. I resell kids items for extra cash to purchase new (to us) kids items, not to make ends meet. I'm definitely not ungenerous or cheap.

It's none of your business how your nf makes their money as long as they pay you fairly and on time.

Anonymous said...

Yes. Honestly I would leave. I don't work for families who would be affected one way or another by a few hundred dollars. Families on a budget do not need ME to be their nanny. They cannot afford me, if that mount has any affect on their finances.

I want a family who is charitable, giving (of their money & time) and generous. I think selling used clothing in general is gross. Almost as gross as selling/buying used furniture.

If something is no longer of use, it should be donated. Selling it or giving it to your nanny to sell is cheap imo.

It most definitely is my business how a family makes money. I'd never work for a family who sold drugs, weapons or the like. I don't need details of their private life, but a family who doesn't make a legal sustainable wage would not keep me for long.

I've also been in situations where a family lived above their means and had mounting debt. I left as soon as they started trying to nickel and dime me. They eventually went bankrupt and tried to stick me with paying their share of the taxes.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha. Ok.