bitchesgetriches

[bitchesgetriches]

Hey, bitches! I hope that this is okay, but I just wanted to celebrate for a minute and it'd be a bad idea to tell my boyfriend or family bc money issues atm/would ask to borrow, but I got my tax refund! And it's about 1500! I'm probably gonna spend most of it on a new personal laptop, but I've been trying really hard to be careful with spending and this means that when I take out almost a thousand dollars of my account for said computer, it won't make a dent in my finances. (A personal goal this year is getting 20k in my checking, and this got me to like 18k!) (I know that I should have a lot of that in savings, and I will, but I don't have a good account to move it to yet and I need to research it some more first.)

HIP HIP HURRAY!!! We're so excited for you, baby!!!

Just in case you need it:

Ask the Bitches: How Do I Say “No” When a Loved One Asks for Money… Again? 

Season 1, Episode 11: "I Feel Cornered by a Friend Who Keeps Asking to Borrow Money."

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[bitchesgetriches]

Do you/bitch nation feel like it would be trashy or braggy to host a party for myself for achieving a big savings milestone? I wanna blow out candles on a cake with "$100k" written on the icing.

I mean, this is exactly the kind of party we would attend with champagne and balloons! We love celebrating financial wins within our community and feel like it's a great way to encourage each other and share information and resources on how we can all get ahead.

... but yeah, your community might be different. Feel out a couple of your close friends and ask them for honesty. Some people might see this as unbelievably gauche and insensitive, especially if they're personally struggling.

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[bitchesgetriches]

hey bitches!

long story but i'm currently living on the campus of my very small college and working over the summer on their college farm and i am running into a few questionable walls with my student housing. by this i of course mean that i'm about to barrel headfirst into conflict with my lanlord/school because i swear to fuck this place is contaminated with mold. i'll leave out the reasons for my speculation bc we'd be here all fucking day, but rest assured, i know mold, i am petty as fuck, and i also know how to use the internet. my rent may be low compared to that in the surrounding areas, but no deal is good enough to jeapordize the lives of my bird children (i have three finches). jesus this message is a mess.

POINT BEING! i was wondering if you have any advice on dealing with slimy landlords. i plan on scouring the internet regardless (again, i am petty, and i like having a project) but it's never a bad time to seek the eternal wisdom of the bitches either (i am blowing smoke up your asses so that you will validate my mold wisdom, hope that's ok).

wishing you all the best

Blow smoke as you will, our darling bird parent! For we, in our eternal bitchy wisdom, thrive on flattery!

Our #1 suggestion for dealing with landlords is to document EVERYTHING and bring your receipts. Photograph evidence of the mold and pair it with scientific articles about said mold. Get information on tenants' rights in your state. Create a ~*dossier*~ to bring to your landlord with incontrovertible evidence. It'll save you a lot of time when they want to delay instead of fixing the problem.

Also, be sure about what you WANT. Is it mold mitigation? For the landlord to subsidize your move to a new location? A steeper discount on rent? Pick a solution on YOUR terms, not theirs.

Good luck, my child!

MASTERPOST: Everything You Need To Know About Living Independently for the First Time

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[bitchesgetriches]

I thought the same thing!

Hello Lovelies,

I work for a small business, and it's always treated us a little shady- no benefits, no breaks (our state doesn't require them), non compete within 45 miles, our contract says we can't discuss wages (we do anyway), kind of gross working conditions, but this new thing takes the cake.

We no longer have a time clock so we write down our times in and out, not a big deal until my manager left the timesheets out a few weeks ago. I looked as mine was on top and I wanted to calculate how much my check would be for budgeting. *Note this happened 2 paychecks in a row where the papers were left out on the communal desk and mine was on top so anyone could see.

I noticed that if I came in at say 12:50 the shift would be rounded up to 1pm, there were some that might be rounded down but instead of say putting all the odd amounts on the side and adding them up- that extra 5 here, 7 there. They just weren't added anywhere. I'm already being underpaid because "they don't have the budget" which isn't accurate they've just made some dumb spending mistakes, and we don't have HR or a finance department to take this to. It's all through the manager and the boss who I'm pretty sure knows. I'm wondering if there's any recourse other than quitting (I've been trying) because technically I was never supposed to see those papers because they're supposed to be filed in a locked cabinet immediately upon completion.?

I'm afraid if I mention it I'll get my hours reduced because they don't "fire" you so they don't have to pay unemployment.

The most common form of theft in the United States is wage theft.

Yes, you absolutely need to be searching for a new job to get out of this hell hole. But in the meantime, you need to get paid for your stolen labor. I recommend you get in touch with your state's department of labor to get connected with resources for recovering stolen wages.

But before you do that, start taking a picture of your time sheet every time you sign in and out. You need proof of the discrepancy before you can take any action.

Oh, and not for nothing but it's illegal for employers to enforce salary secrecy among coworkers. Here's more:

“Independent Contractor” My Ass: How to Stop Wage Theft Through Worker Misclassification 

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[bitchesgetriches]

Learn more from our newest video essay.

[bitchesgetriches]

Hi!

Do you (or any members of the bitch nation) have any advice for getting a job with housing included?

Would it be rude to ask about the housing in the job interview? What’s the best way to ensure that they aren’t lying about the housing in the job description?

I think this is going to require some research up-front. Most of the jobs I can think of that include housing are those jobs that require travel: cruise ship staff, military members, English teacher in a foreign country, camp counselor, etc.

If a job includes housing, it'll say so in the job description before you even apply. Otherwise, it's probably safe to assume it doesn't include housing.

But I could be wrong! What say you, Bitch Nation?

MASTERPOST: Everything You Need to Know about Getting a Job, Raise, or Promotion

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[bitchesgetriches]

Good advice! Also, thanks to everyone who commented about CoolWorks. Worth checking out!

Hi!

Do you (or any members of the bitch nation) have any advice for getting a job with housing included?

Would it be rude to ask about the housing in the job interview? What’s the best way to ensure that they aren’t lying about the housing in the job description?

I think this is going to require some research up-front. Most of the jobs I can think of that include housing are those jobs that require travel: cruise ship staff, military members, English teacher in a foreign country, camp counselor, etc.

If a job includes housing, it'll say so in the job description before you even apply. Otherwise, it's probably safe to assume it doesn't include housing.

But I could be wrong! What say you, Bitch Nation?

MASTERPOST: Everything You Need to Know about Getting a Job, Raise, or Promotion

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[bitchesgetriches]

After many years of putting their brilliance on the internet for free, the Bitches are offering their first ever course on the topic of burnout! It was, to quote Piggy, a labor of love... but a labor nonetheless. And to quote Kitty as her body broke down into its component parts upon completion of this project, "Oh god my spleen!" (probably). In today's special bonus episode of the BGR podcast, the Bitches walk you through a sneak peek of their new course. Listen here or on your favorite streaming platform.

Learn more about The Burnout Workshop

[bitchesgetriches]

The age of eligibility for an ABLE account, allowing USAmerican disabled people to save up money without losing their government assistance for having “too much,” is going to go up to cover disabilities diagnosed by age 46 (currently it’s age 26), meaning a much larger number of people will be able to access them. As the article notes, many Americans don’t know these accounts exist, let alone whether they or someone they care for could qualify for one, so please share this information around.

It seems to me it would obviously be better if the “no more than $2000 a month” limit were simply removed and disabled people could have whatever savings accounts they chose, but this is heaps better than nothing.

[bitchesgetriches]

Hello Lovelies,

I work for a small business, and it's always treated us a little shady- no benefits, no breaks (our state doesn't require them), non compete within 45 miles, our contract says we can't discuss wages (we do anyway), kind of gross working conditions, but this new thing takes the cake.

We no longer have a time clock so we write down our times in and out, not a big deal until my manager left the timesheets out a few weeks ago. I looked as mine was on top and I wanted to calculate how much my check would be for budgeting. *Note this happened 2 paychecks in a row where the papers were left out on the communal desk and mine was on top so anyone could see.

I noticed that if I came in at say 12:50 the shift would be rounded up to 1pm, there were some that might be rounded down but instead of say putting all the odd amounts on the side and adding them up- that extra 5 here, 7 there. They just weren't added anywhere. I'm already being underpaid because "they don't have the budget" which isn't accurate they've just made some dumb spending mistakes, and we don't have HR or a finance department to take this to. It's all through the manager and the boss who I'm pretty sure knows. I'm wondering if there's any recourse other than quitting (I've been trying) because technically I was never supposed to see those papers because they're supposed to be filed in a locked cabinet immediately upon completion.?

I'm afraid if I mention it I'll get my hours reduced because they don't "fire" you so they don't have to pay unemployment.

The most common form of theft in the United States is wage theft.

Yes, you absolutely need to be searching for a new job to get out of this hell hole. But in the meantime, you need to get paid for your stolen labor. I recommend you get in touch with your state's department of labor to get connected with resources for recovering stolen wages.

But before you do that, start taking a picture of your time sheet every time you sign in and out. You need proof of the discrepancy before you can take any action.

Oh, and not for nothing but it's illegal for employers to enforce salary secrecy among coworkers. Here's more:

“Independent Contractor” My Ass: How to Stop Wage Theft Through Worker Misclassification 

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[bitchesgetriches]

Hey bitches! How do you get over feeling like a bad person for wanting to make good money? I know that might sound strange, but my ex deeply resented my dad (an engineer) for the life he was able to afford. My ex's family was deep in debt, always buying things they couldn't afford / didn't need (they had 3 refrigerators with only 3 people in the house...), and HATED anyone they saw as "rich". (my dad makes good money, but he is solidly middle class, definitely not rich).

I broke up with him, but I fear that judgement has stuck with me and kept me from trying to pursue higher paying jobs or ways to uplevel skills and the like. I'll feel upset that I don't make more, especially since by my family's standards, I don't make much (roughly 60k a year). Then, I feel absolutely terrible and like I'm an awful person who should be grateful about how much I make, because it's more than a lot of people do, and like I'm selfish and ungrateful and greedy for wanting to make more. I know this mindset is really holding me back. But I don't know how to overcome it. Any advice?

Remember that there is nothing wrong with making a certain dollar amount. The only thing shameful or unethical is HOW you make that dollar amount.

Is your dad an engineer who designs machines that get used in sweatshops that exploit human labor and profit off the suffering of others? No? Then he has nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to his income.

Did he inherit all his money from a rich relative? No? Then he has nothing to be ashamed of.

Did he get rich by buying up affordable housing and jacking up the rent well above what tenants can easily afford? No? Then he has nothing to be ashamed of.

Make your money as ethically as possible and use it as ethically as possible. "As possible" is the key phrase there.

Season 2, Episode 1: “I'm Financially Stable, but My Friends Aren't. The Guilt Is Crushing!” 

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[bitchesgetriches]

Hi!

Do you (or any members of the bitch nation) have any advice for getting a job with housing included?

Would it be rude to ask about the housing in the job interview? What’s the best way to ensure that they aren’t lying about the housing in the job description?

I think this is going to require some research up-front. Most of the jobs I can think of that include housing are those jobs that require travel: cruise ship staff, military members, English teacher in a foreign country, camp counselor, etc.

If a job includes housing, it'll say so in the job description before you even apply. Otherwise, it's probably safe to assume it doesn't include housing.

But I could be wrong! What say you, Bitch Nation?

MASTERPOST: Everything You Need to Know about Getting a Job, Raise, or Promotion

Did we just help you out? Join our Patreon!

[bitchesgetriches]

The Ultimate Guide to Helping a Sick Friend

Keep reading.

[bitchesgetriches]

Hey bitches! I'm having a bit of a conundrum regarding my summer semester rn. So I tried changing my course as it was not what I thought it was and in doing so the financial aid office has reached out and said that they gave me too much money as a refund for when my loans disbursed. The amount they decided to disburse was not any choice I could have made and it was a substantial amount. I am not able to have a job this summer (though this situation is making me think I need to get one immediately) so other than using a little bit to ensure I don't end up homeless, the rest went to pay off some of my loans. Now the office is saying that I have to pay them back for the entirety of the refund as well as 1.5 courses since I changed a bit late in the semester. I've been on the verge of a panic attack for over a week and I'm not sure what to do.

Talk to a human in the financial aid office. Go in person if you can. Explain the situation and see if, at the very least, they can put you on a future payment plan. But ask if they can reevaluate their decision first to see if you don't ACTUALLY have to pay back the money.

Panic attacks are no joke, though. I personally understand how debilitating they can be and how they can prevent you from taking action to fix your situation. Here's more advice:

Everything Is Stressful and I'm Dying: How to Survive a Panic Attack 

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Loans 

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[bitchesgetriches]

Esteemed Bitches, a job application I was just filling out asked if I'd ever been "excluded from or otherwise made ineligible to participate in any federal program, including any health care program". ....Can they ask that?? That seems like an overreach to me

I had to look it up, but this SOUNDS like a way to ask about your criminal record without asking about your criminal record (since you can be excluded from federal programs mostly because of "criminal conviction, fraud, or misconduct.")

So just tell them NO. If they're going to ask a sneaky question, they shouldn't expect you to do extra homework to give them a detailed answer. Here's more on what employers can/can't ask you:

10 Questions You Should Never Be Asked in a Job Interview 

Beware These 5 (Perfectly Legal) Discriminatory Hiring Practices 

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[bitchesgetriches]

Can I ask for some help with my resume? I'm not making it past the email stage

Here's our advice on how to write a resume and cover letter:

How to Write a Resume so You Actually Have a Prayer of Getting Hired 

How To Write a Cover Letter Like You Actually Want the Job 

If you have specific questions, I recommend you join our Patreon so we can have a longer private conversation. We will also do a detailed personal consultation for a one-time flat fee (contact: thebitches@bitchesgetriches.com). Unfortunately, we don't have the resources to guarantee personalized answers here on Tumblr.

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[bitchesgetriches]

Kitty. Piggy. Do you have any wisdom for wanting to be frugal and responsible and set up a good financial future for myself vs. also feeling like the world is a gigantic dumpster fire and I should just spend whatever I want? 🫠

Yes. Our incredibly bitter, jaded, yet practical wisdom is to remember that in any crisis, it is the poor and disenfranchised who are hurt first and hurt the most.

It wasn't rich people who died in Hurricane Katrina—it was the poor. The people who stayed in Flint, Michigan despite the water crisis were those who couldn't afford to leave. The women who died of illegal abortions before Roe v. Wade were those who couldn't afford to travel to where abortion was safe and legal. People who die for lack of medical care are those who can't afford to pay for said medical care. COVID-19 disproportionately killed "essential workers"—people working jobs they couldn't afford to leave for their own safety. The immigrants getting detained indefinitely by ICE are those who don't have the resources to escape from them.

Build up a financial safety net so that you have the resources and relative safety to help your loved ones and community through any dark times yet to come.

How To Protect Yourself Against Project 2025 

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