I voted for 10-25%. The point being, I’d happily reimburse him for the week of work he potentially lost on my account, plus the food and supplies, plus a little extra out of gratitude. Given his request, I’d expect that about 20-25% of what I make in a month should cover that with some room to spare. Beyond that, I can’t give much more, at least not right away, or I’d risk not being able to pay my bills. However, I would check in and see if there wouldn’t be more I could do if he still needed help farther down the line.
(Emphasis subtracted.)
Because, lawyers?
I’m not obligated to provide him with anything.
I might kick him a little of what I could afford to spare after dealing with the fact that I’ve likely lost my job and my healthcare as the result of being incommunicado for over a week, and won’t be likely to generate any income in the near future while I’m convalescing.
I’d try to calculate what would make him whole, tack on a bit of a “who’s awesome?” bonus and go with that. I’d guess that comes to no more than 2 months pay, and I’d have to figure out a way to make it happen.
Not even by common decency?
Jake saved your life. And he’s not Superman; carting you around has to have been great effort. Is that not worth anything? Do you feel no gratitude?
Have you?
“Area Man Loses Job After Harrowing Ordeal in Blizzard.”
Getting fired would probably be a best-case scenario, because you’d end up making your yearly salary on the GoFundMe campaign.
So, I’ve told my co-workers to just leave me there if I collapse at my desk.* I have thought about a DNR tattoo over my heart but the EMTs here have told me they would ignore it. I just (from my current healthy perch) don’t mind dying rather than having to endure more years. Freezing to death isn’t the worst way to go.
But realistically, I can’t blame Jack who is just doing the best he can, and I’m sure in the moment I would be grateful; hence, the month’s salary vote.
- As has happened to a couple of people over the years. One died and slid under his desk so they didn’t find him for a while; the other died at his desk in an office where most of the staff is out on help calls so it was too late to revive him.
Okay, apparently I’m dumb because I can’t figure out how to pay my own bills AND give Jake a percentage of my monthly income, although I freely admit that he’s entitlted to some it, because I already use 99% of my income every month.
But I’m not without resources. So, I will clear out the back bedroom and invite Jake to be my roommate during the winter, in a comfortable, heated apartment with a well-stocked frig, wi-fi, and a nice cat to entertain him. But, there is a method to my madness, because I won’t be going back to work right away since I still need medical care. So, Jake can stay at my place (and take care of the cat) while I’m in the hospital and then will be around to help me after I get out.
Does this translate into me continuing to take advantage of this Good Samaritan? Probably. If you’d bothered to read my thread from a couple of weeks (“Help Me Adjust My Attitude”), you’d know that my new life philosophy is that no good deed goes unpunished.
Guys, guys, he didn’t lose just a week of work - he lost a winter job during the week it took to nurse you. Sounds like a couple months, maybe three, “the worst of the snow.”
I wouldn’t have the financial means to make up for that. I do have a little extra space in my home, and seeing as he turned out to be a decent person I already lived with for a week, would offer for him to stay with me through the coldest/snowiest part of winter if he wants it. I could manage extra food.
In different stages of my life my reply would be different, simply because I can not give what I don’t have, but can give what I do have. That which I have has not always been money. Weather I can give to Jake, or give to others through what Jake has given to me is dependent on my blessings, my abundance, as I can only really give out of that, for everything else I am in need of.
Jake gave out of His abundance, I would do no less.
Sounds like he already has plenty of weather. 
At least 50-75% but more likely I would see if I could arrange for him to have my job if he wanted it. Its basically warehouse work and I got no doubt he could catch on fast, I got some pull with management, and the pay isn’t horrible. Making him whole (in this case employed) wouldn’t be as easy as writing a check but it would seem the most proper way to me.
No, I can probably pay him a couple of grand. But, you make me laugh with medical insurance. Yeah, I actually have really good medical. BUT that doesn’t cover anything by any means. I think it’s like 80%? Something like that. So now we’re talking
- time lost for work (probably use STD for this)
- medical bills over and above what insurance pays for
- whatever else shows up in the next few months
That being said, I wouldn’t just lose touch with the man; can’t I help him as much as I can, over the next few months? Maybe try to help him find another job, make sure he has enough heating oil, stuff like that?
As I wrote upthread, I rather think Jake doesn’t want an indefinite straight job. He’s got skills; he went off the grid purposefully. Unless he said otherwise (and I would ask) I’d assume he was looking for help getting through the winter, since saving the hypothetical you from dying of exposure ruined his original plans.
Personally, I do not see how my monthly income has anything to do with how I would recompense someone for saving my life. The two things I would do would be: first, to try to make him whole for any losses he incurred while I was in his care, and second, let him know that I am in his debt and would be happy to help him in the future.
If The Hypothetical You (hereafter THY) is working at McDonalds, grossing $1400 a month, living alone in an SRO, paycheck to paycheck, and now needing a new car, he or she may be overwhelmed with gratitude but only able to swing a hundred dollar reward.
If THY is an entry-level sales rep for my company, grossing $3000 a month, has excellent insurace and also six months income in his emergency fund, and has a generous older brother who’ll just give him the old car he isn’t using anyway (i.e., 2005 Skald) he can probably give Jake a couple thousand dollars.
If THY were instead the aforementioned brother in 2005–pulling down mid-six figures before bonuses, single and childless, with two years income in his emergency fund and bulging retirement accounts on top of that, a $10K reward is reasonable.
Jake, through his actions to save me, has been deprived of an opportunity to spend the worst of the winter months with the comforts of plumbing and a furnace.
In gratitude, I would offer Jake the opportunity to spend the next three months where ever he chooses. Whether that’s the back room at the local saloon or a beachside cabana in the Maldives. His choice changes how much of my monthly income that is.
I can’t spare him any cash. He is welcome to come live with me for the rest of the Winter, if he likes.
:dubious: Yes, I understand the concept of the more money you have the more money you can afford to spend. What I do not see is what that has to do with someone saving your life. Do you think your life worth more if you make more money? Or is it that you think your life is only worth a percentage of your yearly income?
There is no dollar value that can be applied in this scenario. One thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other.
I’d give him whatever I’ve got left, after medical bills, in easily accessible savings, which works out to about 1 months’ income. Basically whatever I can spare such that I can still pay my own rent and regular bills without racking up credit card debt.
Longer term, I could spare ~5% of my income indefinitely, but I feel uncomfortable just giving him money every month. But if he got along well enough with me he’d be welcome to the sorts of favors I give close friends and family. He’d have use of a spare car, rides around town, a couch to crash on for a few weeks, home cooked meals where he gets all the leftovers he wants, etc.