I'm So Stressed

[AnonyMouse_4869]

Hi. I've got a situation and don't know if im over reacting to something which can't be helped. But I'm getting stressed so thought I would post on here!!

 

We were given some funding this year which needs using up. I want to buy some resources but need cash to be able to do so. I asked treasurer for a withdrawel slip for a specific amount and was told I could not have it.

 

I have been asked to go and find out exactly how much each item is, tell her, then she will write me a cheque.

So thats two trips to town, with a cheque that i can't sign in a shop and which probably won't be accepted as im thinking that most places won't accept a cheque now???

 

I don't know if im right or if she is? how do others work. The problem is mostly that they are things that i can't buy from a catalogue and be invoiced for.

 

Am I crazy??

[Guest]

Lucie

 

I know exactly how you feel. My pre-school has just been allocated a substantial grant and although I asked for a few things the treasurer decided on quite a few other things (which I don't really want and I know will cause arguments).

 

When I suggested the things I really want she says no the grant has been allocated for the items she has specified, so tough basically.

 

It is so frustrating isn't it, drives me to distraction but I find a glass of wine and a box of chocolate a very good distraction!!!!!!!!!!

[AnonyMouse_1027]

it is very tricky you have to try to compromise - not much help i know but wht else can we do!!!!

[Steve]

Sounds very unreasonable Lucie.

 

You could try moving the problem onto her shoulders - give her the list and the shops and ask her to go and pick them up?

[Guest Wolfie]

That sounds like a vey reasonable and sensible solution!

[AnonyMouse_10713]

[quote name='Steve' date='Apr 4 2008, 18:03' post='128005'

You could try moving the problem onto her shoulders - give her the list and the shops and ask her to go and pick them up?

I think this is a very good idea Steve!!!

 

Lucie, you are right most places don't take cheques, especially if you don't have a guarantee card and signed in front of cashier!!

[AnonyMouse_3735]

Must agree , I would give her the list to buy the items for you, I tend to do that with lots of items anyway, so do other staff when we need or want something.

 

Some grants are given when you have sent in a list of items you will buy with it and they can check you have done so, we had some money on this basis in the past so we had to buy what we had asked for, in our case I was asked but sometimes treasurers may do this without consultaion with staff, or in one case I had to quickly say what we were getting and buy goods in 2 days to supply the reciepts in time or we lost the money.

 

Inge

[AnonyMouse_2846]

could you go and order the items and ask for them to be put to one side for her to pay for and pick up? it end to pay for the on credit card and then claim the money back before have to pay interest.

[AnonyMouse_4869]

Thankyou, thats how it is inge: a list of things that we have to buy that i put in for funding for, one item is a tv and i want to now go and get a good deal, but cant without cash!!!

[AnonyMouse_8466]

I've never worked for a committee group, so I don't know how these things usually work. But my first question is to ask what your group's procedure is for buying resources/providing money to buy resources etc. If the procedures are being followed you don't have much redress - but Steve's solution would get you nicely out having to go and do the job yourself!

 

I was also wondering if this is the first time this has happened? If you have previously been able to withdraw cash in advance of making a purchase and are being stopped from doing so now, then I'm wondering what else is going on? Is the treasurer new and trying to stamp her authority on the role?

 

If she's just being bloody minded is there someone on the committee you can raise the problem with?

 

Good luck - it must be very frustrating for you.

 

Maz

[AnonyMouse_705]

I'd like to try to show things from another point of view in the nicest possible way . As well as my other role, I am also an administrator for our setting (I do the treasurer's job as well).

 

Firstly cash - only the signatories or myself can withdraw cash. I can only cash cheques upto £200. Perhaps there are restrictions on who can get cash out? But that could be easily explained.

 

I don't think I'd be happy to hand over large sums of cash either. What would happen if that money was lost or stolen? Or somebody decides to blow it on a trip to Paris and never come back! (Not that you would of course )

 

Usually when staff or committee want to buy something, they pay by credit card and I write a cheque by return or companies invoice us and I write them a cheque.

 

Having had to sort out a real mess when I took over, with invoices missing, cheque stubs not filled in and all sorts, I insist on an invoice or receipt up front then write a cheque by return. This applies to me when I need to buy something too. Otherwise paperwork gets lost or mislaid and it's one great big pickle.

 

It's not an easy job but at least I get paid for it, well some of the time anyway!

[Steve]

That's a good point, nicely put Deb!

 

Is there a way that practitioners in your setting can buy things without either beaurocracy (getting cheques made out in advance) or using their own cash and claiming it back (which may well not be an option)? I guess getting things on account or sending out a committee member to make the purchase are the only other choices, unless you do something else?

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Firstly cash - only the signatories or myself can withdraw cash. I can only cash cheques upto £200. Perhaps there are restrictions on who can get cash out? But that could be easily explained.

I'd think all committee run groups have procedures to follow which should be understood by all. Perhaps its the lack of an explanation that is causing Lucie such grief?

 

As a non-credit card owner I'd definitely opt for a committee member doing the purchasing!

[AnonyMouse_705]

Staff use petty cash for small amounts. One even recently bought something for £30 and used petty cash. I do understand the need for this, if I buy something with cash I need it straight back no matter how small. So I always try to ensure there is cash available, previously there often wasn't!

 

So in theory if someone wanted cash, this could be up to £200, but that would mean an extra trip to the bank myself. I rarely go shopping so a trip to the bank is often the only reason for going and as it's 5 miles away - using my petrol - unless I can tie it up with collecting my daughter from an after school club.

 

These restrictions are often put in place by the bank or our constitution/charity commission. For a good reason.

 

This then goes back to having large amounts of cash on your person, if it got stolen or lost -I could just imagine a committee member querying why I allowed that and why an alternative method couldn't have been found.

 

Mostly staff or committee pay by credit card, or we are invoiced or we have an account. If this was not possible, I would probably ask for the product code number and the store and see if I could buy it online using my credit card and get it delivered. I once spent nearly £2,000 (Community Playthings yey!) on my credit card. The result was that I paid the cheque into my account straightaway, and the money sat there until the credit card bill was paid!

 

We are investigating online banking for paying wages etc. Money could then be transferred to people's bank accounts from where they could withdraw cash. The problem would still be getting the paperwork handed to me - people can be very casual about that which is a problem.

 

If the invoice/receipt is handed to me, and needing to be reimbursed is usually quite an incentive, it doesn't have time to be mislaid.

 

I can see the problem from both sides!

[AnonyMouse_3735]

I was going to suggest a search on line for the goods and print this off and give to committee saying this is what you want.. remembered I have done this in the past for bigger items.

 

if we give cash to a staff member they sign a reciept to say they ahve recieved the money... many of my staff cannot afford to buy even the smallest items without cash first.. very tight budgets all round! and no credit cards!!

 

That said I am currently sorting out the mess in the accounts from the committee who decided that as a mum was a bookeeper it would be a good idea if she did them... save me from those who think they know it but get it all wrong!! Its simple very basic book keeping, i learnt on the job but seems to elude her...

 

 

Inge

[AnonyMouse_705]

many of my staff cannot afford to buy even the smallest items without cash first.. very tight budgets all round! and no credit cards!!

 

Staff can also take cash first. Working for such low wages in this profession, I am sure many of us know all about tight budgets which is why when I'm out, I can buy something I think will be useful (if I have the cash) knowing that I can get the money back straightaway. Staff know where the key is and have totally free access to the petty cash tin. There are only 6 of us, who have known each other a long time, so I guess that is easier for us.

[Guest MaryEMac]

Our treasurer makes sure that we have enough petty cash to cover general expenditure like squash, tea, coffee etc. Most other stuff we get from ESPO where we have an account. I occasionally use my credit card and am usually reimbursed quickly.

 

Mary