Would loan money to your helper?

Would you lend your helper money to pay for an operation for her mother?

  • Yes, I would but have not been asked

    Votes: 9 19.1%
  • No, I wouldnt and I have not been asked

    Votes: 22 46.8%
  • Yes, I would and have done in the past

    Votes: 16 34.0%

  • Total voters
    47

mel_g20

Registered User
A simple question... if you had a good helper you trusted, and she asked to borrow money to pay for an operation for her mother who is sick, would you? Or have you?
 
In general I would say yes, although I guess it depends on the amount of the loan. From time to time, our helper has asked for advances on her salary from time to time, which we are fine with. The most we have advanced is 2 months' salary - and that was for her mom's illness.
 
I have lent my helper money on several occasions for family emergencies. I'd rather she borrows from us than a 3d party. She has gotten in trouble with the money lenders and has learnt her lesson.
 
Yes, but not more than her monthly salary (HKD4,000). She pays me back HKD500 each month. For some reason, as soon as she is about to pay off her 'loan,' she'd have another emergency. Just a coincidence or bad financial management? I have no idea.
 
Yes, twice in 8 years. The first was for medical expenses for her daughter, which I gave her as a gift (it wasn't much money), although she did offer to repay it.

The second was for her son's wedding and by my standards was a large amount of money. I save an extra 10% of her salary each month into an interest bearing account, sort like a retirement bonus when she stops working for us (will also cover long service leave easily). I took the wedding funds out of this and explained to her what I'd done and why it didn't need to be repaid.
 
(That's a great idea, jane01 --about putting aside 10% into an interest-bearing account.)

Yes, both times for emergencies in the family --in the form of salary advances.
 
We have lent her money many times no problem. but our helper has been with us more than 14 years. Generally when she travels back home or when she needs for her daughter as her daughter has polio. She is also very clever as a lot of helpers take loans from 3rd party and these 3rd parties ask for guarantee of another helper and when the original borrower doesnt pay they chase the guarantor.
 
I think everyone I knows has a helper whose 'mother' or 'father' has needed an operation at one time or another. I really think it depends on your helper. Our first one, who we fired after 8 months of putting up with really bad work asked for a loan of $8k. I said no, that we categorically did not loan to helpers. If our current one asked I would probably do it but if I had even a whiff that she was lying to me about the reason for it I would say no. I would much rather her tell me the truth, no matter what the story than feed me lies. Our first helper told me at the interview that her father was dead. 5 months later he made a miraculous recovery and she needed to borry money for his hospital bills!

Our new helper has a bone lazy husband and 5 children to support. We pay her a good amount of money (4.5/month) and give her bonuses quite often to help. We also just paid for her sister in law to come across and helped her find an employer. Now hopefully the sister in law will help support her bum brother so our helper has one less mouth to feed!

I think a lot depends on the amount of money, the time frame to pay it back and whether you really, really trust them.
 
I would lend her the money and I would believe her 100%. I trust my helper absolutely as frankly otherwise I would not let my son out of the door with her. So I would feel the need to back up that trust by believing her and lending her the money in her time of need.

Having said that, I would also talk about the fact that I think it is not a good idea to have an outstanding loan between us as it eventually can create difficulties in the relationship - which is the reality.
 
I would lend her the money and I would believe her 100%. I trust my helper absolutely as frankly otherwise I would not let my son out of the door with her. QUOTE]

That sounds quite self righteous or did I misinterpret? I think it's naive to think you can trust anyone 100% who comes from a completely different culture to our own, with a different economic reality and where people's lives are not valued as much as they are in more well off countries. What's to say your helper isn't embarrassed to tell you the real reason why she needs money (whatever that is)?

Actually, i don't know anyone of any nationality who is 100% honest, myself included. Doesn't make us bad people.
 

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