Dear Amy: I’m a enterprise owner with a compact retail shop positioned in an affluent neighborhood.

We rent our space and our employees involves household members who function for free of charge so that we can maintain the doors open.

The shop is a labor of like, and it is a gathering spot for neighborhood members.

That mentioned, enterprise is incredibly slow and we are struggling.

The COVID years saw our full shutdown (according to state mandates), and enterprise at a full standstill. The vacationers who utilized to be our primary guests/purchasers have not returned because COVID.

We are frequently becoming approached by neighborhood organizations and nonprofits seeking for donations and sponsorships.

These involve schools asking for donations to raffles museums asking for 3-figure donations to their fundraisers nonprofits raising dollars for superior causes neighborhood theaters and newspapers asking us to acquire advertisements (“for only $275 a week”), and far more.

We have usually supported them when we could, which includes providing present certificates to our shop, but I’m overwhelmed now.

Some days I’m deciding on in between acquiring meals or gas for my auto so I can drive to my other job.

Our enterprise account is empty and it is all I can do not to cry when asked for donations.

They ask in telephone calls and then stick to up in particular person and through emails, copying other folks on these emails, which tends to make it appear like we’re an uncharitable enterprise.

Some of the askers even make a comment that we’re in “this town” so hence have to have the dollars and signifies to donate.

How do I respond to these men and women? I was usually taught to “never complain, by no means clarify,” and I do not know how to inform them that I’d like to donate but we just can’t.

Our hope is to maintain our shop going for a handful of far more years as our enterprise recovers from the pandemic, but I’m also afraid we’re going to drop respect from neighborhood members who believe we are closefisted and uncharitable.

Your suggestions?

— Worried Shop Owner

Dear Worried: My suggestions is to craft a uncomplicated, truthful, and polite written response: “As our enterprise continues to recover right after our lengthy closure throughout the pandemic, we discover ourselves unable to donate to your incredibly worthy bring about. We hope to see you in the shop incredibly quickly.”

I hope that your fears regarding your reputation are an exaggerated response to your affluent surroundings. You need to assume that other neighborhood household-run organizations are stretched, as well. (Connecting with other folks in a neighborhood compact-enterprise networking association could enable you to see that you are not alone.)

Keep in mind that the men and women generating these requests probably do not recognize that theirs is the fifth “ask” you have received this week. A fast, respectful, and definitive “Sorry — we’re stretched tight, so not this year” need to send them on their way.

Hang in there. You are not alone.

Dear Amy: I reside with my daughter and son-in-law in my personal private quarters, which I paid for them to develop.

My location covers about 1-third of the residence.

I attempt to give them their space and reside independently in my unit, which is attached by a hallway to their two-story residence.

We are a loving household and I have a fantastic son-in-law.

I stated that I’d spend 1-third of the utilities, which involves heat, air conditioning, and garbage pickup.

I’m retired and living on Social Safety.

They are complete-time thriving enterprise men and women.

My daughter thinks I need to spend for half the utilities.

Granted, I do not endure and use the heat and air for my comfort.

Old men and women do not like to shiver all winter or sweat all summer time.

Is it equitable to split the expenses 50/50 or need to we spend according to our earning energy?

— Cool Consumer

Dear Cool Consumer: No, it does not appear equitable to split the expenses of these utilities 50/50.

Nor does it appear equitable to spend for utilities primarily based on your earnings.

The clear remedy (to me) is for you to spend 1-third of the utilities, because you occupy 1-third of the space and are 1-third of the occupants.

You could appear into installing a door in between your unit and their residence (for power conservation purposes), and probably installing a separate meter for your unit.

Dear Amy: “Organizer with a Problem” relayed intense aggravation more than how their “politically primarily based affinity group” had devolved into dysfunction.

They want to use Robert’s Guidelines of Order: Make a motion, go over, then vote. That’ll cease the minority from ruling the group.

— Been There

Dear Been There: I vote “aye!”

(You can e-mail Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also stick to her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)

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