I want to get some third party input on an issue that I'm having with a business partner.

My business partner is great in a lot of areas but he LOVES to spend money, if not kept in check. First a bit of background, about a month ago we combined both our phone plans and put them in the company name. We save about $100 a month doing this, plus I can pay it with pre tax dollars so its a net win. We have three phone lines, ours with Iphones, and my moms with a normal flip phone, which is only on my plan because when I wanted an Iphone it worked out cheaper to get two lines, so I gave her the phone which she uses maybe 30 minutes a month if that, no data or messaging. With the understanding that I'm going to cancel the line next year. So I go away for three weeks, which was my first mistake.

I come back and all of a sudden he says oh grandma needs a new phone were going to buy her an Iphone. I'm thinking OK, well Merry Christmas I'm not getting off cheap this year, whats a 5 $700? But wait their is more, it seems were adding her phone to the company plan and paying for it!

I'm kind of annoyed about this because for one thing, I'm not a charity, my grandmother has a house in FL, a Condo up here, and takes about 6-8 vacations a year, its not like she is living on SS. She drives an XJ8 I drive a 110k mile Chevy pickup...

I'm a little pissed about this, or should I just bend over and pay the $1200 a year its going to cost me? Drop in the bucket?

Now that the business is starting to turn a profit after years of making very little and lots of work...I kind of feel like I'm being taken advantage of here. Maybe I'll just give her my Iphone and take back my moms flip phone to save money.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Partnerships are tough. I have been in several and most of the time it only works for a limited time. If the deal can be gotten into and out of fairly quickly it seems to be better. I have always ended up either pissed at my partner and vice versa or buying him out because we don't agree on what to do next.

I guess I would sit down with him and try to work it out to something you are both ok with.

Do whatever it takes to avoid going to court with a partner, though. You buy him out or have him buy you out if it comes to a breakup.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Have a friendly talk to him about this matter, and agree upon some parameters as to what can be run through the business. I know of a partnership in which one partner is running every personal expense possible through the partnership, then both partners divvy up the net income 50/50. In reality, it's more like 65/35, and the partnership is dissolving the hard way due to the refusal of the 65 partner to change his ways.

BTW, I'm hobbling along with a iPhone 4S, hint, hint...

Well I can have up to 12 lines so I might as well add you guys as well.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Hattie says iPhones for everybody!!!!

Best way to keep a business partnership alive is -
Business money is business money
Personal money is personal money

You screwed the pooch getting that other phone line for your mom.
Pay the entire years contract right now to the business from your personal money.
Make a point with your partner that the business doesn't buy personal stuff.
All expenses covered by the business should be directly for you or your partner.
The chump change you save on those thousand tiny cuts is not worth the aggravation or acceleration to the end of the partnership.

Just my .02...

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

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I'm so cheap I still got 3GS....

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

Yeah I think we need to have a discussion about this going forward.

The problem is on my side I opened pandora's box without realizing it, but OTOH I haven't been paying myself a regular salary either. So when I want to buy something I pay myself a bit as a salary and buy it. I have been trying to reinvest as much as possible, hence the no salary. We have kind of been doing the same thing.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Partnerships rarely work out.

The interests of the two partners are never the same. One always has more intelligence and/or will work harder and longer hours than the other. This always leads to animosity which poisons the relationship and ultimately leads to a business loss.

You can try to talk to him, but the response is going to be:

"What's the big deal..........it's just a phone for my grandmother...........don't be so GD cheap...........grxbtgyhufkeirnm"

Motorola Razr!!

i think i'd say hey if gramma needs a new phone an old flip phone like your mom's would be just fine.unless he personally wants to pay for that part of the bill.your paying for a pinto and his gramma wants ferrari.you pretty much know what your bill is now.so anything over that comes out of his pocket not the business.

That is correct. In my line of business, I usually see the partnership in the beginning and always tell them that one of them has to be the boss. They pay no attention to me. That's one way my business grows, because the partners get mad at each other and split the each of them starts a new business, therefore more business for me.

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'07 Yukon 2500
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Currently Benzless
Formerly: 300TD, S600, E55, 560SEL

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Actually I think we work very well together. He is strong in areas where I'm not, etc. I'm the cheap ass numbers guy who sits in the corner and counts coal, he is the times are good lets go and party and spend personality.

So we kind of end up in the middle somewhere with a bit of friction once in awhile.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Partnerships are known for developing difficulties. I was unfortunate in having a partner for a couple of years that liked to spend about twice what he made.

I preffered building the business equity and only taking out a modest salary until I felt it was in good shape. Us both being fundementally honest helped settle it. We parted friends at least. We just where in two different orbits I suppose. This much issue about a phone indicates there may be other issues as well.