To take this money?

[wildthingswere]

I'm at uni and live with my partner and due to many commitments here, I stay at uni rather than going home over holidays, Easter and Christmas etc.

Last Christmas, someone I knew only slightly had posted on the Uni page looking for someone to look after her hamsters while she went home and as I already had one I decided it wouldn't be an issue for me. On the advert she stated she would pay and I thought 'Great an easy £5/10', but I wasn't bothered about this, they were only hamsters. We picked them up due to the fact that we could drive and she only lived about 5 minutes away, but across town so decided not to let her carry them across town like she was willing to.

Looking after the hamsters is so easy, she gave us their food, toys and treats and they sat on the table for 3 weeks and we topped up their water and food when needed and let them out to play in the ball if we had time, which admittedly was only probably once/twice a week.

When we took them back to her after Christmas, she gave us £40!!!!!
And then this time after Easter, again £30!!! Admittedly, the first time I took the money without noticing how much it was until I got in the car, whereas this time I roughly knew how much she'd give and I still accepted it. Part of me thinks I should at least tell her I don't need any money and then dutifully accept some of it after a bit of back and forth but the student in me wants to take the money and run before she decides that £30/40 is rightfully more than the effort I should put in.

AIBU to accept this kind of money for occasionally chucking a handful of food in?

[Pinkheart5915]

No not unreasonable.
She gave it to you for looking after the hamster you didn't ask for it.
Maybe she's given you that much because she knows your a student as it being nice?

[Ginmakesitallok]

Bit it's not just chucking a handful of food in, it's giving her peace of mind that the hamster is ok.

[witsender]

Did you clean them out etc?

[airside]

Unless you know it's causing her hardship to give you money then just be glad she values the hamsters and your care of them enough to be generous.

[WhatsGoingOnEh]

She's paying you what it's worth to HER to know her pets are being looked-after by a lovely, responsible person. Without you, she'd have to stay at home, or pay a £££££ pet-sitter, or book them into a hamster boarding house. (Or whatever the hamster version of a cattery is called!) Take the money!

[PPie10]

I think she's paying you more for taking good care of her pet rather than actually the time you spend doing the stuff. She trusts you and wants to keep sending the hamster to you, so accept the money

[SpunBodgeSquarepants]

I hope you cleaned out their cage at least a few times over the three weeks you had them?!

I think for piece of mind, knowing that my pets were being cared for and were safe, I'd have paid the same.

[wildthingswere]

Ok, I'm glad I don't seem like I'm money-grabbing.
I cleaned them out when they needed it, although they were much cleaner than my hamster, due to being different breeds maybe? I had all the stuff anyway due to having hamster and two rabbits and like I said were very clean.

[CosyNook]

Wherediditland I'll look after your hamsters next time!

[Spandexpants007]

That's only about £2 a day if it's a 16 day break

[Oldraver]

We used to have hamsters and trying to find holiday care for them was quite hard....she is probably very gratefull

[OutToGetYou]

I pay £2 a day to a local teenager to feed my cat, so £14 a week. We get £8 a day via an agency to have a dog for a day, £10 for an overnight (this is gross, we pay tax on that).
So, with that in mind, it seems proportionate and you should accept it.
Excellent way to get some extra income.

[Spandexpants007]

Kennels round here are £20 for 24 hours so £2 seems ok