Charging family members

[Tinks027]

Personally I think if my mother in law had said that to me I would have thought sod you then and not done it out of principle.....I dont charge my mum but every now and again she will buy me something to top up my nail supplies...as for other family members I usually do them half price.

 

[largue]

Hi,

I think it is nice to give your in-laws and family members a big discount but not for free unless it is a birthday or something to that nature. If you give family members, friends, etc a service for free sometimes they take for granted that they are getting a really good service for a really good price. What you do is a lot of work and should not be taken for granted. I think that you should give them a discount. Who knows, maybe they will give you a tip. If they don't, that is an indicator of what they think of your time.

Leaha:lol:

 

[DEBI-DEE]

I HAVE to charge my friends and family as they are at least half my clientelle. If i didnt charge them my income would be halved and they all understand this. I do give a discount, but never free unless i want to try out something new.
Surely your friends and family would rather give YOU the money than give it to someone on the high street !!!

 

[Emily9]

If family members want to come in to the salon and have the treatment done at a time and date that suits them then they pay full price just like every other client would, i have made it clear (especially to in-laws) that i don't do anything for free as if i spend time doing there nails at no cost (as they expect me to fit in around them) i could be doing a paying client!!
If they would prefer to wait until i have spare time out side of work then i will just ask for an amount that covers my costs(which i have set prices for).

The only people who i give anything away to are my mum & sister :hug: as they helps me out at weekends! Even though they don't expect this they are more than happy to cover the costs and my mum always wants to pay full price for anything i do for her!! which makes me more inclined not to charge as apposed to people who expect me to do it for nothing.

 

[bessy4444]

I have so many in my family, if i did everyone for free i would be broke, i have a special rate for family and close friends. If they want to see you succeed they would not expect freebies.

 

[little_star]

I would definatley charge something even if it does only cover cost of materials, if you do it for free once they will keep expecting it for free, no one should expect it for free when its costing you money

 

[tonitigercharli]

I had a friend who always expected her nails doing for free..but I had to go to the Wholesalers & spend £20 odd quid on products I had run out of..I may as well have given her the money to go down the road & get em done!! Problem is hon, you're not yet qualified (and they know that) so I would definitely say well I won't charge you as Im not yet qualified but if I charge you (say £5) to cover my stock then its 1. letting em know you WILL be charging after you qualify and 2. You are being fair & reminding them that it is costing you to use your products on them & they re very hard faced to expect it for free. I charge friends & family members cheaper rates (unless its my mum who I dont charge) but business is business honey & freebies dont pay the rent!! IMHO.... good luck xx

 

[ladybee]

hey, for maybe once off i might not charge at all, but if it becomes a regular occurrence then i would def charge!

This is the way i go for fullset....

€60 for a fullset (in salon)
€40 for a fullset (at home)
€20 for a fullset (to family)

... just an example.... always cover cost, and a little more... for your time (depending on how close the person is to you)

TIP: if the family member is going to be smart, then leave them off. They will come crawling back!

My resolution next year is do not do family members takes me 2 hours to do my sisters (i am usually 45min)and at the end we are fighting! Not worth the stress

 

[becstar77]

Hello!

Was wondering what you opinon is about charging family member, my mother in law asked me to do my sister in law's feet and she said to me if I was going to charge then she would do them herself!!! :irked:

I thought well have you got a certificate in pedicures? So do you guys charge your family members? If so at a discount? Am I mean for wanting to charge the in laws?

Thanks for reading

Lily x x

Hi Lily,

I read your post, but only got page four of everyone's replies, so apologies if I duplicate other's posts!

I never charged my models whilst training, unless they came and did assessments and had to pay the academy where I trained. You are trained to do pedicures, so you no longer need free models, so in my mind, the work is undoubtedly chargeable!

It's slightly different, as I am a hair geek, but I ALWAYS charge cost plus a little over for doing technical work for immediate family, and if they aren't paying for their hair cut, they wash their own hair and I only rough dry it off, but happily cut friends and family for free if they come to my house, or give me dinner at theirs. If I've done their hair lots (i.e. my sister's bob is cut more frequently than my other sister's much longer hair) then she gives me the odd tenner for my trouble. If I was to compare it, not being a nail geek, maybe you would file her nails, and give her a quick hand massage and maybe a bit of cuticle oil for free, but a polish, or extensions are charged.

I think the best reply I read here was whoever gave the example of a garage - would they expect free tires and MOT if their husband owned a garage? Probably not!

I certainly wouldn't do free hair if the person made such a rude comment like 'I'll do it myself...' I would say, very politely, :green: 'that's probably best, because I'd have to at least charge for my materials, if not my time.'

I think as long as you are fair and confident in what you decide (i.e. apply the same rules to all your friends, or ask those with a bigger discount to be discreet about it) then it's your business, and your decision to make!

Price lists are a very good idea and help avoid misunderstandings!

Good luck!

 

[Aspire]

Hello PrincessLilly

I am the youngest of 12 brothers and sisters, although I don,t like to charge my family if I didn,t I would be bankrupt. Infact I have sisters who insist on paying so in that respect it makes it easy for me. However I have other family members who think it is their god given right for me to provide treatments without payment. You are a trained professsional and you would be providing a professionsal treatment should you decide to go ahead. Don,t be afraid to set your boundaries gently but firmly, after all they have approached you. If you are worried just practice what you are to say to yourself. It gets easier the more you say it. Then once you have said it to who ever, you have set the standard and they should understand what to expect from you. I hope it all goes well, take care

 

[CarlaC]

Hi Honey
I have just said 50% off my normal price for family.
(Mum, Dad, Mother in Law, Father In Law & Best Mate)

I only charge my mum 50% off for things like Minx where I have the cost in the first place or spray tanning where I am still trying to cover my costs. If it's for something like an eyebrow wax I wouldn't charge.

I found not charging at all meant people didn't want to ask me to do it for them (Although does sound like you won't have that trouble with your in laws!)

I also found that giving vouchers to family members for birthdays etc meant they tried out my service for nothing then started coming to me for everything as they then realise what is involved & how good I am (Most are suprised how much in involved in doing a pedicure!)

Hope this helps!
Carla

 

[ris]

my mother in law asked me to do my sister in law's feet and she said to me if I was going to charge then she would do them herself!!! :irked:

That was rude of her, IMO.
Even if she thinks you owe her the service free because she is an in-law, how about the cost of materials?

 

[jag]

At the end of the day it is unfair for them to say that to you. You are trying to run a business and so they should understand that. In my salon I did it discretionary so the proper charge was 20% off for all family members. However if the salon wasn't busy then and it depended on what they was having sometimes I would say that it was half price.

They should understand that you are qualified and you have to pay for the products that you are using - plus you could be doing someone else who is paying during the time you are doing them!!

 

[joanerella]

what a great idea! x

 

[Millie101]

I never charge my family - it's just my sister and mum really that have their nails done. To pay for advertising is expensive but to have somebody personally displaying your work is priceless. Work of mouth is a great way to get new clients. My mum and my sis were also there throughout my training and had numerous sets of nails (some quite dodgy at first!) and it's the least I can do to pay them back for supporting me like that. I use creative and I can honestly say that it isn't really that cost expensive to do a set of acrylics in my opinion. When it comes to hair all that I ask is that they pay for their tint if they want it. I never charge them for cuts or highlights because again they were there for me when I needed models and its the worst thing ever when you need somebody to have a treatment and you cannot find anyone to do it. Even in years to come when I am 100% confident I will always remember that I am where I am because they helped me to get there. I feel the same for family members - I never charge them. I do my 2 closest friends at no cost also as I consider them family. Other friends I do at a greatly reduced rate - again word of mouth is everything. When I was at college doing my NVQ in hair one of my work friends came in to have a tint for me for an assessment. She worked later that evening and I had 3 calls from other colleagues wanting treatments. I am eternally grateful for my family for being guines-pigs for me and I will always show them that by doing their treatments for free as it costs little to me as I already have in stock all the things I need (except for tints as I said earlier).

This is just my opinion and I can see from the other threads that many will not agree with me but everybody has had different expriences which will influence their opinions.

 

[hebe1332]

Hello!

Was wondering what you opinon is about charging family member, my mother in law asked me to do my sister in law's feet and she said to me if I was going to charge then she would do them herself!!! :irked:

I thought well have you got a certificate in pedicures? So do you guys charge your family members? If so at a discount? Am I mean for wanting to charge the in laws?

Thanks for reading

Lily x x

Hi I always ask for a small amount to cover cost of products used if it not my Mum/ Dad /Hubby unless it a family member that also is happy to offer or does something in return even how ever small ie if my mum in law asked to to do her daughters feet and said if i was gong to charge she would do them herself i would reply something in the order of :-shame as I am good at feet would have be happy to help out for a small gesture of worth for my proffession but you seem happy to do the job yourself.