Charging Friends

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natalie day

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2004
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Location
Hertfordshire - Hemel Hempstead
I just wondered what everyone's opinions were on charging friends for treatments? I have a friend that I have always used to practice on when I first started doing nails. I have always rebalanced and decorated them for free as I always thought that it was benefitting me so I didn't mind. But I don't so much need the 'practice' anymore unless I am trying out new products/ideas etc and I just wondered should I be charging her? It bothers me a bit because I always fit her in on my evenings off, so not to conflict with paying clients but I am starting to get exhausted now and the thought of having to do a set of nails, waxing and eyebrow shape for free on my evening off is starting to take its toll! I don't want to end up resenting her, but should she be giving me at least something as a gesture or to cover my products? The fact that I have been doing this for free for so long now makes it even harder to ask for any money, and I don't like taking money off my friends. I feel really bad when my mum gives me money as she always insists on giving me something to cover my products, but I never ask for money from her, quite often she just pays it straight into my account without me even knowing!
I just wondered what everyone elses views on this was?
Thanks!
 
hey natalie,

I would openly talk to her about it and tell her how you feel, if you don't do it soon you'll probably just blurt it out in the wrong way!!

it's not just your materials like you said it's still your time, i'd just say that you'll do it at a really discounted price for her, at the end of the day she'll still want it doing as she'd have to go elsewhere and pay the going rate!

if she's your friend she'll understand, my friend used to do mine before i qualified, i used to give her £15, i was happy with that and so was she!

Pen xx
 
Hi there

Stop busting a gut to fit her in when she has time off, you specify when you can fit her in otherwise it will become a chore, and you'll dread it. One of my clients works full time so i have been doing her in the evenings, which mucks up tea time for kids and husband, now I'm finding it a pain. She comes tonight so I am going to tell her I shall only do her Sat am or during the day now as kids go back to school soon so evenings will be busy. I've also got to tell her that model rates will stop end Sept, so will be interesting to see who stays loyal.

I would say your friend is taking advantage, especially if she doesn't even offer to pay a little something. As you say you feel bad because your mum pays you, if anyone should be free it should be your mum. Just say, look I will have to start charging you now to cover costs, but as you are my friend I will give you x amount discount (that's if you want to of course and don't give her too much!). Just warn her before she comes for her next appointment, and when she rebooks book it to suit you.

Be firm hun

Deb379
 
It is a difficult one isn't it?

I gave my friend a dead line - I said after my holiday she would have to start paying. I asked for £15 for a full set and £10 for infils. She was cool with that. I'll probably have to put my prices up at some stage, but I'll deal with it when the time comes...

Kx
 
Yeah, your friend should be contributing something to at least cover the cost of your products - in fact, I'm surprised she hasn't offered before!! :confused:

My Mom gets her nails done every 2 weeks and her eyebrows waxed regularly too and has ALWAYS paid me £25 per month as a gesture of thanks - I didn't even have to ask. :D

Excluding a quick polish here and there, I have never offered friends free treatments/nails, even when I was practising they paid me at least 50% of the going rate. I think it all goes back to how much value you put on your services and I valued mine straight away. My friends definitely valued me services too as they all insisted on tipping me, bringing me gifts and buying me drinks etc. :o

I think the best route forward is to talk to your friend about the issue and ask for a contribution. Make it clear that you will still provide her with freebies for anything new you're trying (new treatments/nail art designs you need to practise) - if this is what you still want to do - and that you're really grateful for her being there as a guinea pig. Hopefully, if she's a good friend she'll appreciate where you're coming from and you'll come to a mutually agreeable arrangement. :cool:
 
Hi Natalie
I can totally understand where you are coming from as i am going though the same thing . Like you i was finding it really tiring having to fit these so called freebies in. And like you i really dont need all the practice, only when i want to try out new stuff. So the way i approached was after moaning about it so much to my boyfriend!! He said you really must tell them the way you feel as he could see that i was really ready to to just chuck it all in, as i was getting my knickers in at right twist, thinking they were taking the P*** a bit, and i was going to end up losing friends. Well i have 3 models and they have all had the sets in the beginning that werent so good and i really appreicated them letting lose on there nails, and i told them that first. Then i told them how much all the products costs , this is where they were really shocked that i had spent so much money with actually not getting anything back. I told them the prices i was charging for new customers ie 28 for a full set and said that i would continue to do their nails for 15 to cover my costs and i think thats really fair. If they are real friends they will understand and it should be no problem. I was beating myself for a while over it, and now that i have said something its been like a weight lifted, and they do get better sets of nails instead of me sitting there for hrs feeling unappriecated and my heart really not in the nails that i am doing!!!!
So even though its never nice having to charge friends, approach to subject about how you are feeling, my friends really didnt want me to feel that it was all becoming such a chore, and were scared that maybe i would just get feed up with it all, they are happy to pay me 15 to help towards keeping me going with new stock etc, and they are still getting a really good set of nails at a discount price!!
One thing also you really get to find out who your real friends are, so hope all goes well for you, Heather.
 
I know what you mean about 'finding out who your friends are'!! I have a couple of friends who always offer me something whilst trying new things and pay me at a discounted rate for my usual things. However, I have a friend who was MORE than happy for me to try everything out on her for free - but when the time came, I explained to her my costs. I gave her some REALLY good discounted rates for her nails doing (particularly airbrushing as she was hooked). This worked fine the first couple of times she wanted them doing, but now she says 'oh I might want my nails doing soon', and thats as far as it goes!
I say let her know how much its costing you and give her a discount. Then keep your fingers crossed she not like my friend!!!!
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I will try and approach the subject this evening! Eeeek! Hopefully, all will go well! Fingers crossed!!
 
Just thought I'd update you all!
Well so far and not so good! My friend was due to come round at 6.45 for her appointment and she hasn't even turned up yet, not even a phone call! So I have had to send my husband out for an hour (as I don't have a studio) and she hasn't even bothered to turn up on time, maybe not at all! If this is how my so-called friends treat me, I hate to think how some clients may treat their therapists!
I will have to approach the subject on payment when she turns up, if that ever happens!



natalie day said:
Thanks everyone for your advice. I think I will try and approach the subject this evening! Eeeek! Hopefully, all will go well! Fingers crossed!!
 

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