Charging whilst training

[Hannah1984]

Hi, I am training in NVQ 2 Beauty Therapy. We have covered all of the treatments apart from make up and the commercial salon at college has opened up and we are having clients in on both days that we are there. I have brought my own portable treatment bed and waxing pot and products, I have already started to wax friends at home but have not charged them yet. So obviously even though the experience is good for me I am losing money as not getting anything back for the products.

What I want to do and would like some advice on please, is I would like to make up a trainee price list and hand out to my friends and local homes around where I live (people who I know first). Do you think that it would be ok to do this? The list will state that I am a trainee and therefore the prices will reflect this, but once I'm qualified then the prices will go up. The only treatment that I can't do at home is facials as I cant afford to buy all the products for all the skin types yet. So I will be able to do - waxing, tinting, manicure, pedicure, eyebrow shaping.

How low do you think I should set my prices? I would probably go to their home more than they come to me as the only space for my treatment bed is in my kitchen which is where the rabbits litter tray and food is (I have 2 house bunnies) which doesn't smell but I cant move into the lounge as they will make a mess and I can't stop them coming into the kitchen as that's their main home. So I feel it would be better to go to clients homes unless they know about my bunnies and dont mind them! lol

 

[BABSann]

Hi Hannah,I think it's fair enough that you charge people for your treatments,but dont go too low or you will have problems charging a realistic price once you are fully qualified.

I would probably knock a couple of pounds off,after all you are qualified as you have said,just maybe a little inexperienced.

Also dont forget to make sure you are insured and use a plastic cover for protection as wax spills/splatters are common even for the experienced waxer.Good luck.xx

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

Hi Hannah, Firstly I don't think it is a good idea to offer your treatments in the presence of the bunnies, litter etc.... No matter how much your friends may adore them or how cute they are, your professionalism even as a trainee should be apparent from the word 'GO'. So IMO the kitchen is out of the question. Based on this, mobile may be your only option at this point.

You are well within your rights to charge even a small fee as a trainee. If you do your treatments for free, friends get into the habit of accepting freebies. If anything you should charge to at least cover your expenses.

It is quite acceptable to charge a bit more for your time. I assume you do have a certificate from your college which enables you to be covered by insurance? This is very important for without this you should not be practising on the general public.

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Our local college charges 50% of the average salon price around here. So why not do your price list at the full rate you want to charge once you have your certificate and just say for a limited period 50% to help you improve your speed and technique?

Remember you need to factor into your charges the cost of running your car and the TIME it takes travelling from house to house and the TIME it takes to set it up and pack it all away. Time is your biggest overhead at the end of the day, and many therapists forget to take this into consideration.

Finally DON'T keep your stuff in your car, we have had a couple of geeks recently who have had their whole kit stolen from their cars.

 

[nemotail]

The first thing that you have to consider before all this is insurance, you cant treat paying clients without it. If you are going to be treating members of the public you need to guard yourself against anything going wrong - especially if you are going to be working in their homes.
BABTAC do student insurance but if I remember correctly this is for case studies only and on the proviso you are not charging for the treatments. I dont know of anywhere you will get full insurance without a qualification.

I personally would advise practising only on close friends and family and charging a nominal fee - to cover products until you are qualified.
I wouldnt expect to be treated in any ones kitchen - IMO its unhygenic and unprofessional esp with the litter tray etc.
HTH
KxXx

 

[Hannah1984]

Thanks for your comments.

I can see your points about the kitchen etc, I will say that I do thoroughly clean and disinfect everything beforehand, but yes can still see your points.

I don't have insurance yet and did mean to ask in first post about student insurance. Our tutor at college was saying that whilst we are not qualified we cannot charge but can ask for a contribution to the cost of the products used. Can this get around it?

I just really want to start earning some money (little as it may be) as I am so broke and not earning enough to cover all the bills etc.

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[hayls]

I know that this is on the Skin Geek, but I am a Nail Technician. In my eyes I am still training even though I have done both my foundation L&P & Spa, I still have 4 courses with Creative to do until I open my home based salon. I am not advertising myself as of yet, and am only doing friends, family and local's.

I started off not charging, and then I thought if I carry on like this, Im going to be totally skint. So I told each of my clients that I was going to charge a small amount until the salon was open then I would be charging the full amount. Everybody was fine with this.

Start charging I say, otherwise you are going to be skint aswell!! xx

 

[Hannah1984]

Thanks, I think friends just expect stuff for free because your still training. It wouldn't be so bad if the equipment hadn't cost so much!

Will have to work out friends prices now and include time and petrol etc.

 

[gillian w]

Remember also that once you start charging and advertising you are in effect self employed.Everyone no matter how much they earn should be registered within 3 months of advertising or taking money.You may only be covering costs but inland revenue don't see it like that.Not scaremongering but you should be aware.

 

[therapyem]

it is very important to be insured. i am sure you will ba able to get student insurance.

i am not 100% sure on this but if you are mobile and using you car as a means to run a business i think you may have to inform your car insurance compnay. it may be in the small print or the level of cover you have for car insurance may not actually insure you if you have an accident whislt travelling to and from clients. it may be worth cheking into this. as i mentioned, i am not 100% sure on this and if any other geeker know more then may be they could help you?

i first started out doing all holistic therpiaes and opend up my salon just offering massage and reflexology etc. i then went back to college and did all my beauty thepy qualifiactions. i informed FHT that i was doing these courses and they said i was insured as a student doing the therapies. i never charged my friedns and family until i was fully qualified- ie certificate in hand and sent to FHT for full insurance. i suppose everyone is different but i saw it as my friends and family doing me a favour in assisting me to build up my techniques and become more porficient and confident. i sometimes think at college you dont get enough practice on the general public so the more you can do in your spare time to gether expoereince the better.

em x

 

[Hannah1984]

Remember also that once you start charging and advertising you are in effect self employed.Everyone no matter how much they earn should be registered within 3 months of advertising or taking money.You may only be covering costs but inland revenue don't see it like that.Not scaremongering but you should be aware.

I'm already self employed so ok there, thanks.

 

[KellyT]

I have just done a leaflet drop around my area last weekend. I have done essential home courses and passed all. But because i am still new at nails and don't feel confident to charge the proper price I stated this in my leaflet and put prices on back. I just said that I have recently passed but would like further experience, feedback and confidence until I feel I can charge higher.
I have been sooo busy from it and has increased my confidence and technique already!! I also make a point when they ring up that they definatly know why it's cheaper and that I want be 100% perfect and also slower!! And all clients I have seen so far seem happy!!

Go for it!! It'll fine!!!

P.s I also thnk that doing treatments near the rabbit wont be a good idea!! Try to go to them!!

Good Luck

 

[littlepinkfairy]

I think you should at least charge for the cost of your products and as the others have said make sure you sort out insurance, but personally i wouldn't charge for your time just yet as you are still practising. It's very nice that you have so many people willing to have treatments by you at this early stage but don't forget that you are still using them to gain experiance. They are doing you a favour just as much as you are doing them one.

 

[Cathie!]

My salon insurance policy states that student therapists and even therapists with less that 2 years experience need to be supervised whilst doing treatments....I'll double check that tomorrow but I'm sure that's what the policy said.....btw it didn't say about the 2 year experience thing last year, so that's a new one...I will double check though, so it's worth looking into when getting your insurance cover.....whether you need to be supervised or not.....you can't go to work without the relevant indemnity and liability insurances.

As for price......why not charge the same as they do at college as these are trainee prices.

 

[Hannah1984]

Hi Cathie! Your close to me in Bristol, I'm in lovely weston super mare! lol.
Thats a bit scary about the 2 year supervision! How are people meant to start their own business?! I can see their point in a way that after that time you have more experience.

 

[Cathie!]

Forgot to look into that, I'll do it when I go back later and report in tonight!

 

[LisaD_uk]

Hi Hannah
I too am doing my NVQ2 I also have all my stuff at home. I have been doing some of my friends to practice and i don't ask them for anything just a donation towards the products that i have used and they are more than happy to do this.
If any of your friends complain about this i wouldn't give them the pleasure of a treatment again.
Good luck with the course.
Lisa
xxxx

 

[bombini]

When I was doing my Level 2 I didn't charge my friends for treatments as I didn't feel I was experienced enough & also didn't have insurance.

I wasn't operating as a business though & never intended to be self employed at the time so I was doing facials with my friends products on their bed & things, so I couldn't really have charged if I wanted to !

 

[Cathie!]

This is what my policy says about students and unqualified people...

The Company will not provide indemnity for any unqualified person with less than 2 years continuous experience carrying out the treatments in (b) to (g) above....just lists the treatments.....unless working under the direct supervision of a qualified person.

A qualified person is one aged over 18 years old who holds the relevant certificates and or qualifications acceptable to the treatments provided.

....now does that mean that if the person is unqualified but has more than 2 years continuous experience they would be covered? One for clarification I think.....

It is well worth checking your student policies though.

 

[ADiva1]

When I first started on my Level 2 Beauty course, I didnt charge people as they were mainly my close friends and friends of friends. I was desperate to practise the treatments. However, as soon as I was qualified, I had realistic prices to for each treatment (A couple of pounds less than a salon). I was confident and able to carry out all the treatments.

I would consider doing manicures or pedicures in the kitchen area; however, I wont set up a couch in there. It wont be safe. Is there any space in your bedroom? Again both of these would be suitable for friends only and for practise purposes.

You have to start somewhere, so think it through carefully and get practising those treatments! There is enough stuff in the kit for you to practise on loads of friends and family without you having to replenish the stock. Plus, most of the stuff that you have in the kits are mainly for training purposes anyway.

Goodluck.