Client/friend never pays on time

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Buttercup Honey

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Feb 8, 2011
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Just wondering if anyone has any advice or similar happen to them.
I have a friend with 2 daughters. I do their hair, all have highlights.
Thing is, when I do hair she never pays me until a few weeks afterwards. The first time she asked was it ok and I said of course not t worry about it. Now it's every time and I have to do her hair tomorrow and could do with the money at the minute. It's a bit awkward:(
She seems to have money for beauticians app very frequently. Feel a bit walked over. Am I being silly?
Thanks geeks x
 
if shes a friend honey just tell her how it is. you could call her and just say to her that you will need paying at the time as you have things to pay for yourself this week, products etc..... if she is a friend she may well be a little embarrassed when she realises shes been doing this so often but im sure it will be ok! she wouldnt go to a salon and expect to pay a week after! xxx
 
It sounds like you're being taken for a mug! I would get her to book her next app with you while your doing her hair so she has plenty of time to save up! You must say to her that this is your business and like people who have jobs you rely on your wages to pay bills etc, honestly, if you let people walk all over you they will, be brave and tell her straight, your feel better for it and it won' be as bad as you think, good luck x
 
I had the same problem with a friend of mine too , it seems to be harder to say anything when they are friends as well as clients though .. i resolved it though by making up a pretend client in our conversation one day and told her another client always pays late and this really messes up my finacial week , as in having to re stock each monday and take out a wage at the end of the week , i asked my friend how i should approach this and she said that she agreed that it wasnt fair what this other lady was doing .... she also said " oh dear i do that some times too" to which i replied " yes but i know you always pay in the end even though it makes it hard some times to work out my cash at the end of the week" since that conversation my friend has paid up on the day every time and i didnt have to offend her by asking her direct .
 
Thanks guys, was thinking of texting her and saying money is tight and would she be able to pay me tomorrow or should I just wait until I do it and ask her then? She always tells me how broke she is but tbh she always spends money on herself whereas I don't have it to spend on me. I wouldn't dream of getting someone to do a job and then expect them to wait on payment. x
 
Thanks guys, was thinking of texting her and saying money is tight and would she be able to pay me tomorrow or should I just wait until I do it and ask her then? She always tells me how broke she is but tbh she always spends money on herself whereas I don't have it to spend on me. I wouldn't dream of getting someone to do a job and then expect them to wait on payment. x



Maybe just send a text to get as though it's a group text saying you are very sorry but you no longer accept cheques for payment only cash on the day!

Jst a thought x
 
How about you text saying youd really appreciate paying on the day from now on as cash flow is currently an issue as books wont balance at end of the week?
Maybe add in to the text that if its difficult for her to pay you same day she could rebook for a time when shes financially able to do so?
Thats what i would do x
 
i have a friend that does this too she also seems to think that because shes a friend she can cancil/re arange her appointments all the time sometimes with only and hour notice! its really starting to annoy me now so i can relate to you and will be taking any advise you get on board too :)
 
Thought about it but can't get a text organised without it sounding all snotty:(
Ah do you know what, I'm just gonna text her and b done with it, hard and all as it is.
 
how old are her daughters? Cant they pay?

Its a bit of a joke that you're in essence doing three people with no returns of money for a couple of weeks.

Why are you allowing this to happen?

Be strong, assertive and confident in your abilities-you know that you're doing a good job so your worth it money wise. It can knock someones confidence if they are not appreciating the work that you do at the time, PLUS tipping you that you allow this to happen so often!!!!

as far as im concerned next time she wants an appointment, she can walk around with roots until her balance is paid in full. And the daughters, sorry i can only do one if you dont have enough today. Let her know you need your money. Good luck! xoxo
 
i have a neighbor who does this and actually never paid me for a color about 6 months ago! `i was over the last day doing her grand daughters two little girls and she said she would send the money over that was 3 days ago. i sent her a text earlier saying if she could send the money over that would be great! haven't heard anything:mad:
nip it in the bud fast as these people take the p**s they wouldn't go to tesco and pay later.
 
Hairdressing is a career not a hobbie.............Thats wat I tell my friends and they pay up!
 
Most of my friends are very good with coming on time and paying promptly, however theres been a few who have said they would pay me a day or two later then ive not been able to get hold of them and then conveniently forgotten. I just tell them I cant do their hair anymore, my real mates dont mess me about as they know this is the only money I make.
 
No your not being silly at all. Its easy for us to tell you what to say and you probably know what you should be saying to her but you do need to be harder now because she is taking the mick! The next time she books id say I can book you in as long as you are able to pay me on the day from now on. Other wise I will have to fit a paying client in that space as I cant really afford to wait for my money any longer.
Good luck with her. Some people really have some nerve x
 
When a friend books with me I treat it the same as any other client. They tell me what they want done and I say ok it'll be £x so they know in advance how much they'll paying. Obviously I knock a little bit off for good friends.

Maybe just say to her if she could pay you on the day you'd really appreciate it because this is your job and you can't afford to be out of pocket. You could be doing someone else's hair who'd pay you on the day but instead you're spending time doing three hairs and then waiting for payment. If she's a good friend I doubt she'd be offended (hopefully she'll feel a little bit guilty that it's gone on for so long). Just remind her that salons don't let you pay weeks later so you'd like her to take your business seriously.
 
I tell my friends how much it will be before hand so they know. Otherwise they will expect to pay nothing! one of my friends once said to me .."i can't believe your making me pay" to which i replied "so you want me to pay to do your hair" as this is effectively what you will be doing, as your time and products cost money! xx
 
Thanks so much for all the replies:hug:
I decided in the end to wait until I was with her and then say something along the lines of...car insurance due next week so I'm so glad of work today.
Turned out I didn't need to, she txt me that morning to see how much it would be:o
Have to say I was totally suprised but equally delighted:D
 
I have a friend who is not faithful to hairdressers and said to me when she found out I had qualified at extensions....."oh I might be in the market for some, mates rates of course! I am not happy with the ones I have now" I said, "oh thanks for the thought and I will of course tell you if I am doing any special offers but there are no "mates rates" it's my business and I wouldn't expect she would be able to give me anything at mates rates in return haha. I don't need clients like that mates or not!

Next thing she says she picked up a deal on the internet and I wouldn't be able to compete with it, I told her what a fantastic deal and to go for it because I know she won't be faithful to that hairdresser either! Nor would I want to compete with a full head of foils, cut and blow dry for the equivalent of 35 pounds. Next thing she finds I am doing spray tanning now too as part of my mobile service and says she might book me to even her lines up on her neck....?????? How does she expect I would charge for putting my gear in the car, driving the 15k to her house to spray her neck which won't match the rest of her body????

In short, I also drop hints to people using 3rd party stories and would say to any friends or family that this is not a social call but is during my scheduled time for work and that had I known they didn't have the money we could have delayed the appointment til she did so I could fit in another client who does have the money. I am sure if they work themselves they would clearly understand that without getting offended, it is like them not receiving their salary in full at the end of the month, explain it only takes 2 or 3 "friends" like this to ensure you don't get your monthly wage, make the comparison so they agree with you. I would say "ok, no problem, can you get the money to me tomorrow then?" the FIRST time I address it. As it isn't the first time, I would ask on arrival, have you got the money for this today? if the answer is no then say you have to leave as you just had a call for a pending appointment to be brought forward who will be paying and you need the money.
 

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