In a predicament!

[kaseysmum21]

Hi everyone,

I have been a mobile beauty therapist for 2 years now and when i first started up my mother in law gave me £500 to help me with start up costs in return for some free manicures. 2 years on she's still not paying for any and i really need to draw a line under this and get her to start paying. Im always in an awkward position when she books in for something cuz i dont like to be confrontational about things and directly ask her to pay. All i get once ive finished her treatment is a thankyou and goodbye and im left feeling a bit put out.

Has anyone got any good ideas of how i can get her to start paying in a nice way without digruntaling my mother in law and causing tension between us?

Thanks Stacey x

 

[weezie]

I would pay her back the £500 and then offer her a discount on treatments in the future. After all she did help you massively to start out. It seems if you pay her back you can start fresh and even charge full price without bad feelings between you. Think of the free manicures as interest payments on a loan.

 

[BTYRetreat]

I would say you can't book her in next time she asks as you're busy. Then if she keeps asking why just say you need to leave the slot for a paying customer as you're in need of the money/saving for something etc that way she has the choice to say oh ok or oh well I'll pay you. I am doing the same now for a nightmare neighbour, she does pay but always expects a discount and I just pretend I'm fully booked if she asks.

 

[TracyS]

I'm with weezie on this one. Pay her back her £500 if you can.

Then again, depends how often she has a manicure, if you take on average one a month over 2 years at an average of £20 each (don't know how much you charge but just an average figure for natural mani) then she's probably just about on her £500 investment about now.

Or ask hubby to be your voice of reason :wink2:

 

[Sarah-Jean]

I guess I must be the odd one out. If it's just a manicure occasionally, I don't get what the problem is. She's family, and she helped you and it'll cause bad feeling if you suddenly start charging her... If it's just a standard manicure then it doesn't cost much and doesn't take much time is gaining that 30-60 minutes back every one in awhile worth the family turmoil?

If you really feel you do want her to start paying, pay her back her £500, thank her for helping you and tell her from now on she'll be needing to pay - but I suspect even that may not go down too well.

 

[persianista]

I'm with Sarah, I wouldn't charge. It costs you 45 mins each week, and she started you off and believed in you. Plus she is family.
Not worth it for the sake of making 20 quid.

 

[Mrs RSM]

I'm with Sarah, I wouldn't charge. It costs you 45 mins each week, and she started you off and believed in you. Plus she is family.
Not worth it for the sake of making 20 quid.

I agree.

 

[gr8nailz]

Pay her back the $500 she loaned you and start fresh. Consider the past manicures as a "Thank You." She gave you your start. The slate will be wiped clean...you both will have a fresh start and a clear understanding of just where each of you stand.

 

[dee]

i would never charge family , i think tbh its rude , especially since she loaned you the money to start off :biggrin: ,
if you start cherging her she will have you down as ungrateful and you will prob really hurt her feelings ,i would say its deffo not worth the grief you will get just to make 20 quid a week / fortnite etc..

i could understand it if she was having hundreds of pounds worth of treatments every week but a manicure is not much at all

 

[dandelionpoppy]

Did she give you the money or did she lend it to you?
If she lent it to you then it's time to pay it back. Look on the manicures you have done as the interest you would have paid on a bank loan.
Is she gave it to you then she's a generous lady and I personally would carry on as you are, although I'd perhaps to negotiate her appointment times for when you're quiet.
And you never know there may come a time when you need a free babysitter :biggrin:

 

[BTYRetreat]

Oops totally didn't see the £500 bit, I'd either pay it back and stop doing them or just carry on in that case. Good lesson to not borrow/take if offered money from someone you don't want to be beholden to x

 

[bruc123]

i can understand charging to cover costs but not the full price I do charge my family but just enough to cover my costs after all if you didnt you would be booked up with family and no clients! all my family are happy with this!

 

[hippy-chick]

I wouldn't charge family.

 

[gr8nailz]

I'm going to jump in here about charging family. Putting aside the issue of the money having been loaned/given, would she be expected to provide these services for free to this family member just because she's family? I'm not trying to stir anything up here or hijack the thread, I'm curious on everyones take on the issue. It appears the consensus is that family should not be charged...period.

 

[Mrs RSM]

I charge family. I offer an Army discount of 10% in my salon because we are in the army, well my husband is, I would make a really rubbish soldier ...and so I give them that but no way would I not charge them!

 

[Kim Lawless]

I would never charge my mother in law for anything………but I'm old school and an Eastender and that's what we're like.

After all, without her money, you wouldn't be in a position to have your own business so if it were me, every time I was painting her nails, I'd be thanking her for the hand up she gave you.

I'm not having a go (honest) just talking straight.

 

[Mrs RSM]

After all, without her money, you wouldn't be in a position to have your own business so if it were me, every time I was painting her nails, I'd be thanking her for the hand up she gave you.

Thats very true. Pay her back or keep the free treatments coming! :biggrin:

 

[jujojones]

Im in total agreement with most on here! I wouldnt charge her! but i would not charge close family for anything.......your 2nd cousin twice removed is a different story tho! lol they get a discount.
afterall when i was mobile a lot of my first clients were from recommendations from family - they had seen there nails/tan etc and were given my number.

she did invest in you and I wouldnt want to start a family feud, but if you finding it tricky to fit her in then explain you are very busy with paying customers and they take priority, and you will do her when your free x

 

[gr8nailz]

Good to hear. I thought for a second that I was being unreasonable in charging family. My immediately family (Husband, son, mom, dad, brothers, sisters) are no-charge. Everyone else gets charged. Before you think I'm totally evil, my grandparents are deceased. LOL

 

[jujojones]

Good to hear. I thought for a second that I was being unreasonable in charging family. My immediately family (Husband, son, mom, dad, brothers, sisters) are no-charge. Everyone else gets charged. Before you think I'm totally evil, my grandparents are deceased. LOL

lol! i have a huge extended family and would prob have to get another job just to fund the products if i did them all for free!! :biggrin: