Mates Rates

[Tess Warwick]

I think that it's reasonably well known that I detest mates rates ... they're just not fair.

The trouble is that when we start out we need 'guinea pigs' and so cut our costs. It's very difficult to change that as you become more proficient.

I tend to avoid doing friends so it really doesn't come up.

I don't even do friends hair, only family. X

 

[Nikki12]

I have major prob with this at the mo I am trained in cutting and colouring but i dont do it on actual clients as i dont enjoy it at all! i do my mums for free she buys everything i need to do it and often will buy me a little something from shop to say thanks. (full head highlights) but i still live at home rent free.
My best friend ( my parents her godparents her parents my godparents) on the other hand is a different storey i charge her £50 for cut and half head highlights and she always complains and even when i had her booked in in october for december and being busy around this time said i would keep it totaly free for her as it was x mas party that evening then she text me 3 days before asking how much i said £70 for cut and full head hightlights ( very long hair) and to style it for the party she said ' o well i will have to leave it til after x mas then cuz i dont have the money!'
This infuriated more as she doesnt like to have it done during week and i do weddings at weekends, she text a few weeks ago and said she wants to book in before hol in mid feb and got all funny when i said well u no i work wk ends and i dont have any free before u go away cuz of doing the trials and weddings!
she has now settled saying can i let her no when i can do a thurs evening which is better but still difficult as i live half the week in london. sometimes the stress just aint worth the money!

 

[MaryB]

What are your mates rates??

I give my close friends and family 20% off, this includes my in law's, my Mum gets free treatments but then she's my Mum, how could I charge her?? To be honest if I were to do it again it would be a lot less discount and for fewer people. The one's who get it cheaper still go on about being skint and sometimes either don't show up on time for appointment or cancel last minute. Sometimes I think they'll be the ones to put me out of business.

 

[louise.]

love this thread x

 

[Lady Murasaki]

I don't do mates rates, they don't give me discount from fuel or off my tesco shopping!! Or clothes!! They don't take advantage either then!

+1
I dont do mates rates for friends either, if they would like a treatment they have pay my normal rates as I still have to cover my product costs/petrol etc regardless if they are friends or normal clients.


I do, do free hair cuts etc though for my parents & grandparents so they can save what little money they have for rainy day etc.

 

[stacie88]

My advice would be do not give discounts! Apart from maybe family and a selected few close friends. This is my downfall I'm way too soft, and charge so called friends a lot less than I should (when i only see some of these when they have treatments done)

Once you give someone a discount, they expect it all of the time.

Giving them a price list and stating that they get a certain percentage off, such as 10% is a good idea. May have to try that xxx

 

[Christy.]

I do my mums for free and I give 1 free treatment to my close friends on/ around their birthday. The girls I work with get 25% off but they are a brilliant advertisement for my work and get more clients from it xx

 

[mm29]

thanks everyone, its hard to stop these ppl taking advantage, its all gonna change with me,

 

[Ellechopchop]

I have had a huge issue with this and i'm not even working as a hairdresser at the moment, I always do my mum for free as mums do a whole load for their kids and still as an adult she always does alot for me so my way of paying her back a bit

But, I do two friends for cheap, the two that came to college for me to train on I felt I owe them as they helped me qualify.. I used to charge them £20 for cut and colour as I felt it was helping me too by keeping my skills up while looking for work, one always offers me more money and comes every 4/5 weeks. The other expects a full on big blowdry on hair down to her backside, and then a few months back text me to say she was going to a salon to have her hair striped out and re coloured as she fancied a change (even though ive done this about 3 times before for her but she has so much build up on her hair its never been as light as she wanted)(im only level 2 qualified not 3 so fair enough on her part) but then had the balls to text me around christmas and ask me to put her on a colour as her new colours not lasted more than a week or so!! I was furious and needless to say just didnt reply

The other client is now paying £25 and I love doing her hair and am happy with the amount i'm charging her until I become a better hairdresser

 

[faerififi]

At the moment most of my clients are friends (nearly done training) so I dont do discounts. I have one friend who I do her hair for free, but she buys all her own colour and lets me experiment and do what I want to her hair. Dont charge my mum as she also pays for her own colour but the rest of my family pay. Some of my friends do get pissy and try to bargain with me, but I stick to my guns on pricing. Colour is expensive afterall, especially when you're a small time mobile.

 

[Hannahsmith88]

God don't even get me started! I've gradually been putting them up as I've got soo many home hair clients as friends etc pass your name on and expect it at the same price, from April I should be going self employed at work and I am going to give all my friends and home hair clients my price and say il still do it 1/2 price so full head foils and cut £50 at moment I'm charging between 25-35

 

[VickiesBB]

I don't do mates rates, they don't give me discount from fuel or off my tesco shopping!! Or clothes!! They don't take advantage either then!

Couldn't agree more with this! Friends will take advantage of generosity, I had a,really hard time charging them full price and felt bad, but at the,end of the day, I have a business to run and bills to pay. It's unbelievable what some people want, someone I know wanted a deal to have their nails done and lash extensions for £20, and because it was for their engagement party I should do it as a favour! Erm........NO!!!!

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