Mobile Services - Charge for petrol or not?

[LMA]

Hi,
I'm just wanting to know from mobile therapists whether you charge for petrol costs or incorporate it into your prices?
My instinct is to charge for it separately as I don't want to lose money by travelling too far etc if I didn't charge for it. Or is it off-putting to customers to charge extra for petrol?
If you do charge for it do you do it after a certain number of miles away? I was considering starting charging a little for appointments over 3miles away, would this be an appropriate cut off point??

What do you think is the best option?
Thanks.

 

[Rachul123]

Hi
I don't and I wish I had inc it!!
What I do have is a minimum spend of £20 over 4miles.
Be interested to see what everyone else does! Xx

 

[fireballoraiste]

This is what I do
Over three miles roughly and I charge a bit extra.
Clients don't mind but I always tell them beforehand.

 

[LMA]

I think I'll go for the over 3miles thing then....
And ooh I never thought about a minimum spend! I might have to include that for appointments that are quite a bit away (not sure for a cut-off point for that now... or indeed how far is the furthest I'd ever go at all).. I know people dotted about all over the place and I suppose I wouldn't really want to treck ages away just to do something really small/low profit...

 

[Tomme]

Incorporate the cost into your prices up to a certain distance (3miles?) and have that as your set price. Up to 6 miles add £3 or something and up to 9 miles add £5? I would have a maximum radius such as 15 miles? X

 

[Tonimaxwill]

I have included mine in the price but anyone over a certain distance (10miles) I charge extra depending on distance. If your mobile you will do pamper parties and sometimes these can be further away but pay well as you have several clients, so to putting a limit on distance may result in you losing out on a big payment. A minimum spend is a must though.

I don't say how much I charge extra for travel as 3 miles in town can take the same time as 15miles on the motor way. I always put the address in Google maps to see not only the distance but how long it will take to there, as my time is money too.

Hope that makes sense.

Annie xxx

Sent from my GT-P5110 using SalonGeek

 

[LMA]

What do you lot have as minimum spends?
I'm trying to plan out as much as possible so any potential customer can roughly know any costs before booking. But I just can't decide what amounts are appropriate :/

 

[Tonimaxwill]

My minimum charge for local is £10, however I have only ever had to say to 2 clients (who wanted just an eyebrow wax).

I think it is mainly waxing and tinting that are lower priced, but these clients book in every 3 to 4 weeks so you need to weigh up the regular custom for amount of money. (plus I find that my regular eyebrow wax clients will start getting other treatments done every now again ie nails for a wedding etc.)

Annie xxx

Sent from my GT-P5110 using SalonGeek

 

[LMA]

That sounds fair enough!

I don't do waxing but I do tinting. And that's a fair point about possible regulars getting other things done.. I think I know what kind of prices I'll do now.

Thank you!!!
Lou xx

 

[Steph86]

My min is £15.00, I travel upto 10 miles this is stated on my website. I will travel further for a fee of £1 per mile (works out at 50p as obviously I have to return)

I also do a discount for multiple treatments at one appt, example hands & toes, or with a friend as It not only saves me fuel & setting up/closing down time but travelling times too! & my customers like it xx

 

[lores]

I have a minimum spend policy of £30 per app and a basic travel cost is included in my price. If I have any bookings over 12 miles I add a small charge such as £3. I try to keep it simple so the client can easily work out her total treatment cost

 

[LMA]

My min is £15.00, I travel upto 10 miles this is stated on my website. I will travel further for a fee of £1 per mile (works out at 50p as obviously I have to return)

I also do a discount for multiple treatments at one appt, example hands & toes, or with a friend as It not only saves me fuel & setting up/closing down time but travelling times too! & my customers like it xx

That sounds like a good simple set up... I might scrap the 3miles thing and do something like that instead.
Argh why is this so annoying to sort out? What on earth possessed me to start a mobile business...

Right,, I've currently already stated to people that I'll charge for over 3miles but I'm doing crazy introductory offers atm so I'd lose out otherwise but as soon as my intro prices end I think I'll inc cost of travel for further... That sounds like a good plan right? x

 

[sukic]

Totally incorporate it in your prices. I have a list of areas I'm willing to cover on my website. I think if you give people easy access to pertinent info like, the areas you cover, it makes your life easier as you'll generally get enquiries from clients in those areas.

 

[Sweetvanitynorw]

Hi - just a thought, can you not claim travel back through your tax?

 

[LMA]

Totally incorporate it in your prices. I have a list of areas I'm willing to cover on my website. I think if you give people easy access to pertinent info like, the areas you cover, it makes your life easier as you'll generally get enquiries from clients in those areas.

ahh thanks! Never thought of listing areas! That makes it much easier for potential customers to understand!

 

[LMA]

Hi - just a thought, can you not claim travel back through your tax?

I don't know... I've registered my business etc. but I haven't a clue how I would go about such things :s what would I do?

 

[Littlegems1]

Hi,
some great suggestions above.

One way that was recommended to me in another thread was to build in the max petrol charge (eg 15miles may cost £4) per service.
Then advertise that to book an extra treatment into your booking rwcieve a £3 discount, book 2 extra treatments recieve £5 discount (whatever cost/discount apply ago you)
I'm going to try the above as the client isnnt really getting a discount and I'm not really losing the money as I'm not charging the client 3x petrol... I'm still covering my costs and hourly rate.
I'm also hoping that it will encourage clients to block book treatments so that I can fit more work into my hours and less time travelling.

I hope this makes sense as I'm not really good explaining it lol.

 

[Rhiannon1408]

My minimum spend is £15 and I cover 8 miles for 'free' as it were, travel costs are covered by my prices and I charge an extra £1 per mile outside of that (50p there, 50p back)

You can put down all travel costs as a business expense.

 

[LMA]

But how do you claim it? The HMRC are not very helpful at explaining things.. Can I only fill in an assessment and claim things at the end of the financial year?

 

[LMA]

Anyone??
I'm really confused! When I registered as a sole trader it said I'd get put through for online self assessment automatically but I haven't received any info from the HMRC on this or anything else for that matter and it says online that I don't have any services... I don't get what any of it means or what I should actually do!