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Original poster

To think this is a bit cheeky?

64 replies

Myboilerisbroken456 · 31/01/2025 20:13

I do private tutoring and charge £20 an hour. I'm a qualified teacher and have about 12 years of experience.
I've recently got a new pupil, her and her family speak English as an additional language, and her Mum asked me if I would offer conversation classes for herself and what the rate would be.

I said it would be £20 and she said that's far too expensive, can you do it for £10? £10 is below minimum wage!
I understand she thinks it's just conversation classes, but it still involves some prep.
What rate do you think I should charge?

OP posts:
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PoltergeistsStartLowKey · 02/02/2025 05:13

The conversation should go:

I charge £20

That's far too much. How about ten?

Thank you for your input. It's been nice to meet you. Good bye.

Don't pander to wassocks. Everyone is after something for nothing or next to nothing. Unless what you are selling is only worth half what you think it is, why would you negotiate? Also, why would you be happy to work for CFs? They will likely badmouth you to others. Find quality clients.

NormaleKartoffeln · 02/02/2025 05:07

Tell her what you've said here - 20 is currently incredibly good value and that's the lowest you can go.

SaltyPig · 02/02/2025 04:57

My cleaner, who deserves every penny, charges £20 an hour,. Know your worth.

ladyamy · 02/02/2025 04:55

Myboilerisbroken456 · 31/01/2025 20:15

That's what I thought too, I know a lot of tutors charge 40+

I was £20 for an hour’s English tutoring in 2012!

LillyPJ · 02/02/2025 04:37

£20 is unreasonable... because it's too cheap (as long as you are suitably qualified)!! I had private music lessons in the last 5 years and paid £20 for half an hour, which I didn't begrudge. You're paying for someone's expertise and experience.

HoppityBun · 02/02/2025 02:54

her and her family you teach English?

ThinWomansBrain · 02/02/2025 02:47

point her in the direction of the local library or community centre to find out if they have classes / conversation groups going on.
Why does she think you would do it for less than £20 if that's what you can earn from tutoring?
I wouldn't do it at any price - she values it at £10, you quite rightly think she's got a bloody cheek - if you did it, at whatever price one or both of you is going to feel aggrieved.

Ger1atricMillennial · 02/02/2025 02:43

I would come back and say "ooooo conversation classes sorry....they are 30"

You don't need a client who is undervaluing your skills.

Phthia · 02/02/2025 02:41

BrightonFrock · 01/02/2025 09:45

It’s more than just having a bit of a chat! On that basis you could slip a fiver to the woman who runs the launderette and tell her to talk while you wait for the end of the spin cycle, or tell some old man in the pub that there’s a pint in it for him.

This woman has approached OP specifically - and it doesn’t take a great leap to assume that it’s because she’s a tutor. If you want skill, you pay for it.

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On the other hand, it's a bit concerning that someone teaching English would write " her and her family speak English as an additional language", so I'm not quite so sure about what she would be paying for.

TheaBrandt · 02/02/2025 02:18

We paid £60 an hour for a science tutor qualified teacher. Worth every penny Dd went from 4 in mock to an 8 in the actual gcse.

TheaBrandt · 02/02/2025 02:16

Not as bad as the client that refused to pay my mother (a qualified teacher) for a batch of private lessons because “education is free in England”. What a horror she was! Fortunately they lived in a village and clients wealthy brother paid mum with apologies.

RubyMentor · 02/02/2025 02:15

I forgot to say that's when he was doing his GCSEs

RubyMentor · 02/02/2025 02:14

My son is 23 and I paid a maths tutor £30 per hour then, you're massively under paying yourself. £10 is bloody cheeky

WearyAuldWumman · 02/02/2025 02:13

Back in the 1990s, the going rate for tutoring English as an additional language was £30 an hour. You're giving bargain rates.

mainecooncatonahottinroof · 02/02/2025 02:11

£20 is taking the piss!

DC1 charges £30 and even that is on the low side!

poemsandwine · 02/02/2025 02:10

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 02/02/2025 01:23

By underselling yourself at £20 per hour you've left yourself open to people thinking you don't rate yourself... so they push for lower... just say no and put your fees up! I pay more than double what you charge for my DDs tutors.

Agree. I would definitely rethink your fees.

Delphiniumandlupins · 02/02/2025 02:02

I think she is saying £20/hour is expensive for language practice because that is the same price as your tutoring. The fact is your tutor fees are very low.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 02/02/2025 01:23

By underselling yourself at £20 per hour you've left yourself open to people thinking you don't rate yourself... so they push for lower... just say no and put your fees up! I pay more than double what you charge for my DDs tutors.

xsquared · 02/02/2025 00:43

What level is it? Either way £20 is cheap even for the North West.
I teach GCSE amd I would be charging £30, which is the norm here.

Fountofwisdom · 02/02/2025 00:36

I charge £30 an hour for online tutoring and wouldn’t do it for a penny less. The mum is a cf. Tell her £20 is your rate regardless of what type of lesson it is. And then going forward you should put your rate up to at least £25/£30 an hour, say from the new tax year, 6th April onwards.

Itisbetter · 02/02/2025 00:11

She’s haggling, which is normal for her and not for you. Just say no it’s a fixed price.

LoafofSellotape · 02/02/2025 00:08

I paid £30 8 years ago and that was the going rate.

JMSA · 02/02/2025 00:06

Cheeky cow.

WhenTheyComeForYou · 02/02/2025 00:02

MaggieBsBoat · 01/02/2025 10:28

There’s talking to just someone in their mother tongue and there’s talking to an educated professional in their mother tongue. There is a wide spectrum of ability there. 3000 words is considered enough to get by but frankly I wouldn’t want to pay someone who had that level of mother tongue skills. I would want to pay someone who was educated. You only need to stand at a bus stop for a while to see a wide spectrum of language abilities all „mother tongue.“ It is disingenuous of you to suggest otherwise. £20 an hour for an educated professional is not much.

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Most teachers salaries are around £35-45k so £20 an hour for talking and no planning, marking and politics sounds fine!

I know COL has increased but we need to keep SOME common sense when it comes to pricing people’s time.

MaggieBsBoat · 01/02/2025 10:28

WhenTheyComeForYou · 31/01/2025 20:28

£38k for talking to someone in your mother tongue?!

£20 is fine, if people are willing to pay for it (not me) but it’s hardly cheap by anyone’s standards (except yours surely).

Show quote history

There’s talking to just someone in their mother tongue and there’s talking to an educated professional in their mother tongue. There is a wide spectrum of ability there. 3000 words is considered enough to get by but frankly I wouldn’t want to pay someone who had that level of mother tongue skills. I would want to pay someone who was educated. You only need to stand at a bus stop for a while to see a wide spectrum of language abilities all „mother tongue.“ It is disingenuous of you to suggest otherwise. £20 an hour for an educated professional is not much.