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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Struggling to get paid

29 replies

Yippeeforme · 10/11/2020 16:17

Any other teachers giving private lessons struggle to get paid on time? Or get people throwing heaps of money at you in one go and expecting you to just keep track for them, instead of cooperating with whatever payment schedule is on the contract you both signed in the first lesson day?
My bookkeeping is a mess with this nonsense.

OP posts:
thirdfiddle · 12/11/2020 12:55

Maybe if you invoiced termly and made term up front the default option then offered payment plans on request you'd get less messing about? I have to be honest, paying weekly would be a big faff for me and I quite possibly would forget or not have cash or try to get ahead of myself to avoid doing those.

At the end of the day you are the teacher, you get to set the terms but you have to enforce them to make them stick. Don't be embarrassed about asking for what you need. I need to be paid before the lesson takes place is not unusual or unreasonable in any way. Even if in some cases it's at the door on the way in.

Keeping track of payments should be easy enough if you set up a suitable spreadsheet, if that is something you are willing to do. Ditto sending out a standard text chasing payment. Are those things you actually want to do though or do you need to set rules so that doesn't happen? You can still allow some wriggle room but e.g. second forgotten payment in a term = no lesson might help focus the mind.

Offering at least an option for lump sum in advance would at least solve the problem of forgetful eejits like me. I'd say make that the default as it's simpler for you and then for weekly payers you've already been flexible so psychologically they feel more obliged to remember too.

Original poster
Yippeeforme · 12/11/2020 10:35

It's messy because there are about 3 or 4 repeat offenders who I have to keep reminding to pay me, they then not only pay me for that missed week plus current week, but they'll throw me a big random lump sum of their choosing that I then have to keep track of. One of them is paid up to the first week back in January, the other has paid for 3 out of 4 weeks in November, and another is somewhere in between and there's a 4th who keeps paying for 2 weeks at a time instead of 1. I have practically begged multiple times that they please pay me weekly and they signed a contract to that effect on the beginning, but it's no use, and I'm struggling to keep track! And they leave it to me to keep track and if I forget, they'll not pay until I remind them. But I can't exactly get rid of them for being late to pay because they do eventually pay after reminders, only they pay what and when they feel like and it's driving me up the wall.

I've thought about switching to a fixed monthly fee that's been calculated on academic weeks of the year X how much I would charge per week, divided by 12. But I don't know how that accounts for times I myself need to cancel, eg for illness or family emergency etc.? And I used to work in a place that did this and they got hassle every month that there was a holiday, summer, Christmas, half-terms... People would refuse to pay despite having had this explained at the start. I thought I was simplifying things by making it weekly!

I've thought about half or whole terms upfront but a few of them would struggle to afford that.

OP posts:
Devlesko · 12/11/2020 09:42

We just find a system that suits the individual but make sure it's paid in front.
Not likely atm, but we used to get calls of "can't make today, going shopping with auntie".
Not everyone can fit in with certain payment schedules, I don't understand why your accounts are in a mess.
I just keep a record of income and outgoings.
Pay tax accordingly and don't bother if they pay once a month, half term, weeky etc as long as they pay in front.

Moominmammacat · 12/11/2020 09:29

Yep, my DS has this problem and is far too relaxed about. Causes problems further down the line. I favour invoice for 10 lessons at the start of term and pay within first week or no teaching .. but I am quite intolerant and a terrible administrator.