This is why people ask for cash

[antelopevalley]

I did some babysitting on Saturday night. When the couple got back they said sorry they didn't have any cash and they would transfer me the money. It is Tuesday and in spite of giving them my bank details, and a reminder text, still no payment.
If I ever babysit for them again (not sure I will now), I will say I will only do so if they pay cash that evening. Sadly this kind of way of operating seems common amongst middle-class people. It may not be a big deal for you to wait days for a relatively small sum of money, but it is for many others.

I have to remind one of my clients every single month that she owes me over a hundred pounds. I've lost count of the times I've asked them to set up a standing order.

Agree with poster above - it's the wealthy ones who never pay.

In future payment upfront either cash or bank transfer and clearly set out the cost for x hours and any extra time will be payment on arrival back.

no discounts either.

but honestly send a text now

“hi just wanted to confirm if you have transferred the fee of £x from the babysitting service I provided for x hours on Saturday? I have checked my account and it is not yet showing”

If you have it on a PC then you have it on your phone. Log in through the website using your phones internet browser.

For some reason my banking website won't work on either my iphone or ipad. I get so far then it refuses to let me enter the log in details and go down to the next box. Dh manages on his mac.

I sometimes read threads like this and am baffled by how some people manage to make such an enormous drama out of something so mundane, and it fills page after page. Small claims court, sending round the partner etc etc - why not try actually asking for the money first?

How do some people function in the world, it’s a mystery!

@TiddleyWink

My comment about small claims was not to the OP. It was to another posted who has been waiting for payment since January.

I mean, am I right in thinking that it's only been 3 and a half days since you babysat for them? From their perspective, it's £10 or £20 -what's the big deal with transferring a few days/week later.

Utter bullshit.

If you've just had building work/plastering work/ decorator whatever, you pay them the minute they've done the job and you're happy with it.

You don't wait bloody 30 days.

Oh, this is bullshit.

Cleaners and babysitters get paid the day of the job, or an agreed day for regular work.

If you think someone who needs paid when they do the work is on drugs or has a load shark after them then you're a fucking idiot.

We transfer our cleaner by bank transfer the following day and they are happy with that arrangement. Also, babysitting is not a proper formal job, it's just an informal arrangement between acquaintances (most likely not declared for tax purposes). So there is no set expectation of when payment should be made

We transfer our cleaner by bank transfer the following day and they are happy with that arrangement. Also, babysitting is not a proper formal job, it's just an informal arrangement between acquaintances (most likely not declared for tax purposes). So there is no set expectation of when payment should be made

@TheWayoftheLeaf Depends a lot on people's age and background. Most of the people I work with wouldn't have a banking app or any kind of online banking set up, and very few of my older family members (still not retired but in their 60s) do. All of my siblings and friends do. People at work would see it as something rich yuppies have, not for the likes of them.

I run a business and we take full payment before the goods leave our workshop. If the client doesn't pay, we don't deliver - we've had to use the small claims before for people who thought that we would provide said items for free and learned a valuable lesson
30 day accounts are for trade suppliers, not clients.

@notanothertakeaway why would I pay for a zettle account for low-cost babysitting?

Again, this is bullshit.
It doesn't matter what the service it. If you boot it and use it then you pay what you've agreed when you've agreed it.

Payment was meant to be cash on the night. They didnt pay and days later, still have not paid.

They need to pay and they need to do it now.

You are simply talking utter bullshit. Just stop.

My cleaners now ask for payment 48 hours in advance of the booked clean. I have always paid (by bank transfer) while they were here, but I suspect they have had to chase payments from other clients, hence the change in policy.

I value what they do, and wouldn’t dream of making them wait for payment - and the same must be true for babysitters - if you trust them enough to care for your precious children, you should value them enough to pay them promptly!

Yes it's annoying OP they didn't transfer straightaway if that was the assumption/their intention but don't send round your partner, that's just embarrassing.
If they haven't replied to your reminder text, phone them and ask them if they've sent it to the correct account as you've not yet received it.
Yes it's been a few days bit I'd think it's a bit premature to be talking about small claims court just yet. Texts are way to ignore/forget about so pick up the phone and call them.

This really is unusual. People in their 50s/60s have online banking.

When we talk about the elderly not having online banking, we mean people in their 80s and 90s. Not in their 50s and still in the workforce. And it really is a very unusual viewpoint for them to think that it is only for rich yuppies. What an odd place you must work.

I know it wasn't you taking about small claims court, somebody else suggested it

@Matlab I think this is their attitude. It is a small amount, so why does it matter.
Maybe people need to realise that it does matter for some people.

@WeAreBob I do not have online banking and am in this age group. Wealthier friends and those into tech tend to do online banking, but quite a few of my friends do not. I do not think it is that unusual.

You've had difficulty getting paid,and you seem to suggest it's not an isolated incident. I suggested zettle as a potential solution, to avoid this happening in future. It's no skin off my nose if you sign up or not. I'm only trying to help

Middle class babysitting, I remember it from the 1980's. It's not got any better then?

I had very clear terms back then. I was 16 but had been babysitting since I was 14, long before mobile phones and many didn't have landlines and it was a challenge. Especially when you couldn't leave a sick child to call for help.

So many times I had the parents roll in in the early hours giggling because they were late (and been drinking).

As we were rural and I couldn't drive at 16, my terms were a set amount per hour up until midnight. And time and half after midnight and a lift home.

I was always clear, professional and competent.

So many times they would say sorry they hadn't expected to stay until 2am, that they only had the money to cover up until midnight and try to hand me the shorter amount!
Then they would try to get me to leave to find my own way home, aged 16 in the dark with an hour walk at 2pm.

Nope, I didn't entertain shenanigans.

I'd stand firm and repeat that they owed me X amount as they were back very late. And no, I couldn't get back to get in another time, and no, it wasn't safe for me to walk home at 2pm.

I had one father complain very loudly and grumble as he 'had to' raid the precious children's money box. Tough! He could replace it the next day and inconvenience himself and not me.

I was always busy when a particularly difficult family asked me to baby sit again.

I did had some really lovely families and met some wonderful people. Not all are the same.

I'd say in modern times do it differently but still firmly.

1. Have your phone charged.

2. have access to two types of money transfer. So they can transfer it via bank or maybe via PayPal friends and family.

3. be clear of your terms before they leave for the evening.

4. If it helps, print off a flyer for your babysitting.

Tell them your name,
your experience and
how you will contact them. Leave them with your mobile number.
State your terms and
your payment details and
say this has to be paid at the end of this session.

Hand it to them as they leave with a smile and a wave. They can read it as they travel.

Be firm, practice holding your nerve in a mirror, it's awkward but it's less inconvenient than not being paid.

Some people are so cheeky.

@Fink what kind of industry is your work place? I'm just trying to think of some where online banking would be pretty much unheard of and seen as something for rich yuppies.