To think my client should have paid me instead of spending hundreds of dollars on Halloween costumes?

[IsabelleSE19]

I'm a freelancer and am lucky to mostly work with clients who pay on time, but I've had one recently who has continually pushed payments back because of being short of money (it's an individual, not a business). Fine, and I've accommodated it because I understand exactly what it is like to be struggling. However, the latest request from them included a message saying their partner hasn't worked as much as anticipated (fine), and they've had a tough year (also fine), but then finished by saying they'd spent hundreds of dollars (more than what they owe me) on Halloween costumes. I really wish they hadn't put that in the message, because now I'm a bit perplexed that they claim to be short of money but are doing that?!

AIBU to think they should have paid me first?

It seems odd to actually tell someone you owe money to that you have spent lots of money on something else. They are obviously completely unaware of how that would come across. People can be very strange.

It's very frustrating. All you can do is keep sending formal reminders for payment, then think about whether you want to dump them as a client.

If you want to dump them, I would be tempted to send a message saying that you would have thought they would prioritise paying their bills over spending on halloween costumes.

Eek, yeah that's very crass. I'd be pretty annoyed in your shoes OP. I suppose all you can do is keep requesting what you are owed and depending on if you want to continue working with them, let them know that you also have to pay bills/buy things that are needed and rely on prompt payment for your services to do so.

If it's a professional arrangement, they shouldn't be asking you to do the work in the first place if they can't pay. Certainly there shouldn't be more than one request to delay payment AFTER you've done the work, nor any expectation that you're able to accommodate that. If it's more of a social arrangement where you're voluntarily helping them and they're supposed to be paying for materials and/or time, I'd begin to wonder if they have become a bit too comfortable with you picking up the slack and are now taking advantage.

They should have paid you first. Assuming you are in the US or somewhere what is the legal process for chasing owed money? Here in the UK I would advise sending a final reminder stating that if immediate payment is not made then legal action will commence and then send a formal Letter Before Claim before starting the small Claims process.

Do you have a process for none payment?

I think you need strict guidelines and id be replying with invoice again and asking for payment within next 7 days or you will do x,y,z (whatever process you have)

Yeah, not paying is bad enough, but telling you that they're chucking money around is a piss take. I'd have pulled them on it and I'd be much less lenient in future.

Sounds like they're trying to use it as an excuse, as if it were a necessity?

I am owed £££ from a customer I dumped who prioritised M&S food shopping over paying me.
Some people are piss takers. Memo to self - and you op - be more selective in the people you do work for.

To answer a few questions, no, I don't really want to keep them as a client. I'm working through a middleman kind of website, so they will have procedures in place, but ultimately if someone doesn't actually have the money, I don't think we can get it (i.e. they can keep trying to take it from their card but it won't process). They're in the US and I'm in the UK.

It's not a massive amount and wouldn't pain me too much to lose it, but as a PP said, I'm not wallowing in money either and also have bills (not spending a fortune on Halloween though🤔).

Argh, sorry to hear that. Yes, of course it has to be M&S food 🙄

Sometimes it's hard to tell up front who's going to be flakey and who's not – I always ask for some payment up front for exactly this reason, so I won't have been paid nothing for this job, just not enough.

I'd be speechless! She must be monumentally stupid.

That's tricky as you'd have to go through the US court system which I believe is difficult. I think for future you have to say that clients from abroad have to pay up front.

It sounds like they are really bad at financial management, if they think it's acceptable to tell you they have spaffed a load of money on non essentials ahead of paying you. Such lack of awareness makes me doubt they will pay you without being forced. Next it will be spending on Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc etc. They're never going to prioritise you.

Speaking as someone who also does a bit of freelance work and has billing customers... I'm constantly surprised by the BS I hear when it comes to booking and payments!

Can you shame them into paying by exposing their failure-to-pay on social media or suchlike?