I can’t afford the lesson

[Thoseflatbreadslookyummy]

Do I cancel or pay double next week

Bit embarrassing, Dd has a music lesson this week, the teacher asks for cash after each lesson. I’m self employed and waiting on a late payment through no fault of my own. It’s a bit of a risk for the weekend if I pay the lesson and my money doesn’t come in by then.
Would you cancel the lesson citing illness etc (we missed just one before due to genuine illness) or go and apologise and say I didn’t have time to get money out etc and pay double next week, that feels embarrassing and disrespectful though 😔

I think I’d explain to her. As someone who runs a kids activity we do wonder about none payments and no shows. Discussing finances isn’t easy but I think she’d appreciate honesty.

@Thoseflatbreadslookyummy do you literally mean you wouldn’t be able to lay your hands on money for food this weekend if she didn’t sub you by cancelling the lesson free of charge? Do you have no back up food in the house?

Or do you mean you’d rather not have to pay this week and would like the breathing space? Because you don’t want to use credit/ borrow from friends and family/ would just like a week off paying as it would help things/ don’t want to eat boring food?

If it’s the former, I would also cancel the lessons as a whole.

If the latter, I would say that’s very unfair on her, as you’re basically wanting the teacher to take the loss for you.

If you want an arrangement where you can cancel the lessons when your cash flow isn’t great (either expressly or by lying about being ill) that is very unfair on her as you are wanting her to take on the uncertainty about money rather than you having it.

You need to phone up and be honest with the teacher. If you are a long term client who pays every week they are likely to either allow you to pay next week or allow you to cancel or re-arrange. Honesty is the best policy. The teacher themselves is self employed and has likely had clients who have not paid/ not paid on time and created issues for her so likely to be sympathetic if you have prior good will. I know DDs dance teacher has sent out an email recently about informing her of cash flow issues if you are unable to make payment and she has had to move to termly fees (you have to pay for the term upfront or you surrender your place) to try and prevent non and late payment

I have to say that if money is this tight then you do need to look at stopping the lessons or reducing their frequency or putting a temporary pause on them.

I would also look at your own business payment policies for clients and make sure that you are not left out of pocket again. I have a friend who is a hairdresser who insists on payment on the day in cash or bank transferred in her presence before your leave, for new clients she insists on a 50% deposit. I have another friend who is a "carer/ home help" who has had to introduce late payment fees and has had to enforce late payment fees due to non and late payers who were putting her in a similar situation to OP. I also know a personal trainer who is enforcing late fees and will actually cancel you as a client if you fail to pay on time 3 times.

What about savings? Or an overdraft or credit card?

I don’t think self employment is right for you @Thoseflatbreadslookyummy as it’s clearly leaving you on the bones of your arse if one customer delays payment by a few days and it’s a choice between piano lesson or food

Not an immediate solution but do look into any grants your council offers towards hobbies like this. Often they manage money left in trust. Because people don’t know about it it’s often unclaimed.

Take the £20 or whatever it is out of your overdraft.
It sounds like you can’t afford the lessons. Music is expensive. Unfortunately. Can a relative help!?

Piano lessons or food?

If you are in the position (even as a one off) of needing to make this choice then surely piano lessons needs to be cancelled / paused?

How long has she been giving your child lessons? in the contract I give to my learner's parents It does say that a late cancellation incurs the normal fee - in practise I haven't actually done this because I felt the goodwill was better placed and it was a one off for long term customer. However if it was someone who had only been a client for a few weeks I would still charge.
I would appreciate honesty over any story because it's usually blatantly obvious when someone is lying

OP it seems crazy to be having piano lessons that can take your last penny, these kind of things are luxuries that not many can afford. Surely that is unbelievably stressful?

As someone who used to be a fully self-employed music teacher - please just tell her and she can let you know what she'd rather do. But I don't know where people think teachers are finding students at this short notice to fill cancellation slots - that's why a lot of us have cancellation policies.

If your budget is so tight that you don't have enough spare money for ONE hobby lesson and cant put the cost on a credit card, and you are living so hand to mouth that ONE late payment means you have to choose between doing the hobby or buying food then sounds like you cant afford to do that hobby!

Has anyone offered @Thoseflatbreadslookyummy money yet?

Absolutely not. I would never give money to someone random online they could be anyone saying anything. For all we know this is a teenager writing this with no kids after money.

It’s not the music class that’s unsustainable, it’s the business. If a missed payment against one invoice (no matter how small/large) results in a music class versus being able to feed yourselves, then the business is not really sustainable. Get a job with a payroll where you get paid weekly/firtnightky/monthly whether their invoices are paid on time or not if you can’t create a business with necessary buffer and diversity where there is no effect if payments are late.

Well, you can’t say you’ll pay it next week, because how do you know you’ll have the money by then? Pay it this week, cancel next week’s lesson.

It's very frustrating having customers who "can't afford to pay" - whether that's true or not (and she has no way of knowing). It will devalue you as a customer. If it's likely to happen on an occasional basis, then you can't afford the lessons and should cancel them so that she can replace you with someone who can afford the lessons.

I have been in the same situation due to clients owing money. If I were you I‘d chase who owes you and implore them to pay by time x. You can alternatively ring the teacher and explain your problem. Don’t offer to pay double - bring a bunch of flowers or chocolates etc as a thank you and then make absolutely sure it doesn’t happen again.

What do the T&Cs say? I ask because I’m a music teacher and require 48 hrs notice of cancellations, but my own teacher doesn’t allow any cancellations at all once the lessons are booked in. I personally would rather teach and receive double pay next week.

Well time to get over that. It’s more embarrassing to limit her income and disrupt it then it is to say that you’ve had an issue with your bank can you please pay double next week.

She’s not really “paying double” she’s offering to pay for the lessons her daughter has had. I would be proper miffed if a parent said “I’m not paying you but here are some flowers”

It sounds like your finances are in a mess, in the longer term you need a savings cushion if you are going to remain unemployed

Do you not have an overdraft?

Your title nails it.
You can’t afford the lesson or, unless your finances take a big upward swing, can you afford lessons going forward.