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 😔

No but the teacher doesn’t get paid until next week which could cause her issues

I think don’t let your pride cause dd to miss out. You are paying for it either way.
If you are usually a good customer paying on time a one will usually be accommodated.

I agree with this. I would just ask what they would prefer - if you’re going to pay for both lessons next week, your DD would be getting her lesson instead of missing it.

But then I don’t really get embarrassed over stuff like this. If it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault. You can be sorry without being embarrassed.

I’m self employed and waiting on a late payment through no fault of my own.

This is precisely the situation you will be creating for your DD's music teacher if you don't pay him/her this week!

But the music teacher might not be deciding on food or a lesson if they don't get paid once. They might be but might be nowhere near that situation. OP needs to be open to give music teacher that choice though.

But either way the teacher doesn’t get paid this week and that makes her in the same place as the OP.

I would just pay her, she's self employed too and she won't be able to fill that slot at short notice. I'm a swimming teacher and I charge up front for a block of lessons.

Come on OP! Put your big girl pants on and just text them the truth! For all you know it might happen again.

There is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about! Just ask chat gbt to draft
you a text if you’re unsure!

@Thoseflatbreadslookyummy say something vague like there’s been a family emergency.

Can you afford these lessons?can school offer a cheaper alternative longterm

@Wingingit73 OP already said this situation is a one off

Be honest with her. Ask can you pay double next week or you will have to cancel

I'm a private tutor for maths and English, and tbh, we do understand when things come up.
Assuming you've been a client for a while, and built up a good relationship, I'd do one of two things.
Contact her now, explain the situation, and offer to pay next week.
Or ask her if she'll do a one-off bank transfer payment.

A lot of tutors prefer cash because it's a bit of a cash-in-hand-pocket-money-job for many, but I'm sure she'd prefer a one off bank transfer over no lesson at all.

I’d message her and explain then say you will pay double next week and offer to start paying a week in advance to sweeten her

So smug and ignorant.

Definitely phone her and explain. My sons’ piano teacher wanted my youngest to go to a different teacher (that she recommended) for music theory as she had no free time but didn’t want to take time out of his practical lessons to teach it. I was embarrassed but had to explain that I could afford another weekly lesson. I could barely afford the ones they were having already. She was very understanding. Most of her students were from wealthy families and it hadn’t occurred to her that we may be different. She actually decided not to increase the cost of her lessons (as she normally did each year). Most people will understand if you explain.

The teachers time and money is just as important as yours otherwise she’d be doing it for free. You wouldn’t go and do a food shop and tell them you’ll come back and pay when you can afford it, it’s someone’s living who probably also has bills to pay.

Not if they are in the same position as OP and the delayed payment could cause them the same problem

@MrsVBS that’s nice but OP has posted for advice on how she can handle this not for a lecture about the fact the teacher may need the money

Cancelling the credit cards when your income fluctuates is a very bad idea. Especially if you expect your child’s music teacher to give you credit instead.

This, what would you do if the fridge/washing machine died ? You need an overdraft/ credit card.

Well I said I would ask (edit: and I also said I would be sorry). It sounds like it’s the usual set up that if someone can’t make a class they pay the following week when they are there. The teacher obviously is ok with this otherwise she would ask for payment by bank transfer on the day 🤷‍♀️

If one late payment can put you in the position of deciding between food and music lessons, do you think the lessons are worth it?

Why did you name change?

I haven’t name changed? I was answering your comment on my comment?

The Op asked about what to say to the teacher this week. She wasn’t asking for financial advice in general. It’s not really any of my business if she commits to music lessons or not. She said she has a large payment waiting to come in that should have already come in and insists this is a one off. I said what I would do in this situation assuming everything she has said is true rather than second guessing what she has said about her finances overall.