Friend expecting me to work for free

[unpaid1]

Recently, a friend who I used to work with has opened her own consulting business and told me about it. As we worked in the same field she said we could work together where if she needed any help with documents, data entry I could pick it up. I of course said yes, that sounds great , make a bit of money on the side.

The issue is I’ve now done quite a few pieces of work for her but she hasn’t mentioned any payment? I tried to hint to her last week when she asked me to type something up for her, how would we work how I’m getting paid and she said don’t worry we will talk about it soon. She gave me the business bank card and told me to order stationary etc if needed as she would cover the costs.

She’s just messaged again asking for a task to be competed and I’m slightly annoyed now because I can’t keep giving my time up for free. How do I approach this with her without ruining our friendship? I really don’t want to finish this new task she’s given me as I know it’s going to take a good 5-6 hours 😭.

AIBU and should just help her?
AINBU and how do I ask her to pay me?

You should have made a financial arrangement at the onset. Because you have been flakey your cf friend has taken advantage of you. A business woman would bring up the question of fees at the onset as soon as they foundout what the task was. That now puts you in a weak position.

Ive come across acquaintances and neighbours like this asking for "favours".Usually something I dont want to do. Like the neighbour who asked if she could park one of her vehicles on my drive. Being a mercenary bitch the subject of money comes up pretty early in the conversation. Usual response. "Ok let me think about it and Ill get you have a price. But it wont be a cheap option because I dont do mater rates". At this point the cf invariably withdraws and tells me they will get back to me. Of course they never do.

This!!!!!! :-)

But pls do it now before you do anymore work. Friend or not shes taking the piss and if you dont have this awkward conversation now she will continue to take the piss

This person is not her friend. There is nothing to save.

This is heading for trouble. I think I'd just write it off saying I've enjoyed helping you but I'm too busy now to fit it in. She isnt going to pay you imho.

Voted the same, for the same reason.

She is not acting as a friend. You choice now is whether you respect yourself more than you value this one-sided friendship.

Good luck. She is a CF, and she knows it.

'Hi X, Glad the business is going so well, I've done quite a bit of work for you recently, approx Y hours. We'll need to discuss and settle payment before I can do any more work for you. Thanks!'

If you wanted to you could add something like 'i hope you understand I can't work for free, bills to pay and all that.'

Ask her what timing app she’d like to use. Maybe make a suggestion (I use Clockify. It’s free). Say let’s discuss hourly rate as you’ve already done a few hours and won’t continue to work for free. If it damages your friendship she was never a friend.

Just invoice her weekly, monthly etc

Hi xxx,
Sorry to see you have ignored my last few emails regarding the work I have passed to you for the last few months, i have done 84.5 hours in total that we haven't as yet arranged payment to date.

I would be very happy to work with you again in the near future with more projects.

Kind regards.
Flannelfeet.

Pp. Account 0090877600
Bank of lulahbaloolah
Sort.696969.

Tell her how long the task will take and how much it will cost - for example 3 hours work @£20ph - and see what she says.

Yeah, she’s no friend, OP.

Id send something like this:

"I'm happy to do the work but i need now to be paid. I'm not doing it as a favour or just helping out a friend.
I charge £X an hour and so far have done X hours. This comes to £X. I'm happy to do the work you pass to me but I need to be paid now for what I have already completed.

Bank details are :

Hope that's ok to say and as soon as money is in my account,I'll get started on the next job you have sent me.
Glad business is going well😊 speak soon.

X"

Ruin what friendship exactly?

Fuck her.

Just stop working for her altogether
write of time invested already and move on
tbh even if she offered to pay you now the tone has been set
many a true word about not mixing business with pleasure
din work for friends

You have to toughen up and tell her how it is - you are beginning to feel resentful that she hasn't paid you anything yet and you won't be doing any more work for her. She'll possibly try to guilt trip you - you'll be letting her down, right? And leaving her in the lurch, right? Don't be fobbed off with promises of payment that don't materialise.

The arrangement is very onesided. You are giving, she is taking. That's not friendship.

Hi friend I've done all this work when is pay day?

Judging by a recent thread about stingy people, many women are afraid to call out CF behaviour in case the CF doesn't want to be their friend anymore. But why would you want a "friend" who takes advantage of you like this?

If you want to recover the payments you're owed, then you can try the diplomatic approach first if you think it's more likely to work than being blunt. But whatever you do, don't imply in your messages that you were prepared to do any of the work for free. And don't do any further work for her.

I used to work for a small business and my colleague spent a lot of time chasing outstanding payments. One client, who had failed to pay their invoice, tried to hire us to carry out another project for them. When asked to settle their account first, they offered to send us some money, but wanted it to count towards the new project, not the unpaid invoice. If I remember rightly, the owner did NOT go along with this suggestion.

Why are you hinting? Ask her for the money she owes you. You should have told her your price before starting any work for her. Tell her you can’t give up your free time anymore for unpaid work

Jesus Christ! How are you getting paid off other clients? Do the same here…send her an invoice! It’s not difficult 🤦‍♀️

Agree with just sending her an invoice.

As other PPs have said, you have to be remunerated. You are providing valuable work for her. She obviously trusts you as she's seen your work - she knows its value. She should pay you a daily rate or a retainer and if you are going into business together you should also discuss having a stake in her business. You can't subsidise a company (and your time is literally money) in which you don't have a stake.

Just send her an invoice, and don’t do more work until she pays. Set your own rates.

Say you will put together an invoice for work done so far, include your hourly rate, set a payable in (10 day) deadline.

Once she’s settled that, say you’ll begin the next job, tell her you estimate it will take approximately 6 hours, as you have here.

Don’t do anything else, or order supplies, yet.

Why would you want to be friends with someone so happy to use you like this?