-$576.11 personal
-$171.64 studio
The ability to pull money out of the studio for extra debt this month gets worse and worse as the days go on. I keep thinking I will be able to clear that personal debt and that is not going to happen. Payroll was higher this last month by about $700.00 although November and December are shorter. I am a little discouraged. I am trying to find ways to cut back but I see no other way than that I make no money. It is hard to work this hard in a business and make no money. I do get my cell phone paid and my internet. There are some nice freebies that come with the territory. I am thinking of giving up the housekeeper again to save the $250.00 a month she costs. I am seriously contemplating closing at the end of the year. I would need to get the truck loan and the cc debt paid off to do this. But my oldest daughter tells me not to because I would just give my time away and this way I am at least making some money. But I do not know, I am pretty discouraged right now.
Do you think if I went to a debit for tuition it would help? Where I make parents give me a Credit card or a checking routing # and automatically debit their accounts? That way I would have all tuition in at once and I would not be trying to guess and beg and see what bill I can pay and which I can't. Right now the rent is due today $700.00 and I have -$171.00 in the account. But there is $1500.00 worth of tuition outstanding. I am just sick of this and I am sure you are sick of me complaining.
Okay on a different note. Hubby replaced a broken light fixture in the kitchen yesterday. He had changed a light bulb early last month and had not secured the lamp. It crashed to the floor in thousands of pieces. (I left it for him to discover:)) Also the back french doors leading to the deck do not close securely. The dog can shove through them even when they are locked. The threads were stripped out in the lock. We could chain the door shut but it would always be open about 1.5 inches in the morning. If we did not make sure the chain was secure it would be wide open. As we are now using the furnace this was too expensive. So he replaced the back door handle with handicap handles. Really nice and we have a key for the back door! We have lived here 13 years and have never had a key for this door. We also figured out that the doors had shifted and the dog could shake the doors even when locked which led to the lock becoming worn and stripped. Well there is a safety locking mechanism that goes through the ceiling and into the floor for the one french door that is often not use. The bottom post would not go into its hole. So hubby drilled a new hole and the door is tight and secure. Now we will weather strip it and it will be more resistant to heat loss than it has ever been.
Hubby and I also went to get him a new cell phone. Nothing fancy and his contract was up so we could get a phone free with a 2 year contract. We do not go with a major company as we live in the rural part of the state with many mountains and hubby works where their is little coverage. This company was the first in Idaho to cover the logging areas with radio so they have really good reception where no one else does. Their rates are comparable to others. We have a family plan with 4 phones. They are running a specials all the time because of course they are losing business to the big guys. The special is only for customers with no contracts. If you pay for your phone outright and have no contract your rates go down considerably. Well D#2's contract is up at Christmas and she will go out on her own. My contract is up in about 5 months and d#3 I don't know but it has to be within the year. Our bill with no contracts attached to phone could drop as much as $100.00 a month. So I paid cash for his phone it was $137.00 with a waterproof protective case. If you don't insist on the latest and the greatest cell phone you can get a pretty good deal. I am looking forward to the drop in rates.
I sewed hard yesterday and have a lot to do today. This is where I will have to get my extra money to clear my personal account. Hope to do it by the 25th of the month. That figure is going down!
Out My Window: Even though we took two big truck loads of leaves to the dump on Saturday along with a cell phone:) the yard looks like it has not been raked at all. Oh the joys of trees! But I really do love trees.
Have a great and productive day!
Kim
You know, I wonder if for the holidays you could appeal to all parents with an honest/open letter to all (so it's not like you're just targetting the non paying parents) and explain that with the cost of things, you're finding it difficult to keep all your studio-related bills up to date, and you would really appreciate their help with things (especially the paying early deal). Otherwise, since it is for tuition, and I hate to sound mean, but could you refuse to teach the kids until the tuition has been paid? As in, if they are dropped off at the studio, seat them in a separate room and teach the rest of the class, but let them know they can't participate until the parents have met their obligations. I know this sounds harsh, but I have received such treatment when younger, and parents will definitely get on it quick.
ReplyDeleteI partially agree with Tanner - send out the letter, requesting all accounts are paid up. Turn the children away until Tuition is caught up by the parents. For 2013, set up regular payment plans. Don't be afraid of putting the matter to collections is need be. There are companies that will only charge you once they've collected the money outstanding.
DeleteThis is the trouble with these things. For your next season remove the payment plan completely, or ask for the post-dated checks up front so you can set up the payments with the back. Install a bounced check fee of $50 and you shouldn't have that problem any more. There are things you can do. Remember, this is a business and not personal.
Keep on plugging away. You are doing well!
My daughter's dance studio requires a routing number or credit card and they don't seem to have any problems collecting tuition. I think doing it that way would save you a lot of time and frustration!
ReplyDeleteI think there is a cost involved going debit machine isn't there? It might be worth it to pay that cost just to get your fees in on time. Plus it would be a business write off.
ReplyDeleteI don't know why some parents think it's okay not to pay On time for their kids lessons and activities.
I would send a note home and say that there will be late fees charged from now on. It isn't being mean or harsh it's called doing business. Give them a deadline and if they miss it little suzie can sit and watch.
I am annoyed for you. People have some gall! You aren't running a charity for free lessons.
Jeepers :(
Could you make more money with less hassel with your cleaning contracts & sewing, but no studio? The studio seems to take a lot of time and effort for not much return, except for personal satisfaction. If you continue with the studio, you probably should go to automatic payments for clients who don't pay. Businesses like video stores always required a credit card, if you didn't pay the late fee, it was put on the card, no begging or pleading-just business. The joys of small business ownership. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI seem to recall that you had a similar problem last fall with parents not paying/paying late. I know that customs vary from one part of the country to another, but here in the northeast it is standard to PAY IN FULL before the term starts for music, dance and other lessons. It is really scandalous that parents are willing to take advantage of you and create all this extra stress. My advice is don't be complicit in this mess--all lessons should be paid for up front with no exceptions!!
ReplyDeleteUgh!! I agree with everyone else! I can't believe you're being taken advantage of again!! I'd make the next months lessons due one month BEFORE those lessons start! So January lessons due by Dec.1st!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely vote for having lessons paid up front. Tuition due by the first of the month or no classes for the kids after the first of the month. Sounds strict but the alternative is that you are behind $1500 in tuition and stressed out. I think many businesses operate that way these days simply because so many people are short on money and once they get behind it is hard for them to catch up.
ReplyDeleteI am in agreement with the other commenters to have the tuition paid upfront or via credit card. You would probably have to pay for the service of having a credit card machine or system but I think it would be well worth it. Also, charge a late fee. That should motivate them to pay.
ReplyDeleteI would go with the routing number and debiting their account each month. That way you would be able to count on the income and not HOPE they pay on time.
ReplyDeleteMy son now has some kind of thingy(yeah thats a word) that goes in the top of his cell phone so that parents can pay him that way for their voice, piano or other lessons. But he no longer accepts checks since to many of them bounce and if the lessons aren't paid ahead of time he won't teach the student. It breaks his heart but he has bills to pay also.
ReplyDeleteCheck with Paypal to use a credit card "thingy" (I don't know what they are called either!) on your cell phone. Or most likely you can just enter the info online with paypal and not need to go thru your cell phone. That's what the little mom and pop drive up hamburger stand we frequent just started using. He said it was cheaper than using the credit card service through his bank
ReplyDeleteThe credit card thingy is called The Square. I was just in a training session for my Credit Union and the Facilitator says his church has just gotten 3 of them to make offerings easier for the congregation
ReplyDelete