When the customer leaves to "take a walk."

[Boomslang]

I uess it becomes a matter of managing cash flow. If I complete $XYZ thousands worth of work this month and receive payment for $ABC, but ABC = XYZ, it doesn't really matter which job I'm getting paid for. Just sent the money is flowing in. A lot of people are at work when we are finishing the job. I'm not going to sit around and wait for them to come home. Sending an invoice and moving on to the next job. Rinse and repeat. I used to really struggle with getting invoices sent... But with appropriate software it makes things really quick and easy. I prefer jobber... But there are several other options out there as well. As much as I don't like paying the credit card fees, the fact that when I sent an invoice and it gets paid and I don't have to do anything else makes them less distasteful.

This. It's one thing to be month to month, or even week to week, when you're first starting out and work can be hard to come by, but I believe after a year or two in business you should have enough in the bank to keep afloat for 2-3 months in the event something catastrophic happens. If not, you're either overleveraged or not charging enough.

I accept credit cards and don't pass along the fees, but I also make it clear on the invoice and in-person that I prefer any other method of payment if possible. Nobody likes waiting to get paid, but putting yourself in a situation where you need every invoice paid ASAP or you risk falling behind is poor management.

 

[Boomslang]

My next batch will say we clean dog shit off our shoes with your bbq scrapper
Jk
I do joke and say it sometimes but have never done it

Dreamed about it though

One time we were doing a large removal in a backyard. These people had dogs (big ones...) and hadn't done much to clean up after them despite knowing we were coming. A couple of us spent a few minutes with shovels flinging turds off to the side and out of our work zone. 10 minutes or so into the job I noticed a pile that was missed after nearly stepping in it. In my frustration I grabbed a rake and yeeted the shit across the yard....right onto the family trampoline. I left it there.

 

[VenasNursery]

One time we were doing a large removal in a backyard. These people had dogs (big ones...) and hadn't done much to clean up after them despite knowing we were coming. A couple of us spent a few minutes with shovels flinging turds off to the side and out of our work zone. 10 minutes or so into the job I noticed a pile that was missed after nearly stepping in it. In my frustration I grabbed a rake and yeeted the shit across the yard....right onto the family trampoline. I left it there.

Oops

 

[Webfoot]

Those of you offering 10% off for cash: Why? That seems like a lot to me. Most places I’m familiar with only offer 3% off (cover cc fee) the highest I’ve seen is 7% (not sure how they landed on 7%), many establishments dont offer a cash discount at all.

I wonder if this is legal. A FAQ I found reads:

Q: Are there any limits on the fee amount that a
merchant can charge?

A: Yes. U.S. merchants may assess a surcharge that
does not exceed either the merchant discount rate
for the applicable credit card transactions or three
percent. If a merchant’s discount rate for credit
cards transactions is 2.50 percent, the cap on the
surcharge the merchant may charge a consumer is
2.50 percent.

Some States have additional restrictions, Connecticut being among them. If the CC and check price must be the same* it seems advantageous to pay with CC for the protections provided, but advantageous to accept only checks or cash to avoid the fee.

Connecticut law as amended by Sec. 28 of Public Act 24-142 prohibits a business from charging a customer a surcharge, which is any additional charge or fee for using one payment type (usually credit card) over another payment type (usually cash). However, the law does allow a business to offer a cash discount.


Some businesses may tell you that you’ll be charged an additional fee for paying with a credit card, which violates the law. In most cases, however, it may be difficult to tell if a business is charging a surcharge or offering a legitimate cash discount. For example, a business may list the price for an item and then charge a fee when you pay by credit card; these charges will often be represented as a “transaction fee”, “processing fee”, or “non-cash adjustment” on the receipt. This would be a surcharge.


One way a business can comply with the law is by posting a sign stating, “all listed prices are discounted by 3% if you pay in cash”. Another way a business can comply is to have dual pricing by listing a cash price and a credit card price. Gas stations do this already, as required by law if they offer a cash discount.


There are a few important exceptions to the surcharge law. Municipalities, government agencies, and courts are allowed to add additional fees for using a particular payment. For example, you might be charged an additional fee if you pay your taxes, a registration, fee, or fine with your town, a state agency, or a court by credit card. Additionally, if a state marshal is collecting taxes on behalf of a town, they are allowed to charge an additional fee.

That is not the case. "Nothing in this section shall prohibit any person from offering a discount on any transaction to induce payment by cash, check, debit card or similar means rather than by charge card or credit card."

 

[Treetopflyer]

Oops

You dropped a P

 

[Chris Schultz]

@Webfoot I think you misunderstood my post. The %s I listed was: % off for using cash.

 

[Webfoot]

@Webfoot I think you misunderstood my post. The %s I listed was: % off for using cash.

I did not misunderstand your post, I made false equivalence between cash deduction and credit surcharge.

 

[brydan]

30% deposit when quote is approved, most pay online after the work is done when they are invoiced. You float a little money, but it’s classy to not have to bring it up when you’re packing up. If they have ya a check, sweet. Don’t lose it!

I finally broke down and started using my phone to deposit checks as soon as I get them after my daughter sat on my wallet after swim practice and soaked some checks that had to be rewritten