Dont know what to do shes not paying me

Silver Member Joined: Jul 24 2007 Posts: 763

so I don't know where this would fit so I am putting it here, I hope someone will be able to help me with this. I babysit or I did during the school year and the last few weeks one of my neighbor who I really did not know to well brought her 2 kids to me. I should add that before passach she brought her kids too and had not payed me for that until the first of the weeks she was here. every time she saw me outside she was like oh I owe you money but never payed, so when she called it was the perfect oppertiny to get my money and the first week she did pay but she was here 3 weeks after that and did not pay and still did not pay I have not babysat for 3 weeks now and no money from her I am out most of the day now and when I did see her one day she said I owe you money and I said yes you do I keep forgetting to call you to remind you so I called her 2 days ago and said my hubby is going to the bank tomorrow can you send me a check and she said sure how much so I told her and she was like oh thats a lot I told her it 3 weeks worth and she said did you by mistake add in the week I payed you I said no I have it clearly marked on my computer who owse when when and what was payed I tried to call her tonight but no one picked up I don't know what to do whether she likes the amount or not I did her the service and she must pay me no ifs or buts I work with someone and already payed her so its a loss for me if this lady wont pay and the biggest problum is she is a neighbor who I don't want to start something with her my dd loves her 2 year old and they play outside together all the time so how can I get my money whiteout being a bother or mean and I dont want her to bad moth me or anything not that she will but I feel I have to be so careful of what I do to keep a good name for myself

sounds like someone is taking advantage of you. How about you tell her in a nice way that she has to pay you at the end of each week to avoid any more confusions or big bills. Make sure to write it down every week and show her how youre crossing of when and what she paid.

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 10 2006 Posts: 6566

I worked for a woman who had a babysitting group (I was the one who got paid regardless...), and I know my boss expected head checks, unless it was litterally a day here or there, but for longer term care, her policy was head checks. IT doesn't help you now, but you may want to see if that would work for you in the future.
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Silver Member Joined: Feb 07 2008 Posts: 977

Maybe try calling her husband and asking him for the money or show up to her house when her husband is home.

You deserve to get paid, and she is taking advantage of you.

Try to contact her again, by phone or in person. Ask her if she would like to see you make the cheshbon in front of her so she will know that its accurate.

Tell her calmly but firmly that the amount is overdue, and that you cant have a balance hanging so long. You can ask her, bluntly, what the issue is that is preventing her from paying you. "Is it really tight for you monetarily right now? Oh I totally understand, but we all need our money, and I still need to be paid."

I think you should be very firm about this. Don't worry so much about ruining your name. A babysitter is allowed to expect payment for her services! What could she say negatively about you? "Gee that babysitter expects payment, the nerve of her..."?

It *does* sound like a real dilemna, particularly if you don't want to make a lot of waves.

Do you think it might help to send her an invoice? List weeks you watched the kids, price per week (hour, day, however you charge), date and payments received, balance due. Send it with a cover letter indicating that as you have reminded her, the balance is overdue.

And never watch her kids again.

Write out how much she owes you and how you worked it out. Go to her house and ask for the money. If she says she doesn't have the money say you will take a check. If she says she can't give you a check because money is tight, ask her to give you a postdated check or the money in 2 or 3 checks. Be polite but firm and don't leave until she's paid you. (I would go when her husband is home so that she can't claim she has to ask him first.)

Gold Member Joined: May 05 2008 Posts: 1970

I think all the suggestions you've gotten are good ones. You need to be sensitive but firm and professional with her. This is your livelihood. You performed the service and you expect (and are entitled) to get paid. Sending her an itemized statement (bill) with a note saying this is past due is a good place to start. I would include something saying (just like the dentist or the doctor does) that the payment is overdue, and that if she is having difficulty making the payment you will be glad to work out a payment schedule with her. There's nothing wrong with writing this in a sympathetic, friendly way. This may delay your getting paid in full but some is better than none. Meanwhile, if she asks you to babysit again, you need to decide whether to take her child without payment in advance (perhaps, if you do, insist on a postdated check payable at the end of the week.) Whether or not you deliver your bill in person or by mail depends on how you feel about confronting her. If you decide to go see her, maybe, in addition to going at a time you expect her husband to be there, you might want to bring either your husband or a mutual friend along? I'm a (retired) lawyer so I'm used to dealing with this the legal way, but that doesn't work so well between friends or neighbors or people you expect to have a continuing relationship with. It's a tough problem, but everyone who has a business (whether babysitting or dentistry) has to deal with this. Of course there's always small claims court.

Beginner Joined: Apr 04 2012 Posts: 3

It's not a good situation. She may think she doesn't have to pay her bills. Or, consider that she may not have enough money. Or she may not think she has enough money.

You might want to set up a payment plan. Break the amount she owes into chunks.

I work as a freelancer so I have a little experience with people not paying. It eats away at my self esteem, which is crazy because they're the ones who are misbehaving.

For example, you are concerned that she might say bad things about you.

I don't know. She might never pay you and then it would be a lesson (or a situation relating to a previous life), but you *do* have the right to be paid for your babysitting.

That's why you do it.

It's not always easy to keep sight of this.

Silver Member Joined: Jul 12 2010 Posts: 654

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