Recently hit a snag with payments because my terms were too unclear. Clients often misunderstood them, and it threw my cash flow off balance.
I’ve started clarifying due dates and late fees. It’s really smoothed out those tough conversations about money.
I just ask for half upfront on bigger jobs.
I also faced issues with payment terms. Now, I specify exact due dates on my invoices instead of vague terms like ‘net 30’. I include late fees that kick in after the due date. It helps with getting payments on time.
Cash only for me. No checks, no waiting around for payments to clear.
Clarify your payment terms before starting. Set clear due dates, late fees, and consequences for late payments. Clients pay quicker when they know what’s expected. For larger jobs, request an upfront payment to avoid issues later.
Payment methods are everything. I screwed up early on by not being specific - had clients trying to pay through random apps or split payments across multiple cards.
Now I’m crystal clear about what I take:
Ditched “net 30” too. I write the actual date instead. Way clearer when someone sees “Due: March 15th” instead of doing math from the invoice date.
Best move was adding a late payment clause. Nothing harsh, just straightforward: “Late payments may result in work suspension until account is current.”
Barely had to enforce it, but clients definitely respect deadlines more now.
Had this exact problem a couple years back. Started putting payment methods right on the invoice - not just due dates.
Like “Payment due within 15 days by check or bank transfer.” Before that, clients would sit on invoices thinking they could pay however they wanted.
Also learned to send a friendly reminder email 3 days before the due date. Sounds annoying but it prevents the awkward late payment calls later.