Okay, so it seems all of my calls lately are lil old ladies on fixed incomes and I'm having a hard time charging them as much as I would charge anyone else. Do you guys offer discounted rates for seniors like I do?

crossroads, I think you're doing right by giving them a discount. no worries if anyone else does, heck, we're supposed to honor those that have gone before us..little old ladies have made it through some hard times and plus..some treat you by giving milk and cookies or some awesome homemade cake!=)

crossroads, I completely understand your problem. If you honestly feel that the "little old lady" that you are dealing with, can not really afford your bill because of some untold circumstances, feel free to discount her however much you feel is right.

Having said that, I will tell you the truth: Neither I nor my old man, nor anyone else in our family, ever had a nickel, until they retired. Don't get me wrong, none of us ever died rich. But if you're cheap when you are poor, doesn't mean that you won't be cheap when you are wealthy. A lot of these old gals leave millions to their grandchildren or great grandchildren.

I don't have a problem with that, except that you earned your money and they didn't.

I'm with Paul. I don't do charity based solely on age.

There are not too many folks that are not on a "fixed" income. When was the last time that most people got raises?

Well, let's see who all got raises lately: the phone company, gas company, oil company, insurance company, garbage collection, building suppliers, local government, state government, federal government, health organizations, food stores, corn growers, road builders, athletes, petroleum company, cable company, actually just about everyone that sends me bills.

A few years ago I got a call about a snake in the basement, I knew the lol. I removed the snake and when I got home, my wife ask did you charge her and I send no, she was leaving for Florida. My wife said you are not going to Florida this winter and now you know why. But I still cut some slack on some.

Lol some of the old ladies have more money than they can spend

I had a call last week a little old lady called and said she had a feral cat under her house I gave her my quote and she started crying and saying good heavens that's so much so me feeling bad I dropped it down and she started crying again and saying wount anyone help me I started giving her advice on what she could do and she hung up on me

I got a nice 63 ss and a smokey and the bandit trans am of a little old's lady,,,,.....Don't pass up the calls,,,
Trade is good,,,,,,,,,........

"I'm on a fixed income" then I pull up and they're garage is larger than my whole house. I see why they are on a fixed income.....

im on a fixed income as well, i only make as much as I work....

Nothing quite like tryin to do a freebie for what seems like a good cause and getting cussed at for not getting it done fast enough. Seems like the ones you try to help screw you the fastest.

Thanks guys, all very good points to consider. I'm sure ill get played by some, but I guess I'll sleep better at night feeling like I took the high road. Load knows I've done enough stuff wrong, I gotta get it right once in a whole.

Let me tell you what most of these little old ladies have. For starters, there's usually a bank account that hubby left her when he kicked the bucket. Then there's a wad of insurance that paid out when he passed on. Now let's look at the poor old dirt farm they had together in which she's sold 3/4 of a million dollars worth to avoid the taxes. Then she's got how many sons and daughters that drop by every week? And they do what for a living?

Point is, most of these ladies are well off. They have spent years and years practicing in what we call "Poor mouth" so that they can keep even more of what they have and leave it all to the stupid cat when they die.

Occasionally, there will be one who really is living on the fine line between poverty and starvation. But they are few and far between and you'll recognize them right off. They'll be living in a modest home, trailer house usually, either a beat up clunker or no car at all and wont have diamonds hanging from their ears or gold around their necks.

I actually had a lady complaining about a plumbing bill I gave her once. She said the bill was too high and she could not afford it on her "Fixed" income.... Just the ear rings she was wearing would have been worth 5 times my bill! Lexus in the driveway, gardner trimming the hedges... You get the pitcher.

Now, if someone truly needs help, I'll help. I don't want to sound heartless or anything. But I'm the least expensive plumber in my area and just about the only ADC guy here. I have to bill them but if they need time to pay, that's fine. These little old ladies that DO need help do not want charity. But let them pay you over a couple weeks in two or three payments and you will be a Saint! I get a LOT of referral work from these ladies.

When billing for services, keep this in mind.... If you cut this one slack are you being fair to the rest of your customers?

Use your best judgement. Go with your gut feeling.

Some folks I charge 100%+. Some folks I don't even charge. Everyone else is somewhere in between.

good advice..

My kids gotta eat too.

When I see what they drive, how they live and what they live in that is sometimes a good indicator of wealth or lack there of. I have been burned a few times over the years by misjudging someones self worth. So, I price normally or try not to charge too much over the amount of their social security check or retirement check for that one month.

Poor people will often just say "I can't afford it." Some people will even hang up while I'm talking. The jerks will just ask for a discount as a matter of course.
I'd be so grateful if somebody simply said, "That's more than I can afford, but thanks for your time."