rates question.

I know ive asked this before,but i havve confused myself. I charge $50 an hr mim 2 hr for face painting. Then $25 an hr per extra service either balloons or glitter tattoos? Should it be an addition hr im charging fir the extra service not the same hour as the face painting, cuz for me to do all that in 2 hrs ininsane.

Your rates are too low;)

Simplify it. 75 an hour for anything. Period.

Ok, so would that be $75 an hr for fp, 2 hr mim = 150. Then another hr fir balloons or gt is another $75.so in total for 3 hrs 225..im just starting out so i started at a good low rate.ii was happy with $50 an hr cuz thats the fastest and funniest money ive made EVER!
In the future after these two parties i have already, i was going to raise it a bit.

I don't do a two hr minimum for local jobs, but of I'm traveling more than 30 mins then I do the minimum. Parties with 8 girls all as fairies barely takes the entire hour( I've been at this for several years).

Also, I have little luck with balloons and tats. I almost never do all three or even two of the three. I just decided a while back I was better off focusing on the painting and being the best in my region. That way, I've never had to defend my prices. Kind of a quality over quantity thing for me.

Whatever your hourly rate is, it would simplify things to keep that standard across the board no matter what services you offer. I think what you'd need to do is just raise your time requirements based on the services requested and number of kids that you are expected to paint/entertain. If 2 hours isn't enough for both face painting and balloons, for example, you quote them X amount for 2 hours of face painting, or X amount for 3 hours of both, or whatever time you need. If you allow them to cram every service into an impossible time range, you're just making things harder on yourself and making less. Then if they want more services but not more hours, you can offer to bring another person with you. They should understand that one person can only do so many things in an hour!

Ok cool, someone had suggested to me to price that way. But at the time I was only doing fp and offering gt( have not done at a party yet)
Been asked a lot if i do balloons, so im trying it out. Im going to take yalls advise and just nake it the same all around. Makes its easier for my lil ol brain.

I tried the multiple services thing (face painting and glitter tattoos), but I found it confusing also. I kicked out glitter tatts because I find them messy and difficult to apply. They're also more expensive than face paint because of the stencils, so to make it worth it for me to suck it up and do them I'd have to charge out the roof. Instead I sold the kit.

Have you considered sticking to one service to master, then when you're comfortable with charging the big bucks for that you can make the other things add-ons?

Ive thought about taking off the gt cuz it was just For summer as a replace fir fp cuz of the texas heat. But i keep getting asked if i do balloons. So i decided to dip my toes in it. Sat will be my first party with fp and balloons.

I charge 75/hr also but I do a 2 hr party as a special $135.00 that way I always do a two hr party. I guess I am one of few in the area that dont have a 2 hr minimum....I been doing a bunch of little girls there are 5 in thier group and I am invited to everyone of their parties...usually a luncheon at a Restaraunt and I Princess mask them one hour is all it takes...I have always gotten $100 bucks for each gig cause the parents tip me. I really don't like birthday parties...its is a pain to set up for a few hrs I would like to do festivals and fairs all the time. When at fair and festivals the glitter tats and henna do very well after say 830-9pm...since most parents wont pay for a face paint since kids are going to bed really soon....I can usually get them to buy a glitter tat late nite...and the older kids and women get Henna so I am busy all the way to the end of the Fair. Also at one festival in July it was 98 degrees here in the mountains...if I didn't do glitter tats and henna I would have made zero dollars that weekend...too hot for face paint...hope that helps

I like that way a lot..I might go with that..so far all I've asked for is birthday parties, and there is always a bunch of kids. So like my 2 hour timing cuz thats guaranteed $100 off the back. I would love to do a festival or fair, but don't know how to find out about it early enough to register or whatever. Like we have the big State Fair but folks who post up there have been before I was born.(exaggeration)
by the way i loovvee your design on your avatar!!!

Thanks Lexi....I usually start in Jan to book fair and festivals...I just googled them when I started. I live in the PA Pconons...very high tourist area...lots of festivals and I mean usually multiple ones every weekend starting in late March. I just googled festivals in the Poconos....also I befreinded carnival owners sooo I run with a few Carney People during the year..Like I said I love festivals and fairs...long days and good money.

your welcome! must be nice and lots of fun to run with the carney folks! my oldest dose the glitter tattoos..im going to do some google research! (: hope i find some at a reasonable price, the ones i have found were ridiculous, like one was $300 and only like 6 hours! Dallas folks are expensive!