Travel Fees???

someone contacted me today about a birthday party two hrs. away from me, I am having a hard time deciding what to charge for a travel fee. $50 would cover the gas there and back but what about my time driving? That is 4 Hrs. of driving!! Do I even charge them for that and if so how much?
Please help!!!

Geez. I once had an offer for a party that was about the same time away - highway driving, then ferry, then more driving. I added a couple of hundred, actually - 3 hour party for $500 I think is what I quoted - because that's ALL you're going to be able to do that day. There's a twister here who, when he gets inquiries that won't allow him to do anything else, quotes $1000 for the day, for up to __ hours of work (his rates start at $170, but he's amazing).

Don't you think they'd kind of expect a travel fee like that? That's your entire day!

Also, I didn't get that gig, haha. But I didn't expect to. I will travel if the price is right, but more likely than not they won't want to fork out the extra - but you need to make sure you're compensated fairly.

I charge $0.50 per kilometre. And for a trip that is two hours away I charge my dayrate (cause that's the only job I'll get that day) PLUS mileage charge.

My cut off is three hours of TOTAL driving time... up to three hour (1.5 each way) I'll charge my regular rate PLUS mileage. OVER three hours it is my full-day rate PLUS mileage.

My time is worth something too. I've had inquiries for birthday parties from people who live in the next province... no way I could charge my birthday rate, even with mileage, and expect to make anything out of the job...

ok, i quoted her $350.00, if she dont hire me no skin off my back, right!!

When they are that far away I offer them to someone in that area.

You don't want referal work from that area b/c then you'll be spending more and more time there as you do more and more parties in that area.

~Michelle

The thing is I am still just starting out and trying to get the word out about my buisness, I dont have any other gigs going on right now so why not.
Plus if you can find another facepainter in this area, i will be shocked, when i looked up facepainters for this area only a few popped up and they are at least two hundred miles away or more, I still think i am the only face painter in western ny, good for me i guess.