PPF Birthday Party?

Hello Everyone!

I've been reading the forum for a while and wanted to thank you all for all the tips you always give! It is my first post here!

I got a booking for this coming Saturday for a birthday party where the Mom wants the other parents to pay for their own kids. I normaly work per hour or the B-day kid's parents will pay for the number of faces painted at the end of the party.

Is this a normal request? If so, do you collect the money before or after you paint each kid? How do the parents respond to that? I'm afraid some kids will want their face painted but the parent won't want to pay! Should I just tell the Mom who wants to hire me that SHE has to collect the money?

Thanks in advance for your help!

I would not agree to that. Tell her she can do whatever she wants regarding charging people, but that the contract is with her and she is obligated to pay you your fee no matter what she collects.

I did a party recently (it was adults) where I was booked, contract signed and deposit made - then when I arrived the host (person who booked me) starts to say that people will be paying for it themselves, did I think $20 or $15 each would cover it? Huh? I said, what ever YOU want to do, my contract is with you so as long as I am paid at the end of the night I'm good.

I wasn't about to collect money, make change, etc. I don't do PPF.

She had a sign up sheet on the table and a jar - people signed up then ticked themselves off as they were painted and stuck money in the jar.

At the end of the night she collected the money, paid me what was owing and put the rest in her pocket...

I wouldn't. It's a numbers game. At a ppf you have a huge amount of people there. Some want paint. Some will actually pay for it. At a party if the parents have to pay and the kids are off running around they won't go and get them to be painted whereas where if it is free you will have a queue and everyone will get done. Sometimes at an event if they have heaps more people than originally quoted and I will have to go over time to paint everyone I will offer to stay and if the host doesn't want to pay I'll collect money but by then everyone is usually onto seconds (henna) and are keen to pay. You won't make enough to cover costs and you could get a real booking in that time slot.

That is not how I do not have an option like that in my contract. If the host wants to hire you, they hire you. I have a Fundraising option, but that is still a contract between me and the host, and I get paid my hourly wage.

And even more stunning, it is just in such bad taste, it would make me feel uncomfortable. Here, come to my party, pay me for the face painting, the party favor, the balloons, the cake...nope. really bad taste.

I would stay home on this one.

That has got to be the STRANGEST thing I have ever heard! If you are hosting a party for your child... you pay for the entertainment. PERIOD. I'm with Martha. Bad taste. But... to each his own. I agree with Shannon. Tell the mom she is welcome to collect money from the parents, but you can't book an hour timeslot without the assurance of your hourly rate.

WTF>>>>>>>>>>??????????????????
I am so sorry...but really? Kids pay for their own face painting? What?????
How horrible. I have never heard of such a lame naughty word thing to do to a child. So, what if a child goes to the party and cannot afford a face painting? Do they miss out while all the others are being painted? OMG. This is terrible.
I cannot imagine the cheapness and ignorance of some people. I am sorry...but, this just boils my blood.
And being a mother....seeing all the other kids being painted, I would totally paint the kids who could not afford it.
That mother needs to be hung upside down by her toenails.
I agree with the others....NO PPF at a birthday party. My goodness...what has this world come to? Ugh.....

On a side note Patricia... you are a beautiful painter! I enjoyed looking through your pictures.

Shannon.... that floored me when you said the lady pocketed the extra money!!! No tip, she just pocketed it, huh. Wow... pretty low-down.

Thank you all! I agree with all your comments! I had a bad feeling from the start about this party.

I do not have this option either! I normaly charge per hour. This was a complete misunderstanding! But I already sent her an e-mail telling her that I do NOT charge guests at B-day Parties and as Shannon said my contract is between her and me, and gave her my hourly rate (again), etc... But honestly, I don't feel like going there anymore. Let's wait for her reply.

Shannon, I had to laugh about the lady pocketing the extra money!
Glitterfly, I'm a Mom of 3, would paint everyone too!
Thanks for the compliment Kat!

Sharing my own experience: I booked a party: 10 kids and hour for my rate. The mom told the parents she will only paid for the kids she invited and the siblings won't get face painting, but they can pay for it. I only charge $4.oo dollars per face and guess what? -3 kids (the extra guest) from different parents didn't get painted, they didn't want to pay!!.

Miss Ronnie wrote:Shannon.... that floored me when you said the lady pocketed the extra money!!! No tip, she just pocketed it, huh. Wow... pretty low-down.

Yeah... I was a little, um, surprised at that too.

That's funny... I used to only charge PPF but it was always the mum who covered it. I switched to an hourly rate (with a one hour minimum) after I went to a party and painted 4 kids and left $20 bucks richer.

I agree with everyone else, but I wouldn't not do the job. Do a contract, make sure she signs it. You can usually tell the "iffy" customers off the bat, and that seems a little off too me. Just be extra cautious for some reason or another a lot of people think we should just paint the world for free.

Shannon people do such crazy things!! How exactly did she earn that money?