Job Discussion Forums

[nawlinsgurl]

My day job is at a Kindergarten. (I also work at a college)

The boss kinda suckered me into teaching him and his wife private lessons once a week. They pay me seperatly for this. 3500 an hr. I say I got suckered b/c I didn't really have time to think of price when they sprung this one me at the last minute and this was the price that first popped in my mind. So I guess it is half my fault....

Anyways, before their lesson the other day, the boss' sister comes in and ask if I can teach her son private lessons and once again on the spot asks "How much?" I was smart and quick this time and said "I'm about to do a lesson w/ your brother and his wife...Please email me and we can talk about it."
So now I'm asking for advice.
Do I:
A. Charge them 4500 like my husband says?
B. Charge them 3500 like I charge the boss and wife?
C. Charge them 4000 and 1000 for every 5 mins. over?
D. ????

And by the way, they all live in the same cluster of houses, work together, and talk everyday. So I'm sure one will tell the other they are paying such and such price...
Thanks for any advice!

[Yawarakaijin]

Seems like you are stuck to me. I can't imagine having one price for the bosses and another for the sister

I tend to charge different rates for what the students wants. Personally if its just conversation I feel guilty charging any more than 2500 per hour. If I'm preparing material and teaching to improve specific areas of their English I have no problem charging 4000/5000 yen per hour.

The only way I could see you getting more would be to say that a truly private class ( one individual ) costs more because they get all the attention. Always keeping in mind that you are talking about your employer and their family members.

[Glenski]

How old is this son? How long are his lessons supposed to be?

3000-4000 yen/hour per student is pretty common, so my initial reaction is to charge 3500. HOWEVER, let them know you are making a special arrangement for a discount price because of your relationship to the boss.

My second thought is to say you are making the special arrangement ONLY for the boss, and charge that son 4000.

[earthmonkey]

How about charging the same and making the lesson shorter?
You could tell her that for children, your lessons are 45 minutes. If you can have these lessons consecutively, that's not bad money.

As for charging more, I think it's perfectly fine. Kids' lessons require more materials, preparation and energy. You can't just show up and have a conversation like you might be able to with the boss and his wife.

[nawlinsgurl]

Ok so I took everyone's advice and told the mother I would charge 4000 yen for a 45 min. session. She agreed to that.

Then she turned around and asked how much would it be for her to take private lessons with me for just "general conversation". So I said I would get back to her--mainly b/c my husband was in the car waiting. I really want to chare her 5000 but that's not possible b/c of the deal with her brother (the Boss) and his wife.

Also did I mention that their family ownes a bunch of stuff in my neighborhood? Our parking space, which we pay 14000 yen a month for, is one of the things they own. We will have to get another car b/c for reasons which will take too long to explain, but I asked the mother (who handles the parking lot stuff) how much would it be for another space. I was thinking, since I work at their school, do privates for almost all their family--I could get some sort of deal. Nope. She said 27000 yen a month. So I'll be damned if I pay that much for a piece of concrete--that I have to walk to (it's not even right by my apt!)

Anyways my husband laughed at the whole ordeal b/c he said "it's Japan" and "I should have known better". And this may be totally seperate from the whole private lessons thing, but I really needed to vent. Sorry if this made no sense and wasted your time...

But still what would you say to the mother (who wants privates now too!)???

[Gordon]

Charge her the same rate. It is a business right?

Funny story. Our landlady has been storing her junk in one of our rooms (the deal we made when we moved in over 2 years ago). She finally agreed to remove it and give it to us in exchange for me to teach her once/week. Not great from a money standpoint, but my son finally has his own bedroom and you can't put a dollar figure on that. He was in our walk-in closet until 3 days ago (he is 10 months old mind you).

[Sody]

I'm sorry but I couldn't help but laugh my head off at your posts. You wanted to charge someone 5000 yen for a lesson? Either that person is stupid as hell and you are trying to milk them for all they are worth or you are smoking something awesome! Sheesh

I don't even know PhDs in Canada or in the US who make that much money legally in the time you want to give your "lesson." What does your husband do for a living to even make suggestions? Do you even have post graduate training/education?

Sody

[Gordon]

Sody, it depends where you live as well. I charge between 5-10,000 yen/hr. Not many foreigners where I live and I still get as many students as I want.

[Glenski]

This is a perfect example of what I have said for years -- people really need to have a business plan before striking out on private lessons.

Charge one fee for children (you decide the age).
Charge one fee for adults (whether you have a sliding scale for grammar vs. casual chatting, or for individual vs. group lessons).

Anything other than that requires that you inform the client that you are making a special rate only for that person/group. It's a business, so clients shouldn't expect different prices for a multitude of situations. Yes, this is Japan, the land of a zillion options (for keitai denwa, for Internet service, for cable TV, etc.), but if you cowtow to the boss's sister's kids and the boss's sister now with varying rates, what happens when suddenly the boss's sister's kids' classmates want to get in on the deal? Are they going to get the same "discount"? What about the boss's sister's cousin? Or her neighbor? Her best friend? Her dentist?

Draw a line in the sand and stick to it.

Make yourself a chart of fees. If people want to haggle over it, that's your headache, but 95% of the time, I would recommend that you don't haggle. People are cheapskates everywhere. People who provide a service can't afford to be.

[ndorfn]

any amount that people are willing to pay is acceptable. you aren'T holding a gun to their head, they don't have to pay.

private lessons at nova or whatever are costing students over 7000 yen for 40 minutes. the sky is the limit.

[nawlinsgurl]

First of all, thanks for the advice.

I should have included this in my original post.

Glenski, I only agreed to do the private lesson for the boss and his wife, b/c it was presented to me when I signed the original contract for his kindergarten. I decided to accept this agreement, but usually I don't do privates because I really dislike teaching more outside of work. The reason why? My plates is already too full.

I really don't like elementary school students either, which her son is. But I gave her the price of 4000 per 45 mins for her son. As for her, I said "I'd have to think about it." My schedule is way packed already. I should have stuck to my guns in the beginning and said "Sorry I can't." to the sister's son and her, but I didn't.

Still if anyone else asks me, I will say "I don't have the time."But also if I did have the time, I would definitly do ask Glenski said and charge a flat fee no matter who they are.

Gordon, I totally agree with you about your son's room!

So thanks everyone, for the advice. I really appreciate it!

[Sody]