Invoice...math that customer doesn't understand

So what it looks like, is the customer is paying the same but getting two less lot cuts?

I would also be questioning that.

Why did the lot get cut less in September than June?
Is it because it “didn’t need it”? If so, did the lawn really need cutting?

Here would be my question - are the lot and the lawn adjacent to each other?
Previously you gave a discount because the lot added minimal increment to how much time you spent on site - so why did that suddenly change for September?

Is it simply that you needed the income to meet your budget for the month?

I would suggest that for future - if you want to give a good will discount for something, your add a line item as such.
I would also suggest that you stay consistent. (no, same number of cuts, different monthly billing is not consistent, and neither is same monthly billing - different number of cuts)

Better yet:

**9-3…Lawn service (house) …
9-10…Lawn service (house)…
9-17…Lawn service (house)…
9-24…Lawn service (house)…

9-3…Lawn service (lot)… $20
9-10…Lawn service (lot)… $20**
9-10…Discount… -$20 (I’m a nice person, and this is optional on my part.)
9-17…Lawn service (lot)… $20
9-24…Lawn service (lot)… $20

9-24…Discount… -$20 (I’m a nice person, and this is optional on my part.)

What’s happened is that your customer thinks that your real rate for mowing the lot is $10. After all, that’s what your previous invoice says. Consequently, since you only cut the lot twice in September, the total for that should be $20 and not $40. With the way you’ve done things, it appears that you’ve randomly decided to double the price.

No problem, I hope it helps.

FWIW I didn’t find your OP confusing, but did quickly understand why the customer was confused.

I’ve never had to do accounts receivable (thank god), but I’ve had to justify more invoices for work preformed than I care to remember. Some customers will nitpick charges given any justification, but I find that most just forget what they agreed to in the first place. Anything you can do to preemptively avoid confusion is in your favor since you’re the one who wants to get paid.

It just occurred to me that there’s a possible problem with billing a lump sum monthly and not itemizing: some calendar months will have five weeks instead of four, so the billed amount will change from month to month. If I were in your position I would bill every four weeks instead of monthly.

I also hope my comments haven’t been taken as complete criticism of informal service agreements. The only agreement I have with the guy who cuts my lawn is a half remembered phone conversation years ago, and I pay him by leaving $40 under the mat on the days he cuts. This works fine for both of us, but it would probably be in his best interest to get me to sign something so if one day I don’t leave the money I can’t just say, “well, I thought every fifth cut was free… I swear I didn’t leave $40 five weeks ago and you didn’t say anything. Why the change?” :slight_smile:

I wonder what will happen to the invoice when the weeks comes out to 5x/month instead of 4x/month.

I take it that you totally skipped over my previous post? Because I laid out the math very clearly.