To Charge your Significant Other or Spouse or Not To

I own my own business...and if anything, that makes it even easier to not charge a significant other or spouse. Your cost for services is low compared to the price you charge, therefore, in that sense, it makes even less sense to charge a SO.

 

Sounds like he's getting defensive. And that he's never actually dated a woman before.

 

My wife and I own a business. But, it's a S corp now and we need to keep the accounting clean. So, if we were to use the business for services for either of us that engaged any employees, consumed inventory, involved retail, or any of that other crap, we would charge ourselves (with the standard employee discount) just to avoid the headache it would create in Quickbooks if we took it for free. But, if I was a sole proprietor photographer with pretty much no variable costs involved in my business apart from my own labor, it'd be ridiculous to charge my wife for those services.

 

I'd charge extra.

 

Did you discuss pricing up front? If not...why not? Here's the problem you may now have. They would, quite reasonably if price was never discussed, just assumed this is something you were doing for them, and be upset that you are now bringing up pricing.

If you didn't, you need to have that discussion. Or decide not to (which may, at this point, be the better option). This isn't a 'what bill do I send her' conversation, this is an expectation resetting conversation. And resetting expectations is generally neither easy nor fun, and that's true for any client, much less one you are in a relationship with.

So, back again to 'how did you get to this point without discussing price'. Maybe just best as a lesson learned. As a friend of mine's mom constantly told him "well, that was painful, but you learned a good lesson, and you should be glad it didn't cost you more"

 

and you'd be lucking that laughing in your face was her response. I could see spitting/slapping/etc being more common responses.

 

Yes, ultimately, this answer is that should trump everything. However, if we really want to get to the nitty gritty details of the finances, then a business owner has much more control and ability to give services to a significant other than someone who doesnt own a business.

 

If you are just in a relationship and it's more casual I can understand charging at a big discount.

But for spouse? lol