I have seen a provider with her agency and outside. Everytime I did, I gave her her normal hourly. But now she moved to another agency and making 100$ more. Should I keep giving her the old rate (we see each other outside agencies), or should I ask her about it?

so, there are not any misunderstandings later. Myself, I would not raise a rate on a repeat client, as I don't think it is a good business practice.

To Me, it wouldn't be worth losing a good guy, over a few bucks.

Just my opinion, for what it's worth. WTF do I know?  

Should it not be up to HER as a business person to inform him of a rate change? If she has not said anything to him she is probably being  smart and keeping him at the existing rate. Plus the new rate is thru the agency and they get a cut of it. She is probably making more seeing him out side the agency than thru it. And why is it always up to the guy to take the initiative to "clear things up"? Are not the ladies business women, and should you not be concerned about recieving the correct donation?

Well, I called her up directly (my ATF I mean) and we just talked it over that she did switch agencies. She did not bring up her new rate. I asked her and she told me. After that, we talked about other things. No mention of her charging me a higher rate...no mention of what I should give her. So the consensus here is that I should just flat out ask her what I should give her or assume that I pay the regular rate and not ask anything? I know that the agency keeps a percentage (in this case 50%) and her old agency hourly rate is a little bit above that. What should I do?

She is working for a living.  If the fee is something you cannot afford then see someone else that has a fee that you can afford.

If he feels the need then I think he should ask her point blank and see what sort of reply that he gets.  She is probably making a lot more from him right now by seeing him outside the agency than she is making from her agency dates at the new rate.  

If he does ask her and she tells him that the new rate applies to him then he should look for another lady if he can not afford the rate.  It will also tell him that he views her as a favorite and she just views him as another client.  I would be rather surprised if she does that but you never know.

In any event it is better to ask than just quit seeing the lady without asking because her rates went up.  The lady may wonder WTF happened that he stopped seeing her and may have had no intention of raising her rates to him.

(assuming that the money you gave to her is still higher than her real take even with the new rate.)

If she starts to drop appointments or distances herself from you, then may be it is time to ask her whether there is a need to increase your donation.


-- Modified on 8/30/2004 3:20:15 AM

Good advice and very good principles . So Kelly, how should I go about asking her?