Mobile therapists, should you charge a travel fee?

[Misskimsi3bee]

Heya, you guys all help me out a lot with some questions I have.

I am freelance and I am based in cornwall. Should I charge a small travel fee to clients if they live out of my town?

Also, I heard that a lot of therapists ask for a 50% deposit from Brides on the trial which I think is a fantastic idea. Should I also charge a travel fee for this?

If so, what is the average travel fee should I charge? I am new to this

 

[Dolly6410]

hey!

i never used to charge for petrol but am starting to because i find i get alot of calls out of my area which aren't worth my while to go to because of petrol costs. I am going to say i travel 10miles from my postcode and anything over that upto 15miles is £1 per mile. I drive a van so it's abit more expensive to run, also as a wise geek told me before, people are willing to pay your petrol money there but not back, so instead of charging 50p a mile and having to say 'well actually you owe me for the way home too' you just charge one way and £1. if that makes sense.... sorry the other person explained it to me so much better :lol:

 

[Misskimsi3bee]

thank you very much for your help - that does make perfect sense! I always feel rude to have to charge a little extra such as a travel fee, but then again they are paying for your services so I shouldn't feel like that. What would you suggest if I was travelling by train to the location? (for instance a journey that would be £5.00 return) which is sometimes easier than taking a car and parking it. Should I charge £5.00 for my travel or half? x

 

[laurakate]

thank you very much for your help - that does make perfect sense! I always feel rude to have to charge a little extra such as a travel fee, but then again they are paying for your services so I shouldn't feel like that. What would you suggest if I was travelling by train to the location? (for instance a journey that would be £5.00 return) which is sometimes easier than taking a car and parking it. Should I charge £5.00 for my travel or half? x

Travel is an overhead and what you charge for a treatment should take this into account in order for you to make a profit.

I'm not sure how much you should charge but it should be enough to make the time and cost of travel worth it in the first place.

 

[MissJulesBeauty]

I always charged a travel fee x Within 15 miles of my postcode was a standard £2 and anything above was an additional x

 

[Lady Murasaki]

I charge clients 0.45 per mile (which is within the rate quote by hrmc) round trip for those 10mile or more from my postcode, plus toll and parking charges.

Ill keep saying this til I'm blue in the face lol

A mobile serivce is a luxury service, as you are traveling to them, so yes charge travel but don't over charge for it