What do you do when they give you less than you expected for extra time?

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

I am an artist first and a business woman second.
I need to work on the latter.

I just a job for 2 hours of painting.
The mom was not in the community room of the apartment building
until after I started painting the guests. I had lots of kids to paint.
It was a small room for the amount of guests. I was pinned behind
one of the tables that guests were using as well.

When my time was done, the birthday girl had not been painted.
I squirmed out behind the table and approached the mom. The cake was being cut.
She said yes, she wanted her daughter painted. But she had to change her daughter's outfit.

So she had to go back to her apartment and change her daughter. I thought that I should
paint the few guests that were not painted while I was waiting. Then she had to go back
to get her money. She gave me $220. My fee was $100 per hour. As I left the building,
I realized that it was 1 hour and 15 minutes past the 2 hour gig.

The room was too crowded to approach her easily and I don't believe that she had the extra to
pay me. Of course, the birthday girl had 3 outfits that she changed into during the 3 hours.
2 gowns and then jeans and a top.

I said nothing and left with the $220. How do people handle situations like this?
I am thinking in the future I need to be paid when I get there.
I will also explain BEFORE the day of the party, that for every 15 minutes overtime,
they will be charged an additional $25.

I just get frustrated with myself. I am not a very assertive person and I don't mind
going overtime up to 15 minutes for free. But this was more than that. It seems in these kinds
of situations, it is too easy to be played. What do you do if you work and then they don't have the $$.
I think I need a business manager that comes with me everytime! lol

Tell me what YOU do!

[Sherry]

I guess I'm the opposite.  I do arrive early and am ready to start painting as soon as I set up, but I usually end on schedule and turn people away when my time is up.  I think this may hurt me in business sometimes, but you know how long face painting takes and if I take all that start asking when I'm packing up, I could easily work another hour it seems.  I may have lost customers over this, I don't know.  I know of one Chick Fil A that didn't ask me back for that reason. 

But I do feel that it keeps me from being taken advantage of or working for free, because if they want me to stay longer, then they'll ask and know that I'm staying beyond my booked time, so they'll have the money to pay for it and it'll be their decision.  That way they can think about whether they can afford it or not.  I have it listed on my form how much it will cost for each additional half hour over.  If the customer is paying cash, then I usually collect the money after I pack up and I haven't had a problem with it.  If they're paying by check or credit card, I collect the money before the day of the event.

[Psalmbook]

I always make sure to paint the birthday child 1st & do a special design (if it's a girl) w/ bling & gems. I have in the contract, that they signed, my rates for 30 minute increments. This way they know that they will pay if they request or make me stay longer. If it's only 10 minutes, no big deal, but much longer than that & they pay. I also will always have a "gig" after their event that I MUST get to. This way, I can't be forced to stay longer unless I want to. My gig may be going home & giving my hubby a kiss, but they don't need to know that. Often I really do have another job & if they get ornery about it, I just explain that I was on time for their party & I must treat my next birthday child special too.
As far as Chick-Fil-A. I use my cards w/ numbers on the back. They know that I have to leave on time because my son gets out of dance 30 minutes after I'm done face painting. His dance company is in a really rough part of downtown & I CAN'T have him waiting outside because of his safety. So far they are all very understanding & even make sure to get me my check & dinner early so I don't have to wait. I put out 35-40 cards.