Taking money from Sensei?

[cheesefrysamurai]

I know you guys are going to think i am weird.

Basically my Sensei needed some work done that falls well within my expertise.

Graphics, printing, banners, website mods, that sort of thing but i hate taking money from him. I just don't like it. I cannot see him as a customer. If its a big job like tees I would charge him the cost.

Regardless I wouldn't charge him for my time.

Any one else as crazy as me?

[Zaine]

There's nothing wrong with doing it as a favor. I totally understand. If he insists though, ask if he can just wave a month's fee for you. That way he can feel like he's paying for the work and you don't have to accept money from him.

[SteyrAUG]

You are not crazy.

The more you value the martial arts and his instruction, the more you feel like your membership fees just don't adequately pay for things. I would agree with Zaine and just ask if you can barter it out. Explain why.

It also works both ways. I remember when you never paid your instructor for lessons directly. Club fees were always put in an envelope with your name on it and you left it on his desk when he was not in his office.

[wagnerk]

It depends... Right now any work I put into the club I do it for the love of it, eg advertising, domain name, banners, etc... My current club is non-profit, so anything that the club makes, gets put back into the club. So I don't charge.

However if the club/association that I belonged to was a for profit club, and the job being asked was outside the realms of the martial arts and there was a cost associated with it, then maybe I'd see it differently.

[sensei8]

Sensitive grounds, imho. Doing your sensei a favor is commendable. Your sensei wanting to pay for said expertise, that too is commendable. Some sensei's don't want to violate the instructor maxim that speaks about not confusing the respectful relationship between sensei and students.

Again, sensitive grounds, imho.

[Safroot]

You are not crazy at all , that will be very nice of you

[Nidan Melbourne]

your not crazy for feeling like that.

If he does insist on paying you for it then do as what the others have suggested to get x months off as payment. I say x months off because the job can be small or really big and the cost would be different.

Otherwise if that can't be done charge him less than what you would normally

[bushido_man96]

your not crazy for feeling like that.

If he does insist on paying you for it then do as what the others have suggested to get x months off as payment. I say x months off because the job can be small or really big and the cost would be different.

Otherwise if that can't be done charge him less than what you would normally

Do this at least.

I understand where everyone here is coming from, but there is the other side of it, as well. But unless he is offering you his services for free, then I don't see why you should feel like you should offer your services to him for free. You are his customer, and at this point, it sounds like he is your customer.

If you don't want to charge him, then don't; its your choice, especially if its your business. Its a very nice gesture to offer him this for free, and hopefully it reciprocates for you in some way.

[sensei8]

If both of you are in a business, then businesses often times "exchange services" in the place of normal accounts receivable practices; the barter. Being professionals at all times because many barters turn ugly because of unknown expectations. Both parties should protect themselves and have some written agreements because this is what businesses do to avoid any harm. The favor of one or both can be misconstrued as something that it isn't and/or won't be.

[ps1]

I pay my students for any work they do.

1. They are not my slaves. Their time is as valuable as mine and they deserve to be paid as much as I do.

2. In some states, it's illegal not to do so.

3. I don't like to barter because often times the services traded to not have equal monetary value. IE...graphics design can be quite pricey. It's not fair to give them a few months at a discount, which may be much less valuable.

4. I feel it's the professional way to handle things.