Paying livery monthly - 5 week months what do you do?

[indie1282]

Hiya. My YO came out tonight and said that I'm behind on my livery. I was a bit confused as I always pay on the 1st of the month so I asked how and he said because there has been some 5 week months and I pay every month the same amount regardless.

Once I thought about it I realised he was quite right! He was fine and said to catch it uo over the next few months. I don't think I cottoned on as at my last yard they added up the 5 week months and split them over the 12 months so the livery was the same every month.

Does anybody else pay for the extra week on a 5 week month? Or does your yard average it over 12 months.He is an old school farmer and I think doing it this way makes sense to him plus some liveries pay him weekly.

BTW im not trying to get out of paying the extra week! Just interested in what others do.

 

[Mince Pie]

If paying monthly I paid the same every month as the shorter months like february balance the 5 week months. Other option is to work out how much livery is per week, multiply by 52 (weeks in the year) then divide by 12 (months) and pay that every month?

 

[missk]

As above.... Thats how my livery bill was worked out.

 

[Mongoose11]

I pay the same averaged out over 12, I think it's strange to do it any other way!

 

[pepsimaxrock]

I too am on a weekly charge but pay bills calendar monthly. I am invoiced each month as costs vary. The invoice is usually for 4 weeks charge but sometimes for 5. Then there are the extras to add - schooling, weekend full livery occasionally, extra shavings to the allowance etc xx

 

[indie1282]

I totally agree! I would always x the weekly amount by 52 then ÷ by 12 and that would be the monthly amount each month. They are quite old school and not that clued up on how livery generally works but i like the yard and the livery is very reasonable so I think I will set aside the difference each month and give them the 'extra' week when it occurs :-D

 

[Ninarodders]

Mines monthly. I'm not sure how they've worked it but it's the same every month paid upfront for the month.

 

[indie1282]

I too am on a weekly charge but pay bills calendar monthly. I am invoiced each month as costs vary. The invoice is usually for 4 weeks charge but sometimes for 5. Then there are the extras to add - schooling, weekend full livery occasionally, extra shavings to the allowance etc xx

He does give me a receipt but I never even thought to look at it! I looked at it tonight and yep low and behold I wasnt up to date! :-D

All sorted now though and all ok.

 

[Shooting Star]

The last two yards I've been on have been 1/12th of a year per month but the two prior to that both did the 4 or 5 weeks approach

... And at one point I was paying livery on the 4 or 5 week method but being paid my salary on a Luna / 4 weekly method so there would be the occasional month where I'd get paid twice!

 

[Firefly9410]

I either pay weekly or I pay monthly. I will not move to yards where you need to pay four - weekly, it is too confusing and with forgetful or shady YOs you can get ripped off without realising.

 

[wills_91]

Could you not ask him to add up and divide to keep you both right? Would be a hell of a lot easier!

 

[JustKickOn]

I either pay weekly or I pay monthly. I will not move to yards where you need to pay four - weekly, it is too confusing and with forgetful or shady YOs you can get ripped off without realising.

This is how I pay my livery, it's the same amount every four weeks. I just have a standing order set up to their account so it pays automatically. Payment days are written on the calendar, so I know when to expect the money going out. It works out as 13 payments a year instead of 12.

 

[Archangel]

Mine is every 4 weeks in cash - it is a bit of a pain but I have reminders set up.

 

[indie1282]

Could you not ask him to add up and divide to keep you both right? Would be a hell of a lot easier!

I know it would but like I said he is old school and is quite set in his ways! I will do it that way myself and set aside the difference then when its an exta week I'll have the money ready lol.

 

[Iwantakitten]

Mine is every 4 weeks in cash - it is a bit of a pain but I have reminders set up.

On my old yard mine was every month in cash which was a pain as it worked out to be odd pounds so couldn't just draw out the cash and hand over, plus I didn't always see the YO when it was due and didn't like to leave in case it wasn't secure. Now I've moved I have a standing order set up and pay on the first of the month based on 52 x weekly charge / 12, very easy.

 

[Equi]

I get a bill every four weeks for the amount I owe. My yo is quite good that way.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I used to charge liveries a flat montly bill, this took into consideration 5 week months etc so payment the same on 1st of the month all year round.

I now only take temporary liveries, these pay by the week, or by every 4 weeks, never monthly.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

My livery is a weekly charge so I just do weekly charge x 52 / 12 to get a monthly amount and pay that every month.

 

[splashgirl45]

i pay 4 weekly and once i have paid i mark the next date in my diary...i find it very easy and i know exactly how much i am paying......just have to add any extras on if necessary..

 

[Shutterbug]

My yard takes the weekly amounts x 52 then divides by 12 to get a monthly average and thats what I pay each month. I did have a yard previously who did it going by how many weeks were in the month but it confused the hell out of me

 

[saddlesore]

I get handed a bill at the end of each calendar month. Sometimes it's for 4 weeks, sometimes 5. Never thought about it tbh but then I pay in arrears.

 

[BarneyTheChestnutOne]

I pay for my mare monthly, it's the same base charge every month for the stable and facilities, So 1/12th of the year. Hay bedding etc varies according to what I've used the previous month.
My gelding on grass livery elsewhere is 4 weekly which is not a problem, just means making sure I keep it in my planner when it's due.

 

[Nativelover]

I pay monthly, I count the Saturdays and pay however many there are in that month. Sometimes 5 sometimes 4, depending on the month. Certainly helps if leaving the yard, as I'm certain my YO would want whatever shortfall if it was averaged out over the year.

 

[EventingMum]

It does mean odd amounts but I divide the weekly charge by 7 and multiply by the days in the month when I bill my liveries each month. There are often extras such as worm counts, wormers, extra nights in or extra feeds so it works best that way though it might be different if we did DIY and the costs didn't vary.

 

[criso]

Most yards have had a calendar month charge and where the advertised rate is weekly, they work out monthly rate (week x 52/12) and you pay that 1st of each month.
The one exception is the current yard which is more pay as you go for services so even though I am effectively 5 day, ym gives me a bill at the end of the month with how many days I've had of livery that month so that varies.

 

[Stuckinmud]

I pay weekly so it's more on a 5 week month. I cut my lesson out on that week to over the extra cost.

 

[Micropony]

My yard will bill either weekly or 4 weekly. I would prefer to pay calendar monthly as that's how I am paid so it would be more convenient. The compromise seems to be that every so often I pay for 5 weeks rather than 4 which is fine but I am far too disorganised to plan in advance properly so that just ends up being a slightly tight month!

 

[Girlracer]

My yard charges the same every month irrespective of the number of weeks, I guess she has averaged a monthly rate over the whole year.

I wouldn't like having to recognise a 4 or 5 week month, asking for getting left behind!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Ask for an invoice,

 

[william95]

Hiya. My YO came out tonight and said that I'm behind on my livery. I was a bit confused as I always pay on the 1st of the month so I asked how and he said because there has been some 5 week months and I pay every month the same amount regardless.

Once I thought about it I realised he was quite right! He was fine and said to catch it uo over the next few months. I don't think I cottoned on as at my last yard they added up the 5 week months and split them over the 12 months so the livery was the same every month.

Does anybody else pay for the extra week on a 5 week month? Or does your yard average it over 12 months.He is an old school farmer and I think doing it this way makes sense to him plus some liveries pay him weekly.

BTW im not trying to get out of paying the extra week! Just interested in what others do.

Most of my customers pay by standing order for 4 weeks livery to correspond with their pay days but my livery fee is weekly. When I do my invoices, which are always done to the last Saturday of the month, if it is a 5 week month then I just put this extra week onto their bill for school, bedding etc. This usually happens about once every 3 months (July is a 5 week month for me). I also always write down on everyones invoices where their livery is paid up to so that they can check that my records agree with theirs (if they keep them!) and any queries can be sorted quickly then.