What is the dealio?

My barber
Has three siblings , a mom and dad , two uncle ,three aunts, four nieces and four nephews on her side and
Five more on her husband's side.

After seeing four of them get cuts, washes, colors, perms, styles and treatments and walk out w/o paying ,

I gotta wonder ,
Am I some kinda screwy Louis for thinking something ain't right?

I know it's none of my business, but hells bells , she works forty hours and if six of those are free bees ,

That's a considerable loss.

Might be getting free babysitting or something out of it.

Might just be doing it to be kind to family members, who knows. But yeah I understand your point.

If she can afford to give away freebies and stay in business, more power to her. My only issue, as a customer, would be if my haircut is delayed because she's busy doing a freebie for her relative.

When I lived near my big kid who cuts hair, I got free haircuts because even though he was an adult he still lived under my roof.

When he bought his own home, I payed him for the cuts, just so I could see him because he lived in another town

My daughter is owner-operator of a small pizza business. Even though I have money invested in the business, I still pay for my meals and expect her relatives to do likewise. The business is her way of making a living and needs to be run as a business.

Not enough information to tell. Her relatives may be leaches bleeding her dry or they may have some arrangement where they get free haircuts in exchange for something they’re doing for her that we don’t know about. For that matter, they might have bankrolled her business or may be letting her have the use of her work premises for free or reduced rent.

She owns the building,

And the business is in debt.

My sister is a stylist, and the family rule is that if you go to her shop you pay. If she cuts your hair when the shop is closed (either your place or her home) it's considered a freebie service.

She may very well be working in trades with them. Whatever craft they have, she maybe gets for free. We certainly do a lot of freebies and discounts for family. With some of them, they’ve helped us tremendously through the years. Others, not so much.
Once some of them got good jobs, they started to be charged and asked to pay, but everyone everywhere is always fond of a good discount.
Unless you’re her accountant, I’d steer clear of commenting. Family gets tricky.

I worked almost 20 years in construction and now 18 years in IT. Mostly all of the work I have done for family has been free. If it was a bigger project it was for pocket money, usually beer, or a trade for services of some kind. I trade for services with many of my friends as well.

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:

Unless you’re her accountant, I’d steer clear of commenting. Family gets tricky.

Yes.

You have no idea if they are still being paid here.

Could be a barter, they could be sending Venmo like my family does to each other. Or maybe it’s a freebie

Nothing wrong with giving one's time and expertise to one's family/friends.

And, re: walking out without paying...it's not like the barber doesn't know who they are. For all you/we know, they settle up around the dinner table later.

quote:

I know it's none of my business

This

She's a very nice lady, and then some , I can only hope and pray that the rest of her family are equally as nice.

I'll keep my head shut

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
She's a very nice lady, and then some , I can only hope and pray that the rest of her family are equally as nice.

I'll keep my head shut

Your heart is (as always) in the right place. Tell her how much you appreciate her work, and tip her well.

They’ve not freebies, all the other paying customers are covering it

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
]

Your heart is (as always) in the right place. Tell her how much you appreciate her work, and tip her well.

Oh she knows,

I just found out from two of her customers that
In our next lives we are to be husband and wife.

That's what she told them

My Cosuin owned a Barber Shop in Alburquerque and when visitng he would give me a clean up no charge. Always left a big tip.

I have done many free things for family members over the years. My choice, but they expected it. Which in retrospect isn't right. Do way less of it now. They don't understand it. Kind of what I expected.