A client in Dallas told me to stop sending invoices

Troy Knight · 2026-04-17T09:05:07.424711+00:00

I was doing some web design work for a small local business, about $2,500 worth. After the first milestone, I sent my invoice like normal. The owner called me and said, 'Just put it on a tab, we'll settle up at the end.' I pushed back, saying I needed to keep cash flow steady. He got annoyed and said all his other freelancers just waited. It made me realize how many clients see our finances as an afterthought. I stuck to my guns and got paid, but it was awkward. How do you handle clients who try to delay payment without a real reason?

young.michael5mo ago

Honestly, that just sounds like normal small business cash flow talk. Maybe he wasn't trying to be difficult.

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xena5825mo ago

Gift cards? @young.michael, that's not cash flow, that's a fantasy.

3

ivan_harris5mo ago

Last year I had a client in Austin who wanted to pay me in gift cards to his own store. It was for a logo, around a grand. He acted like it was a totally normal way to do business. I had to explain that my landlord doesn't accept boutique coffee shop credit. Some people just live in a different world when it comes to money.

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