\"I'll Pay You Next Week\" — The Three Mondays That Cost Tradies Thousands
By Dan Reeve — Working handyman and founder of SMASH Invoices. Built SMASH after losing $1,200 in uninvoiced jobs in a single year. He still takes on handyman work and uses SMASH on every job. About Dan →
"I'll pay you next week" costs Australian sole traders more than any other single phrase in business. The first week is waiting. The second week is following up. The third week is the uncomfortable phone call. By week four, the relationship is strained, the invoice is 30 days old, and the job you completed has turned into a part-time collections role. Customers who pay via a portal link on the day of the job don't say "I'll pay you next week," because the payment happens before they close the door.
The three Mondays
The job was done on a Wednesday. $340. Fence repair, half a day's work. Good job, customer was happy.
At the door: "I'll transfer you next week, is that okay?"
I said yes. Because it's awkward to say no. Because I trusted them. Because it was only $340.
Monday one: nothing. Monday two: I sent a text. "Hey just checking the invoice came through okay?" They saw it. No reply. Monday three: I called. They said they'd been busy. Could they pay Friday? Friday: nothing.
I spent three weeks and approximately 4 hours of total time, texts, calls, waiting, rescheduling, recovering $340.
At $80 per hour, that's $320 in time to recover $340. I made $20 net on a half-day's fence job.
"Mine was a cleaner I did gutters for. Small job, $180. She said she'd pay me through internet banking when she got home. Three weeks of nothing. Then a text saying she'd 'sorted it.' I had to ask whether that meant she'd paid me, it didn't. Took another two weeks. Five weeks for $180." — Craig L., Handyman, Brisbane QLD [PLACEHOLDER]
Why "I'll pay you next week" happens
It's not usually dishonesty. Most of the time the customer fully intends to pay. But there's no mechanism for them to do it right now.
They don't have cash. Their banking app is on their phone but it requires BSB lookup and they're standing at the door. "Next week" is the path of least resistance.
The fix isn't being tougher on customers. It's removing the friction between "job done" and "paid."
A portal link with a Pay Now button does exactly this. You send it before you leave, or right at the end of the job. They tap. They're holding their phone already. Their card is saved. Payment takes 20 seconds.
"I'll pay you next week" doesn't happen when paying takes less time than saying it.
The real cost of following up invoices
Most tradies drastically underestimate the time they spend chasing payments.
One invoice requiring 3 follow-up interactions: 1–2 hours. Two per month: 2–4 hours. At $80/hour opportunity cost: $160–$320/month. $1,920–$3,840/year.
That's money you're spending to recover money you already earned.
Read receipts cut this significantly. When you know a customer has opened the invoice three times, you call with confidence. When you know they haven't opened it in 5 days, you resend through a different channel. You stop waiting and guessing and start acting on information.
Frequently asked questions
Can I legally require payment on completion from customers in Australia? Yes. Payment on completion is a standard and enforceable payment term for residential trade work in Australia. State it on your quote before work begins: "Payment due on completion." If the customer agrees to the quote and the work is done to specification, payment is due at that point.
What should I do if a customer says "I'll pay next week" when I invoice? Ask if they can pay via a card link while you're still there. "No worries, I've just sent you a payment link if that's easier?" The link is already in their SMS or email. Many customers who were going to wait will pay on the spot if the option is right in front of them.
How many times should I chase an invoice before escalating? Standard practice: reminder at 7 days past due, formal overdue notice at 14 days, final demand at 21 days, then small claims tribunal or debt collection at 30+ days. Three follow-up contacts is reasonable before escalating.
Is there a way to reduce "I'll pay you next week" without confronting customers? Yes, remove the delay by including a Pay Now link in every invoice. When customers receive the invoice via portal link with a payment button, many pay immediately without a conversation being needed. The button does the asking.
What is the small claims tribunal limit in Australian states? NCAT (NSW): up to $30,000 (currently suspended for some matters). VCAT (VIC): up to $100,000. QCAT (QLD): up to $25,000 for minor civil disputes. SACAT (SA): up to $12,000. Each tribunal has a filing fee, typically $50–$120 for claims under $5,000.
Customer pays from the portal link before the door closes. No Monday required. Start Free →
Internal links: How read receipts changed the way I follow up invoices · What is a customer approval portal? · "I never got it"