[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":187},["ShallowReactive",2],{"guide-\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fshould-i-require-a-deposit-to-hold-a-date":3,"guide-siblings-\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fshould-i-require-a-deposit-to-hold-a-date":177},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"description":152,"disclaimer":153,"draft":154,"extension":155,"faq":156,"lastReviewed":169,"meta":170,"navigation":171,"path":172,"publishedAt":169,"seo":173,"sitemap":174,"stem":175,"__hash__":176},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fshould-i-require-a-deposit-to-hold-a-date.md","Should I require a deposit to hold a date?","Rally",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":143},"minimark",[10,14,19,22,45,49,52,96,99,103,106,110,125,128,136,140],[11,12,13],"p",{},"Yes. A date is inventory, and a deposit is what makes a hold real. Without\none you're turning away paying clients for a maybe. A common setup is 25\nto 50 percent up front, non-refundable, with one free reschedule inside\nthe season.",[15,16,18],"h2",{"id":17},"what-a-deposit-actually-does","What a deposit actually does",[11,20,21],{},"A deposit does three jobs at once:",[23,24,25,33,39],"ul",{},[26,27,28,32],"li",{},[29,30,31],"strong",{},"It filters."," The client who won't put money down was never booked.\nThey were shopping, and now you know on Tuesday instead of Saturday.",[26,34,35,38],{},[29,36,37],{},"It pays for the hold."," Once you say yes, you start saying no to\neveryone else who wants that date. The deposit is the price of those\nnoes.",[26,40,41,44],{},[29,42,43],{},"It funds the week."," Consumables, fuel, and crew get paid before the\nbalance clears. Deposits keep the season cash-positive.",[15,46,48],{"id":47},"how-much-to-charge","How much to charge",[11,50,51],{},"There's no magic number, but there are sane shapes:",[53,54,55,68],"table",{},[56,57,58],"thead",{},[59,60,61,65],"tr",{},[62,63,64],"th",{},"Booking size",[62,66,67],{},"Common approach",[69,70,71,80,88],"tbody",{},[59,72,73,77],{},[74,75,76],"td",{},"Small backyard party",[74,78,79],{},"Flat amount, often 50 to 100 dollars",[59,81,82,85],{},[74,83,84],{},"Standard party",[74,86,87],{},"25 to 50 percent of the total",[59,89,90,93],{},[74,91,92],{},"Large event, school, or town",[74,94,95],{},"50 percent, or staged payments with dates",[11,97,98],{},"Round numbers get paid faster than odd ones. And whatever you pick, apply\nit every time. The deposit you waive for a friendly voice is the date\nthat cancels.",[15,100,102],{"id":101},"holds-without-a-deposit","Holds without a deposit",[11,104,105],{},"Sometimes a client needs a day to get a spouse's sign-off, and that's\nfair. Give the hold a clock: 48 or 72 hours, said out loud and written in\nthe follow-up text. When the clock runs out, the date reopens, no hard\nfeelings. A hold with no clock is a free option on your busiest Saturday.",[15,107,109],{"id":108},"write-it-down-then-let-it-work","Write it down, then let it work",[111,112,113,116,119,122],"ol",{},[26,114,115],{},"Put the deposit amount and the reschedule policy in the contract, in\nplain words.",[26,117,118],{},"Repeat both in the confirmation message, so nobody signs surprised.",[26,120,121],{},"Send the deposit request with the agreement, one link, one sitting.",[26,123,124],{},"When the deposit clears, and only then, mark the date booked.",[11,126,127],{},"The Monday after a big weekend used to be the card chase: who paid, who\nhalf-paid, whose check was in whose glovebox. A written deposit policy,\ncollected up front, is what deleted that Monday for us.",[129,130,133],"rally-aside",{"label":131,"to":132},"See payments in Rally","\u002Ffeatures",[11,134,135],{},"Deposit policies in Rally are yours to set, including whether an unpaid\ndeposit blocks confirmation. One link covers the agreement and the\ndeposit, and reminders chase the balance so you don't have to.",[15,137,139],{"id":138},"the-one-sentence-policy","The one-sentence policy",[11,141,142],{},"If you take nothing else from this page: no deposit, no date. Say it\nkindly, put it in writing, and let the calendar prove you right.",{"title":144,"searchDepth":145,"depth":145,"links":146},"",2,[147,148,149,150,151],{"id":17,"depth":145,"text":18},{"id":47,"depth":145,"text":48},{"id":101,"depth":145,"text":102},{"id":108,"depth":145,"text":109},{"id":138,"depth":145,"text":139},"Yes. A date is inventory, and a deposit is what makes a hold real. Without one you are turning away paying clients for a maybe.","legal",false,"md",[157,160,163,166],{"q":158,"a":159},"Should party deposits be refundable?","Most operators make the deposit non-refundable and offer a reschedule instead. The client keeps their money working toward a party, and you keep the date paid for. Put the policy in the contract in plain words.",{"q":161,"a":162},"Can I take deposits through Venmo or Zelle?","You can, and plenty of operators start there. The trade is the paper trail: no invoice, no card record, and a personal account mixing with business money. The apps also close accounts that take business payments on personal terms, sometimes mid-season.",{"q":164,"a":165},"How long should I hold a date without a deposit?","Pick a number and say it out loud: 48 or 72 hours is common. \"I can pencil you in until Thursday, then the date opens back up.\" Most clients pay inside the window once there is a window.",{"q":167,"a":168},"What if a client says another company does not require deposits?","Let them go find out why. A company holding dates for free is a company whose calendar means nothing. Your deposit is part of what makes your yes worth something.","2026-07-12",{},true,"\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fshould-i-require-a-deposit-to-hold-a-date",{"title":5,"description":152},{"loc":172},"guides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fshould-i-require-a-deposit-to-hold-a-date","MwVU3hYEDTLQ6bwX3z33mMzAD0Avjpd2xgrHnLFF9qk",[178,181,184],{"path":179,"title":180},"\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fhow-to-handle-a-client-who-wont-pay-the-balance","How to handle a client who won't pay the balance",{"path":182,"title":183},"\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fshould-i-offer-payment-plans","Should I offer payment plans for party bookings?",{"path":185,"title":186},"\u002Fguides\u002Fgetting-paid\u002Fwhat-payment-methods-should-a-party-business-accept","Cash, check, card, or payment apps: what should a party business accept?",1783921368453]