Accepting Manual Payments

What are Manual Payments?

Manual payments let you accept money outside of TutorLingua's payment system. Students book lessons and pay you directly via:

• Venmo
• PayPal
• Zelle
• Bank transfer
• Cash (for in-person lessons)

Setting Up Manual Payments

Step 1: Go to Payment Settings

Navigate to Settings > Payments

Step 2: Enable Your Payment Methods

For each payment method you want to accept:

1. Toggle the payment method ON
2. Enter your payment details:

Venmo

• Your Venmo username (e.g., @yourname)

PayPal

• Your PayPal email or PayPal.me link

Zelle

• Your Zelle email or phone number

Bank Transfer

• Bank name
• Account holder name
• Account number (or last 4 digits)
• Routing number (optional)

Step 3: Save Your Settings

Click Save to enable manual payments on your booking page.

How Manual Payments Work

Student Experience

When a student books with manual payment:

1. They select a service and time
2. At checkout, they see your payment instructions
3. They complete the booking (marked as "Unpaid")
4. They send payment to you directly
5. You mark the booking as "Paid"

Your Experience

1. You receive a booking notification
2. Booking appears as "Unpaid" in your dashboard
3. Student sends payment via your preferred method
4. You verify payment received
5. You mark booking as "Paid"

Marking Bookings as Paid

When you receive payment:

1. Go to Dashboard > Bookings
2. Find the unpaid booking
3. Click "Mark as Paid"
4. Optionally add a note (e.g., "Paid via Venmo 1/15")

Best Practices

Be Clear About Timing

Tell students when payment is expected:

• Before the lesson
• Within 24 hours of booking
• After the lesson

Send Payment Reminders

For unpaid bookings:

1. Open the booking
2. Click "Send Reminder"
3. Student receives an email with payment instructions

Track Payment Method

Add notes to bookings indicating how payment was received. This helps with:

• Record keeping
• Tax reporting
• Identifying payment patterns

Combining with Stripe

You can offer both Stripe and manual payments:

• Stripe - For students who prefer card payments
• Manual - For students in regions without Stripe support, or who prefer other methods

Students choose their preferred option at checkout.

When to Use Manual Payments

Manual payments work well for:

| Scenario | Benefit | |----------|---------| | Students without credit cards | Expand your reach | | Regions without Stripe | Accept international students | | Existing students | Keep your current payment flow | | Friends/family | Simpler for informal bookings |

Limitations

Be aware of manual payment limitations:

• No automatic confirmation - You must manually mark as paid
• No refund processing - Handle refunds outside TutorLingua
• Payment disputes - You manage directly with the payment provider
• Record keeping - Track payments yourself for taxes

Security Tips

• Never share full bank account details publicly
• Use payment methods with buyer/seller protection when possible
• Keep records of all transactions
• Set clear expectations about payment timing

Next Steps

• Set up Stripe Connect for card payments
• Create a cancellation policy for unpaid bookings
• Test the booking flow yourself