Managing time and money with clients
Good solutions have been offered, so I have little to contribute beyond saying that I keep a time log on every project and am usually able to gather all tasks for each project within those time segments. So the original poster's problem doesn't usually arise for me, though I can see how it would be a problem for others.
Slightly off topic, but perhaps related: a few years ago I undertook a project for a new client who turned out to pay much less per hour than the going rate, and much less than my usual rate. The client was an acquaintance and we moved in the same circles, so I didn't feel right about rejecting the project or asking for more (it was a semicharitable organization, not exactly nonprofit, but close). Nor was I at all comfortable accepting his rate without saying anything. My solution was to bill at my usual rate, which I showed on my statement, and then I added a conspicuous "courtesy discount" representing the difference. I was still paid less than usual, but at least I made my point in a dignified manner (and never received an assignment from that client again, which was fine with me---the organization was unprofessional in several other ways: materials sent to me in poor shape, my statement lost in accounting dept, etc.).
As I said, slightly off topic, but hey....many of us here work in similar situations, and maybe this experience will strike a chord with someone else.
Good solutions have been offered, so I have little to contribute beyond saying that I keep a time log on every project and am usually able to gather all tasks for each project within those time segments. So the original poster's problem doesn't usually arise for me, though I can see how it would be a problem for others.
Slightly off topic, but perhaps related: a few years ago I undertook a project for a new client who turned out to pay much less per hour than the going rate, and much less than my usual rate. The client was an acquaintance and we moved in the same circles, so I didn't feel right about rejecting the project or asking for more (it was a semicharitable organization, not exactly nonprofit, but close). Nor was I at all comfortable accepting his rate without saying anything. My solution was to bill at my usual rate, which I showed on my statement, and then I added a conspicuous "courtesy discount" representing the difference. I was still paid less than usual, but at least I made my point in a dignified manner (and never received an assignment from that client again, which was fine with me---the organization was unprofessional in several other ways: materials sent to me in poor shape, my statement lost in accounting dept, etc.).
As I said, slightly off topic, but hey....many of us here work in similar situations, and maybe this experience will strike a chord with someone else.