I (23F) have been watching this woman's two dogs every weekend for almost eight months. We had a solid routine. I'd come Friday evening, stay through Sunday afternoon, feed them, walk them twice a day, give the older one his medication, and send photo updates. I charged $75 a night which is honestly below average for my area and I never once complained.
She reached out three weeks ago asking if I could do a full two week stay over the summer while her family does a European vacation. I said absolutely. She asked about the rate and I said same as always, $75 a night, so $1,050 total for 14 nights.
She said she wanted to work out a "package deal" instead. Fine, I was open to it. I offered $900 as a courtesy discount. She came back with $300 for the entire two weeks.
For context that's $21 a night. For two dogs. One of which needs medication twice a day.
I told her that didn't work for me. She said I was price gouging her and that she'd been "more than generous" letting me use her house. I said respectfully, using your house is part of the job, not a bonus. She did not love that.
Here's where it went sideways. She invited me over this past Saturday to "talk it out." I didn't realize her book club was there. Eight women sitting in the living room. She brought up the rate conversation in front of all of them and called me a scammer in front of everyone. Said I was trying to take advantage of a working mom. Her friends were nodding along.
I sat there for about four seconds, picked up my bag, told her I wouldn't be available for the summer or any future dates, and walked out while she was mid-sentence.
She has since texted me 23 times. I counted. Called me unprofessional, said I abandoned her dogs, told me she was going to leave me a bad review on Rover. I told her to go ahead and blocked her.
The guilt is getting to me because I genuinely love those dogs and none of this is their fault. But I'm not going to be humiliated in front of a room full of strangers for asking to be paid fairly.
Am I overreacting?