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Suppose that I send invoices to my clients recurrently. Sometimes the amount is too small to pay alone. In that case, I don't mind they pay with next invoice.

You can pay it together with next one.

Is that polite? As for me, it sounds as if I am a boss and give them some permission. That is not my intention.

I usually communicate with some clients on email and others on text chat. So I'd like to know suitable expressions for each case. (maybe chat is less formal than email)

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  • Although I usually argue against the passive voice (because it's often overdone, and it impairs legibility), in this specific case it's normal to use passive phrasing - It can be paid together with next one, for example. But this is purely a matter of conventional "business letter style". There's nothing syntactically wrong with your version. – FumbleFingers Reinstate Monica May 15 '18 at 16:17
  • It's not impolite, but it may not be 100% clear. I'd suggest: You can wait to pay this together with your next invoice. I would also mention: ...with no late penalty incurred. – J.R.♦ May 15 '18 at 17:01
  • A minor correction: one, in this context, is countable, so it has to be "with the next one." – stangdon May 15 '18 at 17:12
  • @user75350 One way of doing it would be to include a line in all your bills stating that: Amounts of less than X-(dollars/euros) may be held over and paid with the subsequent bill. Or ....*....paid the following month.* depending on how often you bill your clients. – Ronald Sole May 15 '18 at 22:14
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If politeness is your goal one alternative would be:

You may pay it together with the next one.

Changing can with may makes it more of an accommodation that is easily available to them. However, your original sentence will work. The word together seems to not be needed in either sentence though.

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