What Are Your Going Rates and Where Do You Live?

[Greenshadow]

I was in California and charged $5/hr. I charged $1 more for infants and $1 less for potty trained. Here in Virginia, I charge $125/wk for full time (over 20 hours/wk) and $80/wk for part time. $5 for drop-in. No weekends. 2 snacks and 2 meals provided.

[professionalmom]

I was told by Tom Copeland that asking another provider their rates is against the law. It's called price fixing.

That being said, I charge $160 a week based on 45 hours. Everything included except diapers. Centers around me charge $225.

First, if anyone tells you that something is legal or illegal, always ask them to show you the law regarding that. Second, Mr. Copeland is full of it on this issue, especially in Michigan. I live in Michigan, too. I called DHS to inquire about the rates in my area to ensure that I was charging a fair rate. They sent me a list of the daycares in my zip code and what their rates were. The rates were even broken down by age group, PT/FT, etc. So, I know it is NOT illegal in MI to inquire about the rates of other daycares.

Plus, if it's price fixing, what about gas stations posting their prices on those great big signs? What about stores like Wal-Mart that scope out the prices of other stores to try to offer the most competetive prices? It's part of doing business in any industry. It's only price fixing if all the providers in your area got together and said, "hey, we want to charge $200 a week for all full-time kids, so let's all raise our rates together. Then the parents won't have a choice."

I charge $130 for FT (35-50 hours) and $3.50 an hour for part time. But I am rethinking this to account for longer days, second shifts, etc.

[fctjc1979]

I live in Iowa and am open 24/7. Since I'm open all day, I let parents choose from three rate choices.

Hourly – 4.00/hr
Daily – 30.00/day – 9 hour max – anything over will be charged hourly
Full time – 135.00/week - up to 45 hours per week – anything over will be charged hourly

They might be a bit high considering the fact that I'm not licensed (not required in Iowa), but I don't really need the money. I do it because I enjoy having kids around. So my rates are a little high because I don't necessarily want to be full. It also helps offset things a bit when I help people out. I often watch kids from people in our church free of charge.

[swaddlebees]

I am in south ga (rural) and I charge $75 a week. That includes meals but no snacks. We are a natural eating, and cloth diapering daycare

[momofboys]

I charge $22/day for full-time care ($110/week). I am in the midwest. I charge $7/day for before & after school-care. That price does not include days when the kids have early release or where school is cancelled. An additional fee is added on those days. I have seen people advertise $15/day for care. When I used an in-home daycare provider when my older kids were younger (back in 2001-2003) I was paying $20/day for each. It's discouraging but for my area that still is the going rate & many providers still only charge $15/day.

[TomCopeland]

Price Fixing

First, if anyone tells you that something is legal or illegal, always ask them to show you the law regarding that. Second, Mr. Copeland is full of it on this issue, especially in Michigan. I live in Michigan, too. I called DHS to inquire about the rates in my area to ensure that I was charging a fair rate. They sent me a list of the daycares in my zip code and what their rates were. The rates were even broken down by age group, PT/FT, etc. So, I know it is NOT illegal in MI to inquire about the rates of other daycares.

Plus, if it's price fixing, what about gas stations posting their prices on those great big signs? What about stores like Wal-Mart that scope out the prices of other stores to try to offer the most competetive prices? It's part of doing business in any industry. It's only price fixing if all the providers in your area got together and said, "hey, we want to charge $200 a week for all full-time kids, so let's all raise our rates together. Then the parents won't have a choice."

I charge $130 for FT (35-50 hours) and $3.50 an hour for part time. But I am rethinking this to account for longer days, second shifts, etc.

Tom Copeland here - Federal anti-trust laws (for more info: www.justice.gov/atr/public/div_stats/1638.htm) say that it's illegal for competitors to discuss rates. When your state DHS office passes out information on rates this is not price fixing because DHS is not a competitor and they are passing out information that is available to the public. In the same way gas stations or any other business can advertise their rates to the public. But two competitors cannot sit down in a private room and tell each other what they charge or what they plan to charge for their product.

[AfterSchoolMom]

If that's the case, then it's fine here, right? After all, this forum is public, and none of us are from the same areas, so we're not competitors.

[QualiTcare]

no, it's not okay!

i'm reporting you all to the proper authorities so this insanity will stop and justice will prevail!!

[melissa ann]

Tom Copeland here - Federal anti-trust laws (for more info: www.justice.gov/atr/public/div_stats/1638.htm) say that it's illegal for competitors to discuss rates
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Inquiring about rates is not the same comptetitors discussing rates. If someone who wants to start a childcare business, that never had children in childcare how is that person supposed to know what is a "fair" price? My children were never in childcare and I had no idea what people were charging. I called other providers, acting like a parent needing childcare and asked their rates. I've had people call me "acting" as a parent to find out my rates. I don't see anything wrong with it.

[momma2girls]

I live in Iowa and am open 24/7. Since I'm open all day, I let parents choose from three rate choices.

Hourly – 4.00/hr
Daily – 30.00/day – 9 hour max – anything over will be charged hourly
Full time – 135.00/week - up to 45 hours per week – anything over will be charged hourly

They might be a bit high considering the fact that I'm not licensed (not required in Iowa), but I don't really need the money. I do it because I enjoy having kids around. So my rates are a little high because I don't necessarily want to be full. It also helps offset things a bit when I help people out. I often watch kids from people in our church free of charge.

Hi fellow Iowan!! Where do you live? I am in Cedar Rapids. There is one from Des Moines and one from Dubuque on here as well.
Glad to see another Iowan on here!!

[judytrickett]

But two competitors cannot sit down in a private room and tell each other what they charge or what they plan to charge for their product.

Whew! Good thing there aren't just two of us sitting down in a "private room" then!::

Whatever....

Every week I can look at the grocery flyers and see that THREE different stores all have Pillsbury Crescent Rolls on sale for one dollar. But, oh, no, they're not price fixing. They must just have strong mental telepathy skills to know what the competition is selling rolls for that week.

I would like to see them try to enforce that law with daycare providers.

Don't you just LOVE government?

[melskids]

how did tom copeland know we were talking about him....man gossip spreads fast on the internet...

[originalkat]

how did tom copeland know we were talking about him....man gossip spreads fast on the internet...

LOL! That is hilarious!

[fctjc1979]

Hi fellow Iowan!! Where do you live? I am in Cedar Rapids. There is one from Des Moines and one from Dubuque on here as well.
Glad to see another Iowan on here!!

I live just outside Des Moines in Altoona. This is just my most recent location in Iowa, though. I really need to stop moving.

[Michael]

Whew! Good thing there aren't just two of us sitting down in a "private room" then!::

Whatever....

Every week I can look at the grocery flyers and see that THREE different stores all have Pillsbury Crescent Rolls on sale for one dollar. But, oh, no, they're not price fixing. They must just have strong mental telepathy skills to know what the competition is selling rolls for that week.

I would like to see them try to enforce that law with daycare providers.

Don't you just LOVE government?

I think the catch word would be to "conspire" to set prices. That would need to be the intent.