Second Late Payment in 2 Weeks -- Next Step?

[Mary Poppins]

I would love to have them pay online! Much more convenient for me, is it an automatic withdrawal or do they pay it manually themselves? Are they ever late with payments? How did you set this up? Thanks

I was using Paypal but now offer both it and ChildCarePay.com (through the Minute Menu Kids program). CCP gives them the opportunity to do automatic withdrawl or manual and you can invoice them by email etc. It is just AWESOME!! happyface

They both charge a fee. PP is pretty high, $3.00 per $100 or so but CCP is just $1.00 per transaction no matter the amount and I eat that cost and will write it off at the end of the year. Can't recommend MMK and CCP enough!!

Oh, and I have had late payments by a day or so, but you can edit their invoice to add a late payment fee and send an email reminder. Works brilliantly.

[MarinaVanessa]

PP is pretty high, $3.00 per $100 or so but CCP is just $1.00 per transaction no matter the amount and I eat that cost and will write it off at the end of the year. Can't recommend MMK and CCP enough!!

Oh, and I have had late payments by a day or so, but you can edit their invoice to add a late payment fee and send an email reminder. Works brilliantly.

Yep, I LOVE MMK and CCP. I accept drop-ins and drop-in clients call me to ask my availabilities and I'll confirm the dates with them and invoice them and they pay me right away. My drop-in clients ll know that I run on first-pay-first-serve so I have empty slots filled and paid for almost a week in advance thanks to Child Care Pay. Most of my other clients pay me by check or cash but I still invoice them and send them copies to their email addresses. I love that I don't have to write or print out invoices and receipts anymore. I do it all on MMK and the clients log in to CCP and look at the invoices and receipts and print them if they need them. As soon as my FT and PT clients pay me I enter it as they stand here. I don't know how I'd survive without MMK.
I also pay the fee's myself to make it more enticing for my clients and then I just claim the fees at the end of the year.

[DBug]

3rd time's a charm!

So, dcm brought the 2nd late payment on the Sunday, which is great, because I was dreading having to turn them away on Monday morning.

HOWEVER ... dcm picked up this past Friday with cash -- but not enough. She said she'd bring it on Saturday. I said "Sure, just remember to add the late fee". And of course, you guessed it, I haven't seen her since (it is currently Sunday evening).

So ... how does this letter sound?

Dear DCM,

Your account is currently overdue by $217.50 ($202.50 child care + $15 late fees for 3 days). Payment must be made before further care is provided. In addition, future late payments will result in a late fee increase to $15/day, and if repeated, may also result in discontinuation of care.

Thanks so much for your understanding in this matter.

Signed,
Me

[momofboys]

3rd time's a charm!

So, dcm brought the 2nd late payment on the Sunday, which is great, because I was dreading having to turn them away on Monday morning.

HOWEVER ... dcm picked up this past Friday with cash -- but not enough. She said she'd bring it on Saturday. I said "Sure, just remember to add the late fee". And of course, you guessed it, I haven't seen her since (it is currently Sunday evening).

So ... how does this letter sound?

Dear DCM,

Your account is currently overdue by $217.50 ($202.50 child care + $15 late fees for 3 days). Payment must be made before further care is provided. In addition, future late payments will result in a late fee increase to $15/day, and if repeated, may also result in discontinuation of care.

Thanks so much for your understanding in this matter.

Signed,
Me

Your letter sounds fine but I would NOT accept the child Mon morning (today) if they were this behind. No way would I let it get that far. $$$ must be in hand Mon morning or no care!

[wdmmom]

3rd time's a charm!

So, dcm brought the 2nd late payment on the Sunday, which is great, because I was dreading having to turn them away on Monday morning.

HOWEVER ... dcm picked up this past Friday with cash -- but not enough. She said she'd bring it on Saturday. I said "Sure, just remember to add the late fee". And of course, you guessed it, I haven't seen her since (it is currently Sunday evening).

So ... how does this letter sound?

Dear DCM,

Your account is currently overdue by $217.50 ($202.50 child care + $15 late fees for 3 days). Payment must be made before further care is provided. In addition, future late payments will result in a late fee increase to $15/day, and if repeated, may also result in discontinuation of care.

Thanks so much for your understanding in this matter.

Signed,
Me

Perfect! Straight forward and to the point. Now just stick to what you said and don't let it continue to happen. If you keep letting this happen, they will just leave and leave a balance.

[momma2girls]

Let us know what happens with this family.

[DBug]

Well, my backbone IS growing . Dcm pulled up with dcg just as we were getting back from the bus stop this morning. I nonchalantly said "Good morning! Before you unbuckle C, did you bring payment with you?".

Thankfully she had brought more than enough, which is great. And if I hadn't already put the fee increase note in her cubby, I might have backed down. But since it was already there waiting for her, I briefly explained what it meant when she saw it. She said "Oh, okay" and left it at that. No excuses or arguments (no apology either, but that's okay).

I'm hoping she gets the point, but after this small victory, I'm much better prepared to look for someone else if they are late again.

Thanks you guys!

[momofboys]

Well, my backbone IS growing . Dcm pulled up with dcg just as we were getting back from the bus stop this morning. I nonchalantly said "Good morning! Before you unbuckle C, did you bring payment with you?".

Thankfully she had brought more than enough, which is great. And if I hadn't already put the fee increase note in her cubby, I might have backed down. But since it was already there waiting for her, I briefly explained what it meant when she saw it. She said "Oh, okay" and left it at that. No excuses or arguments (no apology either, but that's okay).

I'm hoping she gets the point, but after this small victory, I'm much better prepared to look for someone else if they are late again.

Thanks you guys!

Good for you!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

3rd time's a charm!

So, dcm brought the 2nd late payment on the Sunday, which is great, because I was dreading having to turn them away on Monday morning.

HOWEVER ... dcm picked up this past Friday with cash -- but not enough. She said she'd bring it on Saturday. I said "Sure, just remember to add the late fee". And of course, you guessed it, I haven't seen her since (it is currently Sunday evening).

So ... how does this letter sound?

Dear DCM,

Your account is currently overdue by $217.50 ($202.50 child care + $15 late fees for 3 days). Payment must be made before further care is provided. In addition, future late payments will result in a late fee increase to $15/day, and if repeated, may also result in discontinuation of care.

Thanks so much for your understanding in this matter.

Signed,
Me

I like your letter & just had to do something similar myself. Big sigh.

[MissK]

I do things a bit differently than most on here because I require post dates cheques upfront and then cash them. This way there is no way parents can "forget" to pay me. The payments are in 3 month intervals and are required the week before the last cheque is cashed.

Maybe start requiring post dated cheques from this particular family because of the past experience?

I like this idea! I am in an area where nobody pays before care, but I think the idea of getting a post-dated check is kind of a happy middle. This is definitely something I'm going to think about!