Frustrated About Cheap Competition

[Blackcat31]

I charge $35/day which is the going rate in my area for quality care. If some one was charging $20/day I would say "you get what you pay for" which would absolutely be a low quality program/care for this area. I have no idea what it would be for other areas so I tend not to comment on prices.

I charge a rate that is on the higher end of what is average around here. I know a SAHM/provider who only takes 3 or 4 kids in her daycare and she charges half of what I do.

I would NEVER say "you get what you pay for".

She is EXCELLENT at what she does and provides a high quality program.

She just doesn't need to bring in as much financially as others so she charges what she needs to and what she feels comfortable with.

I think that saying is waaaay off base as far as daycare goes.

[MamaBear]

Thats a problem in my area too. I charged $160 a week flat rate. The norm here is like $150-200 on the high end. There are people charging $100 and less a week for full time. But when you look at their pictures of their home they are usually pretty yuck. You kinda get what you pay for I think.

I had a lady call a couple months back that said "I have 2 children, ages 8 months and 2 years old. My current daycare is awful so I'm looking for a new one. What would you charge for my 2 for full time?" I said "$300 a week for 2"... which is a little discount. I didnt really want a sibling situation so I wasn't trying to deal with her. Her response was "Wow, thats really expensive. My current daycare only charges me $150 total for both of them full time! Cant you match that deal?" I said "Sorry I don't negotiate and try to outbid other daycares with their rates. You kinda get what you pay for... and you said your daycare is 'awful' ~ thats probably whey they are so cheap! So if your interested, you are welcome to check out my daycare". HaHa She didn't like that I guess ~ I never heard form her again.

Its unbelievable how cheap people will be when it comes to quality care for their own children.

[Sugar Magnolia]

I charge $175-195 power week, slightly higher than the going rate for other quality centers in my area.

[momma2girls]

I charge $140.00 per week, and I am actually thinking on going up!! The price of gas, groceries, supplies, etc. etc..... are going up sky high!!! This is pretty average in my area. The centers are about $200.00 or above here.

[Heidi]

Thats a problem in my area too. I charged $160 a week flat rate. The norm here is like $150-200 on the high end. There are people charging $100 and less a week for full time. But when you look at their pictures of their home they are usually pretty yuck. You kinda get what you pay for I think.

I had a lady call a couple months back that said "I have 2 children, ages 8 months and 2 years old. My current daycare is awful so I'm looking for a new one. What would you charge for my 2 for full time?" I said "$300 a week for 2"... which is a little discount. I didnt really want a sibling situation so I wasn't trying to deal with her. Her response was "Wow, thats really expensive. My current daycare only charges me $150 total for both of them full time! Cant you match that deal?" I said "Sorry I don't negotiate and try to outbid other daycares with their rates. You kinda get what you pay for... and you said your daycare is 'awful' ~ thats probably whey they are so cheap! So if your interested, you are welcome to check out my daycare". HaHa She didn't like that I guess ~ I never heard form her again.

Its unbelievable how cheap people will be when it comes to quality care for their own children.

In the parent's defense, there are a lot of people who are struggling, but don't "quite" qualify for subsidy. I have a dc family who had 2 children, and then had twins (on birth control). She was fine with dc for 2 children, but 4? Mom would be a great SAHM, but she is the one who has a professional position and makes more $, has benefits. Dad is not SAHD material. Nice man, but the house would fall apart and so would the family. They are $58 over the monthly income limit for subsidy.

For example, for a family of 4, the monthly income cap is $3552 gross, which is $888 per week (a very likely wage for 2 adults in this county). Take 25% off for taxes, and it leaves $660. If that family has 2 kids in daycare at $110 per week, leaves $430 per week, or roughly $1800 per month for rent (av.$600 for a 2 bdr), health insurance (if they're lucky, we pay $600/mo for our employer subsidized insurance), food, gas, heat, electricity, car insurance, a car payment (if not 2), clothes, uncovered medical stuff (eye doctor, dentist, co-pays), and entertainment.

So who picks up the slack? On the other hand, is it really the state's job? I don't know if that's right, either! We could say don't have kids if you can't afford them, but A-they already had them, and B-we'd be out of jobs.

I think what frustrates all of us about the Star Program is that it is a TON of money-10 million dollars, that could have been spent on making sure that the existing daycares are checked more often for safety (not stupid paperwork stuff), that more parents could get some subsidy money, and that the illegal providers are shut down. Send us some grant money for equipment that I can't afford on $400/week!

[TBird]

Same problem here but to their credit......the SAHM's in this area do provide clean, quality childcare. I just wish they would charge a little more so MY clean, quality childcare didn't look so astronomical.

I am VERYaffordable for what I provide (designated space, quality meals, preschool program, outings, fenced in play area, etc.). BUT when the SAHM's undercut the price so much, no one realizes that it COSTS to provide all of these extras AND do the trainings AND be accountable to state regulations.

[Greenplasticwateringcans]

I charge a rate that is on the higher end of what is average around here. I know a SAHM/provider who only takes 3 or 4 kids in her daycare and she charges half of what I do.

I would NEVER say "you get what you pay for".

She is EXCELLENT at what she does and provides a high quality program.

She just doesn't need to bring in as much financially as others so she charges what she needs to and what she feels comfortable with.

I think that saying is waaaay off base as far as daycare goes.

I said "in my area" it would be a low quality program for that cheap. I also said I don't comment on other areas.

In MY area, that saying is VERY true.

Notice again I'm NOT mentioning anything about other areas.

[Blackcat31]

I said "in my area" it would be a low quality program for that cheap. I also said I don't comment on other areas.

In MY area, that saying is VERY true.

Notice again I'm NOT mentioning anything about other areas.

I'm sorry, I didn't read it as you meaning ONLY your area but funny how I go back and re-read and that IS exactly what it says.

My apologies (open mouth-insert foot)

[Mommy2One]

In my area, the nice centers run $145-$185/wk (for my 2.5yo, infants are more). On average, at home care runs $100-$125/wk but I've seen it as low as $60-$75/week.

In my experience only, and as a generalization of what I've seen in my area, the $60-$75/wk emphasize their low price as their main selling point. There tends to be a desperate quality about their ads. I've emailed a couple of them and they tend to define "educational" as Nick Jr. and "nutritious" as a fruit or vegetable now and then to go alongside the mac&cheese, hot dogs, vanilla wafers and Rice Krispy treats.

If you really have a quality program with a great play space, comfy looking sleeping space, healthy meals, etc., my guess is that there are parents willing to pay your rates but it's hard to match up providers and parents. Craigslist kind of works but not everybody advertises on it and not everybody looks there for care. I searched high and low for a high quality, professional family center in my area and still haven't found one. (But I found this forum in the process, a great SAHM/semi-professional provider and finally a fantastic SAHM, whose care, so far I'm thrilled with).