Need Some Encouragement :)

[rhondawarren]

As some of you know I went over my rates and have decided to raise them because Im spending so much in groceries & supplies that I am not really making anything over what I spend in groceries really.

So ... I called around the different babysitters and different day cares and came up with a rate that I thought was fair.

I went from $100/Wk ft and $60/Wk pt
to $125/Wk ft and $75/wk pt

I need some encouragement or boost of confidence so to speak to actually ask for this rate. It sounds so expensive but if I do not charge more then I am not making enough and its not worth my time.

Any encouragement here???? How can you feel and be confident about the rates you are asking??

I provide breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack & drinks. As well as everything else other than wipes. diapers, baby food and formula.

[wdmmom]

Eliminate breakfast or the AM snack.

[rhondawarren]

Eliminate breakfast or the AM snack.

Ive thought about doing that. The only reason I offered it was because my children are home during the day because they attend online school so my sons sleep in a little and get up for breakfast well the kids are here then. So they then want something to eat because he is eating, then ... I feel bad. So I just started serving breakfast too.

What about my rates. Do you think they sound reasonable enough to feel confident about it.

[Country Kids]

It would probably benefit you also to join the food program. That way none of the money is coming out of your pocket.

[rhondawarren]

It would probably benefit you also to join the food program. That way none of the money is coming out of your pocket.

Ive thought about doing that but I believe in order to get the food program that is becoming registered. Which I think I need to have a GED or diploma for and I do not currently have that

[daycare]

When I heavily increased my rates, I kept current clients at their normal rate and raised the price on the new customers coming in.

Then at the start of the year I slightly raised the rates the rates on the old clients. Then again in 6 months until I bumped everyone up to the same rate.

I also agree with pp maybe cut breakfast

[cheerfuldom]

You dont HAVE to feed the daycare kids just because your son is eating. They can eat at home and they will be fine.

Either way, you have to raise rates because otherwise you are not making the income necessary to sustain your business, correct? Its just one of those things that you are going to have to do in order to stay in business. You can charge the new rate to new families and bump up the current families to $110 or $115 and then do the rest in another 6 months.....

[Lilbutterflie]

Have you done some research to see what the average rates are in your area for unregistered providers? That will give you an idea of whether your rates will be too high or not.

[Country Kids]

Ive thought about doing that but I believe in order to get the food program that is becoming registered. Which I think I need to have a GED or diploma for and I do not currently have that

Please check with your local CCR&R and see about that. I have never heard you had to have anything to become registered. Please check! You can earn quite a bit through the food program.

[rhondawarren]

When I heavily increased my rates, I kept current clients at their normal rate and raised the price on the new customers coming in.

Then at the start of the year I slightly raised the rates the rates on the old clients. Then again in 6 months until I bumped everyone up to the same rate.

I also agree with pp maybe cut breakfast

Well I have three different families and two of those three I plan on keeping the same rate for now. But ....I have a family I have only been watching for about three weeks. Well they have been dropping them off earlier than agreed, picking them up later than agreed on, along with numerous other issues with the behaviour of the children. They do not listen to me, they have done so many things this week its unreal. The one little boy has literally tore my pantry door off of the tracks because he was running into it trying to open it so he could get his own snack, he dug his hands into a cake my daughter made for my neices birthday three times, he punches and pushes the other kids, he picks his nose ALL of the time and now he has started putting bugars on his tongue and running around trying to lick everyone else. Its just unreal I have never seen anyone act the way that this family does. So .... I am thinking the rate increase would be a good place to start with this family.

I just want to be sure my rate sounds reasonable enough. I offer 10 hours a day of childcare. Plus all meals etc. So I need to make it worth my time.

[renodeb]

Those rates sound totally fair. You did exactly what I did. Called around and got some info about rates. You always want to make sure your rates are competitive with others in your area. If they are then you have nothing to worry about. I would still urge you to drop am snack and or breakfast. I think that would help you a lot.
How much notice are you going to give your clients for this? I give atleast a month. Get everything in writting and be confident in your decision. Dont ask for this rate, hand out notices and have them sign it.
Let us know how it went. You go girl!
Debbie

[rhondawarren]

Have you done some research to see what the average rates are in your area for unregistered providers? That will give you an idea of whether your rates will be too high or not.

I have

Daycares charge a range from $118 - $135 for a 2 year old
and $100 - $117 for a five year old.

Babysitters in my area charge a range from $115- $150/Wk and two of them discounted it to $200/Wk for two kids for the week.

So I was thinking $125/Wk full time per child. Then I would be able to take off $25 off the top for each kid per week to go back toward groceries/etc. Do you think that sounds fair?

[daycare]

Well I have three different families and two of those three I plan on keeping the same rate for now. But ....I have a family I have only been watching for about three weeks. Well they have been dropping them off earlier than agreed, picking them up later than agreed on, along with numerous other issues with the behaviour of the children. They do not listen to me, they have done so many things this week its unreal. The one little boy has literally tore my pantry door off of the tracks because he was running into it trying to open it so he could get his own snack, he dug his hands into a cake my daughter made for my neices birthday three times, he punches and pushes the other kids, he picks his nose ALL of the time and now he has started putting bugars on his tongue and running around trying to lick everyone else. Its just unreal I have never seen anyone act the way that this family does. So .... I am thinking the rate increase would be a good place to start with this family.

I just want to be sure my rate sounds reasonable enough. I offer 10 hours a day of childcare. Plus all meals etc. So I need to make it worth my time.

you have it at 10 hour days, so that means 50 hours max each week. Thats $2.50 an hour per child. HOw many children will you care for? What are your expenses??

I highly recommend the food program too. I get about $500.00 a month and its not a ton of work either.

[rhondawarren]

Those rates sound totally fair. You did exactly what I did. Called around and got some info about rates. You always want to make sure your rates are competitive with others in your area. If they are then you have nothing to worry about. I would still urge you to drop am snack and or breakfast. I think that would help you a lot.
How much notice are you going to give your clients for this? I give atleast a month. Get everything in writting and be confident in your decision. Dont ask for this rate, hand out notices and have them sign it.
Let us know how it went. You go girl!
Debbie

Thanks so much!!

I only have one family that I was thinking about increasing and honestly ... I want to tell them that they are going to be increased next week or they dont come back because they show up late, come earlier than we agreed and the children do not listen and I have never had children behave the way these do. They have tore up so much in my house already. So honestly ... if they dont come back it may be a blessing. I hate to say that but I have never seen anything like it! Not to mentian I have to remind them that I am not doing this for fun each week and do require a payment.

As for my other two families ... I was going to leave their rate alone for now and just keep charging them the rate they have been on because they always pay, they are always on time and I have never had any issues with them So to me .... they are fine and I will just raise the rate of the family that is more trouble than they are worth and then any new families that start.

[rhondawarren]

you have it at 10 hour days, so that means 50 hours max each week. Thats $2.50 an hour per child. HOw many children will you care for? What are your expenses??

I highly recommend the food program too. I get about $500.00 a month and its not a ton of work either.

I have five spots total open. I do offer 50 hours of child care a week. Anything past 5:30p I am going to charge a late fee because I like an end to my workday the same as they do

As for the expenses I have to buy groceries, paper towels, toilet paper, hand soap and more hand soap along with anything else that I have to supply that we use throughout the day.

I definately have increased my soap usage because these two kids I am considering increasing have their fingers up their nose about 95% of their time here. So I have to constantly have them wash their hands!