If You DON'T Collect A Deposit... WHY???

[Crazy8]

ironically, the ones posting are the ones who have "never had a problem" yet we see/read it often here how it happens where families leave owing hundreds of dollars.

I totally get it not being done in your area - that is how I feel when many of you say you can charge teachers for the summer, here they'd laugh at that idea but we can easily charge 1-2 weeks deposit. Also curious, if its not the norm in your area is that just for home daycares or do centers not charge a deposit either???? Every center I know charges a MONTH's deposit (credited to your last month) maybe that is why people have no issue giving 1-2 weeks deposit to home providers.

[SilverSabre25]

I don't think that centers charge a deposit either, but I don't know. I just know that no one around here charges enrollment fees or deposits or anything. It's a fight to get them to pay in advance, even.

[PitterPatter]

No one else around here does it

If I tried, I would have no clients.

Same here Silver. I don't charge for enrollment, arts & crafts... nothing but the actual time logged in. Too much competition around here and there is a lady a few blocks down charging $10 per day. I have lost potential clients to her before but I have also taken a client away because she doesn't treat the kids right. Matter time I hope, but then again we all know some parents care more about money than their kids.

[countrymom]

No one else around here does it

If I tried, I would have no clients.

this, because its not a common practise here.

[countrymom]

I don't think that centers charge a deposit either, but I don't know. I just know that no one around here charges enrollment fees or deposits or anything. It's a fight to get them to pay in advance, even.

acually I don't thing the centers here charge either, I never heard of charging a deposit till I started on this board.

[Cozy_Kids_Childcare]

I have given thought to asking for a deposit after what happen last year. I don't know if it is the norm in my area to ask for a deposit. I know the daycare centers ask for a registration fee and a yearly supply fee of $50. Do you have them pay it up front or do you have them pay extra each week till it equals the two week deposit. I guess I could have them pay an extra 50 dollars a week for a month to equal their deposit. Does anyone else do it that way?

[jenboo]

im debating on this right now...Centers around here do not require a deposit and neither do many home daycares..i am going to require payment in advance so that i cant get take advantage of there, but im worried if i charge a deposit, people wont come to me. I am charging the average for a home daycare (20-35/day depending on age) but there are still many people out there charging $60 and less for a week!!! I also know that one family that will be coming to my daycare does not have an extra $20-50 a week to pay until their deposit is paid...not sure what i will be doing.

[Maria2013]

My parents prepay on monday for the next 2 weeks of care and I am really picky about who I provide care for. To be honest a deposit would end up being more of a hassle for me than it is worth.

that exactly

[Familycare71]

I do charge a deposit to hold a spot if it is longer than a week. That deposit gets put toward their first two weeks of care. I also charge it to hold a teachers children's spot over the summer and to hold a spot for an incoming sibling.
If I did a deposit that was held for the last two weeks of care I think people would pass me by- it just isn't done here. Daycare centers don't do it either.
I also charge the fri after care is given. In 14 years I've only had three people stiff me for a weeks care and late fees...

[momofboys]

No one else around here does it

If I tried, I would have no clients.

Ditto!

[Laurel]

So many times here we read about families leaving owing money.... I am wondering why?? Why doesn't everyone collect up front?? There is virtually no way for a family to leave me owing money - and I've had some leave w/o notice, last minute, stop showing up without telling me, etc. etc.

I know many of us DO require deposits but for those who do not, can I simply ask.... why not???????

If by deposit you mean asking for money to hold the spot until they start, no I don't do that. I just give them no more than 2 weeks to start and if they don't then I find someone else.

I ask them to pay for their first and last week upfront but I didn't always do that. I had to get burned first....to the tune of $450. I also didn't use to collect until Friday after service had been provided. Now I get it on Monday for the week coming up (same $450 burn).

For those who say it has never been a problem for me it wasn't either....until one time it was. I am also picky about parents. This $450 was an amazing surprise. A single mom and I was on her second child and she was with me for four years. Always paid on time....always. She paid every two weeks for two children. Well at the end she got in a financial bind I suppose. I wish she just would have come to me. We could have figured something out. So a Friday was their last day but she asked could they come the next Monday and Tuesday. She said could she just pay me Tuesday and since she had never been so much as late in 4 years and was a nice person I said okay. So then she never showed up again. I called her several times and she said she would pay but never did.

So I didn't do it for the same reason others have said. It never seemed to be a problem for 16 years but then on year 17.......problem!!!

Laurel

[JoseyJo]

No one else around here does it

If I tried, I would have no clients.

Yep! That's us too. We haven't ever been stiffed, I absolutely require payment before services. Worse case scenario a parent would leave w/ no notice and not pay the 2 week notice period. I haven't ever had to but I would probably just **** that up.

[Sunchimes]

My current family doesn't have a deposit because when they started, I didn't know you could get paid in advance or get a deposit. After almost a year I found this forum and learned so much. I made the family still with me start paying in advance, but I never instituted a deposit for them. The other family (no longer with me) was a worry, she had 3 jobs in the 10 months she was here. I finally worked her into paying in advance but never asked for a deposit. She left on one days notice when she had to go on bedrest while she was pregnant. By some miracle, it was the day before payment was due, so I didn't lose any money.

Now, I require 2 weeks deposit. I've only implemented it once and they didn't even question it. I'll probably do that from now on, offering a payment plan for the deposit.

I have no idea if it is standard around here. No one shares info or ever talks here.

[nanglgrl]

I don't collect a deposit for the last 2 weeks of care. I feel if a family is happy with me and is a family I would want to do future business with but for some reason has to leave they will most likely be the type of family to give me a two weeks notice. If a family wants to leave because they're unhappy with my services chances are I'm unhappy with them as well so I probably wouldn't want to deal with them just because they paid for the last 2 weeks. I probably want them gone ASAP so they don't spend 2 weeks trying to break every policy.
I do make clients pay in advance on Monday morning every week and they know they can't drop off without payment in hand so they don't even try. If clients interview and want to start later than the following week I require that they drop off payment for their first week within a few days of the interview. If they take summers off I require that they pay $50 a week to hold their spot. If they want to bring their child once in a while during the summer I charge $90 a week.
Since I've done it this way I haven't been owed any money for services rendered. I did have one person leave with less than a 2 weeks notice but she was a flake so it wasn't personal.

[Leigh]

I have given thought to asking for a deposit after what happen last year. I don't know if it is the norm in my area to ask for a deposit. I know the daycare centers ask for a registration fee and a yearly supply fee of $50. Do you have them pay it up front or do you have them pay extra each week till it equals the two week deposit. I guess I could have them pay an extra 50 dollars a week for a month to equal their deposit. Does anyone else do it that way?

I require 2 weeks deposit, and weekly payment in advance. The weekly payment MUST be here on the first day, but I will give parents up to 8 weeks to pay the 2 week deposit (We put their plan in writing). I can understand that it is hard for someone to come up with that much money at once, and as long as they have the deposit in by the end of that 2 months, we're good.