I’m Losing Too Much Money- Need Advice and Support

[SunshineMama]

I just realized that I am getting screwed financially!

When I began this business, I accepted two siblings for $175 per week. They are gone Nov-March, unpaid. (They were one of my first families and I didn't know any better- and their "march" turned out to be the end of march, so almost April). On top of that, I take 1 week of unpaid vacation, and I also give them 1 week where they dont have to pay. They are only paying for about 33 weeks of childcare a month- which is only about $111 per week per child. And they claim on their taxes, so I get even less! (Unrelated- but these two are the most difficult children in my program and require the most work on my part- more than my 1 year old- and they are 3).

My other child comes all year, but I only charge him $150 bc he is older and a perfect angel. I give the same free weeks to him. Because his mom is a single mom, I gave her an extra week even. Well now, she is in the hospital so he is being sent to the grandparents until she gets better. I have not been paid for this week I feel badly about mentioning it with her in the hospital- but they dont know when he is going to be back. I am pretty sure she will be better next week hopefully. I am a very caring and sensitive person and am having difficulty walking the line of getting my money that is owed and being empathetic to her situation. She is the type of person, however, to make me have to ask her several times for money, and play the "poor me" card, and try to get out of paying me. I love her son dearly, otherwise she would have been termed months ago without a thought.

I am also 21 weeks pregnant and showing, so I feel stuck in this situation until the baby is born at the end of the year. I do have a new family coming next week for 2 days a week. I almost feel like I can just do a mothers day out program 2-3 days a week year round and get paid the same, IF I was able to find enough people.

I am feeling a bit down today about the financial position I am in. Any advice from those of you who have overcome this, started over, done a mothers day out program, etc, would be greatly appreciated!

Meanwhile, I have made several freezer meals and tried to save what I can since the two siblings will be gone in November and I will be missing out on a lot of money. I just hope we can make it.

Looking for some support!

[SilverSabre25]

No advice, but definitely commiseration. We are in a stuck/****y place financially, too. I actually decided this morning that I'm done advertising until we have the money/time to do some work on the front of the house because I think that might be a lot of what's losing me clients--our front fence (stupid expensive TERRIBLE vinyl thing) broke and was torn down but the posts are left and it looks stupid. Digging out those posts though is going to be hhhaaaarrrrrdddddd so I haven't done it.

I have decided that I'm going to go forth with my plan to get Montessori certification and start running this as an affordable Montessori program out of my home. I think there's a market for it around here and I hope I'd be able to sign up either a full complement of kids for an AM/PM type thing or for a MWF/T TH kind of thing. I'd be making more that way than I make now, lots more. But ONLY if I could get the kids signed up. It'll take me a couple of years to get to that point though.

[Unregistered]

Sweetie you have to start thinking like a business woman, NOT a missionary. As hard as it is, this is a business. You cut them and get full timers in there. You are letting them walk all over you. The stricter you are and the more you charge the better quality clients you get. I learned the hard way.

Start with taking only full time year round kids. I don't give any of mine a free week. I get 2 weeks vacation plus 10 holidays a year. Charge $185 going up to 190 a week and I only take infants to start. Give 10% discount for them paying me a month at a time the last Friday of the prior month.

I am strict with late fees, and parents do get charged for picking up late. But I provide a professional quality small program, no more than 4 kids. I go green, all organic food, learn a second language, sign language etc.

But you HAVE to look at it like a business. Figure out a business model you are comfortable with. Sorry it is hard but it get's easier. You have your family to support it is only your fault if you don't put your foot down and expect respect and regular payment. Look at this way the parents are out to save a buck to support their family, but what about yours?

I do feel for you, I just learned this the hard way.

[Blackcat31]

Ya know whenever I am in a bad situation that started out with good intentions such as yours, I don't view it as if I can't change it because this is MY business and I can change things.

I see no issues telling a parent "Hey Sally, when I made these arrangements with you it was because I was financially able to do so but now the arrangement we have is no longer working for me and this is what I need to do to change it__________".

Look at it this way: you were unemloyed, so you took a job at Burger King for minimum wage and saved yourself from the line at the local food shelf. Fast forward a few months and now you have bigger and more financial obligations and this minimum wage job is no longer working for you....what do you do? You go look for another job with higher pay or you ask your current employer for a raise or more hours.

SAME thing. You were ok with the fee per week and extended absences because it worked for you then but now it doesn't, so there is nothing wring with re-evaluating the agreement you have with this family.

I raise my rates every year. Sometimes I choose not to and make a point of saying that I am opting out of my chance to raise my rates. Some years I have raised them significantly and other years I have only raised them a teny tiny amount.

The first thing you should do is let the family with the extended Nov-Mar absence know that you will not be holding soaces anymore without payment. I would also "warn" them that you will also be raising your rates to be more competitive with other area providers. If they balk at this, this you know you will need to find/enroll new clients.

Bottom line though is you are running a business and one that must generate enough for you to live and pay your bills. Dont ever stress about doing whatever it is you need to do to make ends meet.....after all, parents will always do what is best for them so providers shouldn't feel guilty or as if they cannot do the same.

[SunshineMama]

Montessori is a good idea. I dont know why it is so hard to find kids in our area- it seems like there are only infants available, or too many siblings. I just can't believe when I sat down and did the math, how much I am giving away, especially for what I put into my program. It's crazy!

[SilverSabre25]

Montessori is a good idea. I dont know why it is so hard to find kids in our area- it seems like there are only infants available, or too many siblings. I just can't believe when I sat down and did the math, how much I am giving away, especially for what I put into my program. It's crazy!

omg I know. That's all I get inquiries for these days

[Country Kids]

I loved doing preschool only but there was no money. Also, unless your a "Preschool" in a real building parents seem to think you can't run one in your home. Thats always made me mad!

Now we have one in town-two days a week-$100 dollars a month! I think once they get it going they will notice that it will be hard making money on that.

[cheerfuldom]

I would keep advertising for any kids possible and then term the family of 2 whenever you can. I am 27 weeks pregnant and starting a new kid in 2 weeks. With my second pregnancy, I started a child one week before my maternity leave and then they came back after I came back to work! Dont underestimate what some parents will be willing to do for the right provider. Advertise like crazy and get some kids going!

[melissa ann]

I loved doing preschool only but there was no money. Also, unless your a "Preschool" in a real building parents seem to think you can't run one in your home. Thats always made me mad!

I know. So far I've had no calls. I have an ad in the local paper, cl,fb, website, made business cards that I've left at places.

Now we have one in town-two days a week-$100 dollars a month! I think once they get it going they will notice that it will be hard making money on that

The preschools in my area charge on average $70/month 2 days/week & $100 for 3 days/week.

[SunshineMama]

Ya know whenever I am in a bad situation that started out with good intentions such as yours, I don't view it as if I can't change it because this is MY business and I can change things.

I see no issues telling a parent "Hey Sally, when I made these arrangements with you it was because I was financially able to do so but now the arrangement we have is no longer working for me and this is what I need to do to change it__________".

Look at it this way: you were unemloyed, so you took a job at Burger King for minimum wage and saved yourself from the line at the local food shelf. Fast forward a few months and now you have bigger and more financial obligations and this minimum wage job is no longer working for you....what do you do? You go look for another job with higher pay or you ask your current employer for a raise or more hours.

SAME thing. You were ok with the fee per week and extended absences because it worked for you then but now it doesn't, so there is nothing wring with re-evaluating the agreement you have with this family.

I raise my rates every year. Sometimes I choose not to and make a point of saying that I am opting out of my chance to raise my rates. Some years I have raised them significantly and other years I have only raised them a teny tiny amount.

The first thing you should do is let the family with the extended Nov-Mar absence know that you will not be holding soaces anymore without payment. I would also "warn" them that you will also be raising your rates to be more competitive with other area providers. If they balk at this, this you know you will need to find/enroll new clients.

Bottom line though is you are running a business and one that must generate enough for you to live and pay your bills. Dont ever stress about doing whatever it is you need to do to make ends meet.....after all, parents will always do what is best for them so providers shouldn't feel guilty or as if they cannot do the same.

I agree and I think that I am either going to raise their rates or take new clients after the baby is born. I know that last year, howeverm they asked me to take a pay cut by the amount per month their children were attending preschool and I said no. I want to raise their rates now but I feel like if I did and they left then I would have a very hard time finding new clients during the last part of my pregnancy, who would be willing to find alternate care when the baby is born for a few weeks.

I have a few options open to me I suppose. With the other family and the single mom, I am having a really hard time trying to tell her (again) that I need my money- while she is in the hospital. She is 100% in the wrong and knows she owes me the money, but if I don't ask for her to pay she won't, and I am having a hard time collecting it while she is sick. My grandmother calls me a "bleeding heart" .

[Country Kids]

Curious-why are the kids gone Nov-March? That just seems like a long time for the kids not to be there and then suddenly need childcare again.

[mrsmartin2007]

Sweetie you have to start thinking like a business woman, NOT a missionary. As hard as it is, this is a business. You cut them and get full timers in there. You are letting them walk all over you. The stricter you are and the more you charge the better quality clients you get. I learned the hard way.

Start with taking only full time year round kids. I don't give any of mine a free week. I get 2 weeks vacation plus 10 holidays a year. Charge $185 going up to 190 a week and I only take infants to start. Give 10% discount for them paying me a month at a time the last Friday of the prior month.

I am strict with late fees, and parents do get charged for picking up late. But I provide a professional quality small program, no more than 4 kids. I go green, all organic food, learn a second language, sign language etc.

But you HAVE to look at it like a business. Figure out a business model you are comfortable with. Sorry it is hard but it get's easier. You have your family to support it is only your fault if you don't put your foot down and expect respect and regular payment. Look at this way the parents are out to save a buck to support their family, but what about yours?

I do feel for you, I just learned this the hard way.

[Cat Herder]

Ugh.... fell for a year old post, again.

I know she figured this stuff out...

[MyAngels]

I wonder how this ended up working out? Any updates SunshineMama?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I just realized that I am getting screwed financially!

When I began this business, I accepted two siblings for $175 per week. They are gone Nov-March, unpaid. (They were one of my first families and I didn't know any better- and their "march" turned out to be the end of march, so almost April). On top of that, I take 1 week of unpaid vacation, and I also give them 1 week where they dont have to pay. They are only paying for about 33 weeks of childcare a month- which is only about $111 per week per child. And they claim on their taxes, so I get even less! (Unrelated- but these two are the most difficult children in my program and require the most work on my part- more than my 1 year old- and they are 3).

My other child comes all year, but I only charge him $150 bc he is older and a perfect angel. I give the same free weeks to him. Because his mom is a single mom, I gave her an extra week even. Well now, she is in the hospital so he is being sent to the grandparents until she gets better. I have not been paid for this week I feel badly about mentioning it with her in the hospital- but they dont know when he is going to be back. I am pretty sure she will be better next week hopefully. I am a very caring and sensitive person and am having difficulty walking the line of getting my money that is owed and being empathetic to her situation. She is the type of person, however, to make me have to ask her several times for money, and play the "poor me" card, and try to get out of paying me. I love her son dearly, otherwise she would have been termed months ago without a thought.

I am also 21 weeks pregnant and showing, so I feel stuck in this situation until the baby is born at the end of the year. I do have a new family coming next week for 2 days a week. I almost feel like I can just do a mothers day out program 2-3 days a week year round and get paid the same, IF I was able to find enough people.

I am feeling a bit down today about the financial position I am in. Any advice from those of you who have overcome this, started over, done a mothers day out program, etc, would be greatly appreciated!

Meanwhile, I have made several freezer meals and tried to save what I can since the two siblings will be gone in November and I will be missing out on a lot of money. I just hope we can make it.

Looking for some support!

I wanted to touch on your pregnancy.
I got rid of A LOT of clients this past year (2013) and only kept TWO of the TWELVE I had. I interviewed and let people know when I was due and what the plan was as far as that went. I was able to get clients in and now have 8 full-timers and 1 part-timer. 2 of the children, with teachers as parents, had placed their deposit 2 weeks before they began and started last Monday! I am 38.5 weeks pregnant, so it can definitely be done!! What I learned didn't work for me was telling people ahead of time by e-mail/phone call when they contacted me. A lot of those interviews never happened. Telling them AT the interview, when they could see my daycare and talk to me, worked out quite well and I only interviewed ONE family that didn't sign on (and it wasn't due to my pregnancy, it was due to the parents suddenly separating to divorce ... the person who referred them to me had already let them know about my pregnancy).
I avoid sibling sets now because when they leave you are out of a lot of income (I got rid of the three sibling sets I had).