Payment Situation...Crap

[Country Kids]

I'm not seeing this .... hmm. How are you getting 26 payment for a year? If a client pays on the 15th and 30th of each month and there is always only one 15th and one 30th in a month (except February that only has 28 days which means that the client will pay on the 28th instead of the 30th) doesn't that still make it only 2 payments per month meaning 24 payments per year? :confused:

I'm confusing myself with all of this math ::.

Believe you me=math and I are like oil and water!

Well in one post you said bi-weekly which would be every two weeks and then in one its bi-monthly.

Bi-weekly would actually be the way to go. Then you are paying 26 times a year and at $150 a week it averages out to $300 every two weeks instead of more.

Any math scholars know what I'm trying to say?

[MarinaVanessa]

Believe you me=math and I are like oil and water!

Well in one post you said bi-weekly which would be every two weeks and then in one its bi-monthly.

Bi-weekly would actually be the way to go. Then you are paying 26 times a year and at $150 a week it averages out to $300 every two weeks instead of more.

Any math scholars know what I'm trying to say?

I know right ::. My head hurts from all this math. I did figure out what you were trying to say and added it to my previous post but I think you and I were typing at the same time . I'll just copy and paste it here again....

I see what you are trying to say. Some months have 5 weeks. But in the math equation that MeYou proposed (52 weeks x weekly charge / 24 bimonthly payments = bimonthly payment rate) she includes all 52 weeks that we are paid, so she includes the months that have 5 weeks (3 pay periods). She just divides the yearly total of what we would earn in the year and divides it by 24 payments (2 payments per month, the 15th and the 30th).

In theory this is the ideal way and it's easier since the amounts always stay the same, unfortunately another provider on the forum had an issue with a client catching that she would be charged more for signing up in the middle of the year etc. (or something like that). I think that was the last time that Country and I became confused over math hahahahahahahaha

[NeedaVaca]

Oooo, this is good. I think I will suggest this to her if she wants to stick with this current plan. Thank you!

Secretly hoping for bi weekly payments though. Lol

If you are ok with this great. I 2nd on the hope for bi weekly for you though! The matter of them actually overpaying if they don't stay with you for a year is just the way it will be for you offering this "special" service.

One more suggestion: tell them if they are doing the 15/30th payments you would like direct deposit. This way it's automatic and won't interfere with long holidays/vacations etc.

[CedarCreek]

She came to get dck today and said they will pay the full amount owed on Friday the 15th and then after that will go back to bi weekly on Mondays. Yay!

[Blackcat31]

She came to get dck today and said they will pay the full amount owed on Friday the 15th and then after that will go back to bi weekly on Mondays. Yay!

happyfacehappyface awesome!

Was she unhappy about it or understanding?

Hopefully, she sees your perspective and understands.

In the future, when enrolling new families ONLY offer the payment schedules YOU are okay with and let them figure out how to work them.

[CedarCreek]

happyfacehappyface awesome!

Was she unhappy about it or understanding?

Hopefully, she sees your perspective and understands.

In the future, when enrolling new families ONLY offer the payment schedules YOU are okay with and let them figure out how to work them.

She was understanding and very apologetic that they fell behind. For the record she did start out on the designated payment plan, then wanted to switch. But I will in the future not allow that

[Meyou]

The only problem with this, as another member once wrote about it on a thread, is that what happens if the client doesn't stay the entire year? Depending on when the client signs up or terminates during the year the client may end up getting over-charged and paying for extra days that they didn't get to use .

For example:

let's say that a client is already signed up and pays $150/week but bi-weekly in the way that you suggested and it's now the new year (2013) and the client needs to terminate care on March 1 (that's their last day).
52 weeks x $150 = $7,800 / 24 bimonthly payments = $325 per bimonthly payment.
If they had paid weekly they would have paid = $150 x 9 weeks = $1,350 and would have had 45 days of childcare.
If they paid bi-weekly they would have paid = $325 x 4.5 weeks = $1,462 and would have had the same number of childcare days. This way this client is paying an extra $112.50 compared to the weekly paying clients.

And again, lets say that a client signs up on March 4th 2013 (first day) and ends up having to terminate care on May 31 2013 (last day).
52 weeks x $150 = $7,800 / 24 bimonthly payments = $325 per bimonthly payment.
If they had paid weekly they would have paid = $150 x 13 weeks = $1,950 and would have had 65 days of childcare.
If they paid bi-weekly they would have paid = $325 x 6.5 weeks = $2,112.50 and would have had the same number of childcare days. This way this client is paying an extra $162.50 compared to the weekly paying clients.

See what I mean ... unfortunately this method of payment is only accurate if the client stays for exactly a year.

I think your math is slightly off. If a client is paying bimonthy they would be paying for 4 payments in the first example and 6 payments in the 2nd example rather than 4.5 and 6.5. You've used biweekly numbers. It doesn't change your outcome but the figures are slightly distorted.

I've been doing it this way for years with the understanding that there are no adjustments. The price is the price. I can't do business assuming clients won't stay a year. Call the "extra" they pay Jan-Sept (compared to a weekly schedule) the cost of being able to make bimonthly payments.

[LaLa1923]

I know, I shouldn't have let this happen. But someone help me, please!

One of my DCKs is a doll. Just very sweet, loving cute little boy. His parents are great. If it weren't for me not wanting to mix business with friendships, I might be friends with them. Mom even bought me something for Valentine's day.

Both parents are teachers. They get paid on the 15th and the 30th. They were having trouble paying in advance weekly and were very embarrassed to ask me if they could pay in advance on the 15th and the 30th. Not wanting to lose this good family, I said yes.

Big mistake.

They went out of town during the Christmas break. Which was fine but a payment date fell in the middle of that so I went unpaid until they got back and were very apologetic. Because of that and also because of the way the 15th and the 30th sometimes fall, they are now paying for the two weeks PRIOR instead of in advance. By April, they will be 3 weeks behind. I cannot let this happen.

I sent home a letter stating their correct balance and that I was willing to work with them to get them back on track. Mom texted be apologizing but I haven't heard anything since.

The problem is, can you think of any way payment on the 15th and 30th can work? The only way I can think of is that they will have to pay for the 2 weeks in advance plus additional days up to the next date of payment if that is in the middle of the week. Which I think could get very confusing.

Like I said, HELP!

I'm happy for you that everything worked out. However, you may want to add( in your phb) that they must pay in advance when going on vacation.

[CedarCreek]

That is in my policies. However, they didn't tell me. She texted on a Sunday and said "oh,dck won't be in next week, we are out of town." If she would have told me I would have had a chance to nip it in the bud. But they were already gone.

[Nickel]

I also dont.worry about extra or short payments doing the bimonthly rate. I tell then up front they can pay weekly biweekly or bimonthly on the first and 15th. My husband gets paid that way so it doesnt bother me at all. I do take weekly rate x 52 / 24 and that is their rate period. And the family that does that is part time school year. So if she doesnt atay till one of thise periods i take her actually daily rate and subtract each day from her bimonthly rate. I dobt.look at her over or under paying because its exactly the same. If a client would complqin id tell them they could pay me biweekly instead every otherfriday withthe considerationof their payday or they could take the bimonthly rate. Doesnt matter to me but.im not going to get all caught up on when they started or didnt start. I would also assume any extra is a convienience fee.