Accepting Credit/Debit Cards

[Sunnyyy1]

I was looking into the Square system too.

[Meeko]

I don't have a data plan for my phone as I don't text etc. But I do have a tablet that works with our wi-fi for the house.

Do you have to have a data plan for the credit card things to work? (Yes I'm an ignoramus about this stuff!) or is a wi-fi connection sufficient?

Any info would be much appreciated!

[JLH]

Re:

I am very interested in this as well. At my old daycare, I had a problem with a customer who bounced a couple of checks and eventually she ended up in prison for check fraud for writing bad checks all over town. Needless to say, this left me worried for quite some time about my own bank status and theft of my identity. This time when I re-opened my daycare, I set my policies up so I accept cash and money orders only. This would be a great option for my daycare parents but I only have a cell phone through Walmart, not a smartphone. Are there any payment systems like this for people who don't have smartphones or an iphone?

[MarinaVanessa]

I don't have a data plan for my phone as I don't text etc. But I do have a tablet that works with our wi-fi for the house.

Do you have to have a data plan for the credit card things to work? (Yes I'm an ignoramus about this stuff!) or is a wi-fi connection sufficient?

Any info would be much appreciated!

Apple devices that are compatible:
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
iPhone 4S
iPhone 5
iPad
iPad mini
iPod Touch

Android devices that are compatible:
Many Android devices are supported at this time. Supported Android devices have:

Google Android 2.2 or higher (Honeycomb or modified versions of Android are not supported)
A 3.5mm headset jack with microphone (audio jack adaptors are not supported)
A screen size specified as Normal or Large (Small screen sizes are not supported)
GPS enabled
Access to Google Play
Supported Android devices include but are not limited to the following:

Motorola DROID X
Samsung Galaxy S III
Samsung Galaxy Nexus

https://squareup.com/help/en-us/article/3887-device-compatibility-with-square

I have an Android HTC One X and although it's not on the list it does work for me.

[MarinaVanessa]

I am very interested in this as well. At my old daycare, I had a problem with a customer who bounced a couple of checks and eventually she ended up in prison for check fraud for writing bad checks all over town. Needless to say, this left me worried for quite some time about my own bank status and theft of my identity. This time when I re-opened my daycare, I set my policies up so I accept cash and money orders only. This would be a great option for my daycare parents but I only have a cell phone through Walmart, not a smartphone. Are there any payment systems like this for people who don't have smartphones or an iphone?

If you get Minute Menu Kids Pro (online record keeping software, about $70 a year but a steal if you use all the features) you can use the invoicing and electronic payment options through ChildCarePay.com for free. Using childcarepay is free except that they will take a flat $1 fee per payment transaction (no matter the amount) which you can choose to pay yourself (they take it out if the payment and it's tax deductible) or your clients can pay it.

Clients sign in to an account after you set it up and they get invoices emailed to them which they click on and pay after entering their bank information. The money is withdrawn from their account and then deposited into yours (takes about 5 days). If you don't have any of the above devices then this might be a better way to go or you can accept payments through PayPal.

[KnoxMom]

If you don't have any of the above devices then this might be a better way to go or you can accept payments through PayPal.

I'm currently accepting payment through paypal so that they can pay by either check or card. I pay $9.95 monthly for the service and the percentage is dependent upon the type of transaction (check vs. card). I don't pass the fee on to parents because it is tax deductible so I'd rather use it to combat the amount I will owe for the year.

I have considered using minute menu pro or timely tuition for payments instead but I'm waiting until I am approved for the food program because I believe my sponsor gives access to minute menu pro and then I can use it as an add-on feature. We shall see!

[MarinaVanessa]

I have considered using minute menu pro or timely tuition for payments instead but I'm waiting until I am approved for the food program because I believe my sponsor gives access to minute menu pro and then I can use it as an add-on feature. We shall see!

Wow if your food program gives you access to the Pro version then I would totally wait. Ours only gives us the regular version so I had to pay extra for the Pro version and have to use them both (regular for food program and Pro for record keeping) .

[KnoxMom]

Ours only gives us the regular version so I had to pay extra for the Pro version and have to use them both (regular for food program and Pro for record keeping) .

Oh wow. You would think they'd be able to combine accounts to streamline the process... but that would probably be TOO EASY

[MarinaVanessa]

Oh wow. You would think they'd be able to combine accounts to streamline the process... but that would probably be TOO EASY

Exactly what I thought too . I think that any government program might work this way ... if it sounds like a lot of effort, is complicated, sounds backwards, doesn't makes sense and makes everyone aggravated, you''re doing it right ::

[JLH]

I'm currently accepting payment through paypal so that they can pay by either check or card. I pay $9.95 monthly for the service and the percentage is dependent upon the type of transaction (check vs. card). I don't pass the fee on to parents because it is tax deductible so I'd rather use it to combat the amount I will owe for the year.

I have considered using minute menu pro or timely tuition for payments instead but I'm waiting until I am approved for the food program because I believe my sponsor gives access to minute menu pro and then I can use it as an add-on feature. We shall see!

i like this option too. How much is the fee for using Paypal and how long do they tend to hold your money before you it reaches your bank account?