Do You Accept Credit Card Payments?

[spud912]

I would like to offer my families more options to make paying easier. I currently accept cash, personal checks and money orders/cashiers checks. Most of my parents pay by personal checks.

I would like to offer some option to pay with a credit card. I found Square and they have an attachment for cell phones, but charge 2.75%. Do you all pass that fee to your families? At my current rate, that would be about $4 per week per family. I checked into our state's laws and we are allowed to have a convenience fee for accepting credit cards.

What about Paypal or bank transfers? I figured those would be good options for families whose children are not in attendance on the normal pay days. The only thing with bank transfers is they would need my bank account number and routing number, which makes me nervous "handing out." What do you all do??

I just want to have several options available so there is no excuse to not pay. I looked into Child Care Pay and can't figure out how to sign up. Plus, I read online that it sometimes takes more than a week for the funds to transfer and I would like something more reliable and quick.

[melonieb]

Hopefully I will be able to soon. I signed up for square too. I actually had a new parent suggest that I take debit/credit cards. May be able to pick up more business.

[MarinaVanessa]

Yes, I accept credit cards on a Square Reader. Not many use it since most pay through check or ChildCarePay but it's nice to have just in case they forget their checkbook.

I eat the cost and just claim is as a deduction on my taxes otherwise my clients wouldn't want to use it even in an emergency.

As for signing up for ChildCarePay what version of Minute Menu are you using? You have to have the paid version, the free version that the food program uses doesn't have it. It has to he Pro.

To sign up go into Accounting and then click the Electronic Payment Setup button. Go into the Parent Accounts tab and click Add. Now just choose which parent you want to create an account for. Fill in all of the info and give them their temporary password. Then its up to them to go online and finish the setup and enter their bank info. HTH.

[Cradle2crayons]

I accept paypal by sending them an invoice.... Or they can swipe their card on my paypal here reader. They pay the fee. My moms say they would rather pay the % than the ATM fees to withdraw cash out to pay me.

With paypal I just send their email an invoice and they go in and pay it. I don't have to give them any of my personal info.

[lovemylife]

I used square for awhile but switched to intuit go payment. They were the only company that I could find that allows daycare FSA cards. I am not allowed to charge the parents a fee for the debit cards. Which is why I don't advertise that I accept cards. I only have 1 parent use it.

[Maria2013]

I accept only cash (of course) and checks....checks until one bounce then if the family wants to continue with me they must pay me in cash only

[Scout]

I did try the direct deposit but, experienced NOTHING BUT TROUBLE! My deposits would come in anywhere from fri-wed of the next week! I know it wasn't mom not putting them through too. It was a hassle so we tried to have her do it as an auto bill payment and same thing. Cash or checks only now.

[MotherNature]

I offer Square payments as well as Paypal, though my families generally do check or cash, but it's happened a couple times that parent at p/u was different than drop off, & they didn't bring the payment, so they've used their debit card. I charge $5 flat fee to use the service. So yes, I make parents eat the cost of the service charge.

[missy]

There is a free one for credit cards, to meet the needs of small businesses, but the name has escaped me! Let me see if I can find it...

[missy]

Oh sorry, that one is no longer free:-( My DC friend says Intuit is the cheapest for her--she says it is a $12.95/mo. flat fee and only 1.75% fee which her parents don't ever mind.

[jenboo]

I accept cash, personal check and paypal. I have one family who specifically asked for paypal. She is the only one that uses it. I send her an invoice via paypal and I charge her tuition and then the paypal fee. Then I can transfer the money into my bank account account.

[Cradle2crayons]

I accept cash, personal check and paypal. I have one family who specifically asked for paypal. She is the only one that uses it. I send her an invoice via paypal and I charge her tuition and then the paypal fee. Then I can transfer the money into my bank account account.

I do that except I have the choice to transfer it to my bank account or my separate debit card

[Meeko]

Several of my clients do bank transfers through PopMoney. Most banks and credit unions here in Utah have it, so I would assume it's everywhere. You go to your banks online bill pay and click on Popmoney. You can pay anyone just by having their email address.

My clients set it up using my email address and set up recurring payments due to reach me every Friday. It's been great! I love not having to give them any bank information.

[LaLa1923]

I take all of my payments by card reader. Mine is set up through my bank and my fee is less than 2%. I pay the fee. I get next day availability happyfacehappyface

I couldn't do square or intuit bc the payment takes days to reach you, so they'd have to pay me in advance to have it by Friday of each week.

No more checks for me, I need to know I'll have the money when I need it.

[Crazy8]

I have the square reader and have had a parent use it occassionally, but I only offer it up as sort of a last resort (forgot check, ran out of checks, etc.). Mainly because of the fee - I'd lose $20+ if all my families used it and I didn't pass on the fee to them and I've heard mixed stories about whether you could pass the fee on. I also didn't like that it takes a few days to get the money. I haven't done paypal for the same reason.

I much prefer they write me a check, I can take a pic of it with my phone and $200 is avail immediately and the rest the next day.