What to Charge?

[midaycare]

I keep being told my rates are low - really low. I have a niche program where I offer a Center experience in a home environment, and obviously with less kids - I can only have 6 per day.

I want to keep my rates affordable and a little on the cheap side because it makes me competitive, but I don't want to be outrageously low, either.

When I signed someone a month ago, she told me she was paying $40 a day for in home daycare, but that was a town over. A close town over, but still. Someone else told me that the centers are charging $47 a day.

I currently charge $27 a day. I'm trying to find out what other in homes around me charge but no one has websites with prices or wants to give out prices over the phone.

I was thinking maybe I would up my prices to $33 or $35 per day. Thoughts? It would just be for new clients right now.

[Unregistered]

I'm in the Kansas City area. I charge $40 for one day per week, $36 for 2 or more days per week and $31 for 5 days per week.

[Unregistered]

my pricing above is per day

[midaycare]

I'm in the Kansas City area. I charge $40 for one day per week, $36 for 2 or more days per week and $31 for 5 days per week.

I like the structure of charging more for part timers because I have almost exclusively part timers. I just wonder if I charged so much would I still get the part timers? I have to admit, I love the change of kids as opposed to the same ones every day.

[SignMeUp]

I like the structure of charging more for part timers because I have almost exclusively part timers. I just wonder if I charged so much would I still get the part timers? I have to admit, I love the change of kids as opposed to the same ones every day.

But! Part of the joy of having part-timers is the extra pay. I find that it does cost somewhat more, per child, to have part-timers, but I charge a bit beyond that, because they also come with some issues particular to part-timers.
I love having part-timers too. Always have

Now, don't hit me :: The last time I said that it costs more for part-time children, I got told off
I stand by what I say. In my program, it costs more

[Leigh]

I charge more than most in my town. I have had parents call me and say that they have heard that I am "really good", when asking for an interview, and ask to be placed on a wait list when I tell them that I don't have space (I am full again now after cutting back because of family issues earlier in the year). I'm not really better than everyone else (better than some, for sure, but there are some AWESOME providers in my area). They think I'm better, I believe, because I charge more. If YOU value your services, others will, too. I wouldn't recommend undervaluing yourself. Prices that are too low often make parents think that those low prices indicate your value.

[daycarediva]

I charge more than most in my town. I have had parents call me and say that they have heard that I am "really good", when asking for an interview, and ask to be placed on a wait list when I tell them that I don't have space (I am full again now after cutting back because of family issues earlier in the year). I'm not really better than everyone else (better than some, for sure, but there are some AWESOME providers in my area). They think I'm better, I believe, because I charge more. If YOU value your services, others will, too. I wouldn't recommend undervaluing yourself. Prices that are too low often make parents think that those low prices indicate your value.

I agree. I am on the high end, and I'm worth it. NEVER undercut yourself.

What is the standard market rate in the area? I would look that up and adjust accordingly.

[midaycare]

I agree. I am on the high end, and I'm worth it. NEVER undercut yourself.

What is the standard market rate in the area? I would look that up and adjust accordingly.

I'm having trouble figuring out the standard market. No one advertises on Craigslist here - at least licensed providers. It's pretty much word of mouth or Facebook. But no one lists prices. I would have to go for an interview with another provider to find out, and I really don't want to waste their time. I would be ticked if someone did that to me.

[Second Home]

Do you have a provider search program run by the state ? If so hen try to find prices on there .

We have a service that lists lic providers (if you want to be ) , they have a basic questionaire and you fill out what you offer / charge .

[midaycare]

Do you have a provider search program run by the state ? If so hen try to find prices on there .

We have a service that lists lic providers (if you want to be ) , they have a basic questionaire and you fill out what you offer / charge .

I believe we just have the state search program but it doesn't always list what we charge. I should ask someone from MI to be sure...

[Unregistered]

I keep being told my rates are low - really low. I have a niche program where I offer a Center experience in a home environment, and obviously with less kids - I can only have 6 per day.

I want to keep my rates affordable and a little on the cheap side because it makes me competitive, but I don't want to be outrageously low, either.

When I signed someone a month ago, she told me she was paying $40 a day for in home daycare, but that was a town over. A close town over, but still. Someone else told me that the centers are charging $47 a day.

I currently charge $27 a day. I'm trying to find out what other in homes around me charge but no one has websites with prices or wants to give out prices over the phone.

I was thinking maybe I would up my prices to $33 or $35 per day. Thoughts? It would just be for new clients right now.

Can I ask what you mean by "offering a center experience"?
What exactly is a center experience?
In my experience, a center is multiple teachers, kids separated into groups of playmates the same age and lots of kids.
I am not understanding how you can do that with 6 kids, even if they are all the same age..
So curious what you mean by "center experience"

[holly333]

The YMCA childcare resource center has a list in my area, maybe they do near you as well?

[midaycare]

Can I ask what you mean by "offering a center experience"?
What exactly is a center experience?
In my experience, a center is multiple teachers, kids separated into groups of playmates the same age and lots of kids.
I am not understanding how you can do that with 6 kids, even if they are all the same age..
So curious what you mean by "center experience"

My "niche" is that I take the best of a Center and the best of a home daycare and combine the two. I put a lot of money into the start up of the daycare - the dck's have Center-type manipulative and toys. I do a curriculum, have a Spanish teacher come in two times a week, and have a reading specialist work with all of the kids.

Of course, this means I pay a lot more out of my pocket 1 because I pay for the Spanish teacher ($20 an hour) and the reading specialist ($10 an hour). The curriculum is $130 per month, yada yada.

[Controlled Chaos]

Wow! If you are offering all that - special teachers etc. you should be charging a minimum of $30 a day. I am in a cheaper area to live, I charge $30 for fulltimers and $35 a day for more part time kiddos. I am more expensive than many in home daycare, but worlds cheaper than centers. I want to charge enough that it shows I value my time. Its funny, when I raised my rates (quite significantly) no parents complained which shocked me and they have been more respectful since. Fewer late pickups, they keep their kids out fewer days, they thank me...its like now that I think I am worth more, so do they happyface People see $ as a sign of value, even though its not always the case.

[midaycare]

Wow! If you are offering all that - special teachers etc. you should be charging a minimum of $30 a day. I am in a cheaper area to live, I charge $30 for fulltimers and $35 a day for more part time kiddos. I am more expensive than many in home daycare, but worlds cheaper than centers. I want to charge enough that it shows I value my time. Its funny, when I raised my rates (quite significantly) no parents complained which shocked me and they have been more respectful since. Fewer late pickups, they keep their kids out fewer days, they thank me...its like now that I think I am worth more, so do they happyface People see $ as a sign of value, even though its not always the case.

Well ... Now I'm really convinced I need to raise rates!