Newbie Question About Rates

[Pepperth]

I've been debating how to charge clients: weekly rate vs. daily rate vs. hourly. I like the idea of a weekly rate because it seems so much simpler, and I've come up with my full-time rate, but how do you handle part-time clients? Do you have a set weekly rate for that as well? Or charge hourly?

I was impressed how much my new facebook page was shared and liked. I've had one inquiry regarding rates so far, but nothing too serious. I think my next step is to post on a few local "mom" pages and put a flier up at my son's preschool/ local grocery stores, etc. I understand it can take a while to actually get a client, but I'd sure be ecstatic to have one early in the New Year.

[TheGoodLife]

I'd do weekly rates- $150 a week FT, $130 4 days. $35 a day for 1, 2, or 3 days. I only contract for the same weekly rate, so you can't do 5 days one week, and 4 days another. No half days or anything like that. Drop in is $40 a day, to be paid upfront.

[earlystart]

I do part-time the way the preschool center I used to work at did it. You choose between 2 part time schedules (Monday/Wednesday/Friday, or Tuesday/Thursday). Each client chooses which schedule they will take, and pay their weekly tuition based on that (regardless if they actually show up or not). When you break it down to a daily rate, it's more expensive the less days you attend, so it's a better "deal" for the parents to choose full time (because it's less hassle for me). No half-days either, you pay the same rate even if you leave early. As an example, I do M-F $200/wk, Mon/Wed/Fri $132/wk, and Tue/Thur $96/wk. So that's $40/day, $44/day, and $48/day respectively. Drop-in rate is $48/day.

[melilley]

I'd do weekly rates- $150 a week FT, $130 4 days. $35 a day for 1, 2, or 3 days. I only contract for the same weekly rate, so you can't do 5 days one week, and 4 days another. No half days or anything like that. Drop in is $40 a day, to be paid upfront.

I have the same rates, except I'm at $140 a week for full time.

I also don't do part, part time. I charge per day whether they come 1 or 10 hours. I have a 10 hour a day limit.

[SilverSabre25]

I basically do $25/day for a full day, $20 for a partial day, and $30 for a drop-in. I've thought of going to drop-in rates of $5/hour with a max of $30 for the day but....drop in are disruptive enough that I want really GOOD compensation.

[midaycare]

I prefer part time clients, so I don't penalize for part time. I have a full time rate of $150 and charge $30 a day for part time.

[daycare]

I have always done flat rate due every friday in advance.

At the new year I am attempting to do a fee scale that Nanny De made for me, however, I am changing it up a bit..

So my fees will be as follows this is an example is not actual.

your price will reflect based off of the time that you pick up. I am using this small scale fee increase for existing families, because I don't want to run everyone off with a huge fee increase. New families will start out at a $5 increase starting from 4pm all the way to 530pm.

4:00 $100
4:15-$103
4:30-$106
4:45-$109
(jumps up 5$ every 15 instead of $3.)
5:00 $114
5:15-$119
5:30-$124

I really want to use this as I know that just about all of my parents but maybe 1 have the ability to pick up at 4:00pm or about that time frame, but because their current rate reflects 9.5 hours of care, they are making sure that they are using 100% of the time that they are paying for.

I live near FB and Google, Adobe, etc. I would say about 75% of my parents work from home with the option to work a rotating 4 day week and I know 100% for a fact that they are off running around town most days becasue my teens always see them out or see them at their place of work.

I hope it works out well. I do expect to lose a few clients, but I am ok with that. I have others waiting to take their spot.

[SignMeUp]

I started doing a graduated fee scale in the early 2000s and would never go back.
When I do interviews, it's easy to stress that they have more control over their fees It's all positive
Actually started it so that I'd have more control over my time and it's worked well for me. Almost all families have the later-start parent drop off and the earlier-off parent pick up, because it's cost-effective for them. I get to sleep a little later some days, or get up early and get something done without working a super-long day.
It's reduced my working hours without reducing my income. Now I'm working on gradually increasing the cost of the earliest and latest time increments, to further discourage those
Good luck! I hope it works as well for you as it has for me.

edited to add: My families (most of them) still run out the clock though. It's still annoying, but not nearly as annoying as when they used up every hour I was open.