What Made Your Childcare/Daycare More Profitable?

[BumbleBee]

What software do you all recommend I use to track meals? MMK, Kid Care? Or something else?

How would I send it over to my local USDA? Mail, email?

Sorry for the questions just trying to figure out my next step!!

Thank you in advance!

NOT kidkare! Seriously, don't bother.

I use quickbooks.

[BumbleBee]

NOT kidkare! Seriously, don't bother.

I use quickbooks.

Misread, thought you were asking about income/ expense tracking.

My food program sponser uses kidkare for meal tracking.

[nanglgrl]

Changing to contracted hours where my tuition increases for pick up every 15 minutes after 3:30. My base rate starts at 3:30 and then increases. I work less hours because parents use less of my time since they have to pay more so I make more per hour. It also decreased food expenses since I no longer do an afternoon snack (which food program didn't really cover since for most it was the 4th meal/snack of the day and I'm on the lower paying tier).

[Blackcat31]

Our hours are the single greatest factor in our income. Despite doing the food program we have to cover 1 additional meal and 1 additional snack, we have a lot of part time parents BUT and here it is: It's easier for me to tell you when we closed....

We are licensed for 12 + 4 school agers but have a lot of odd ball schedules our kids schedules are:

Kid 1: 6:00-5:30 (M-F)
Kid 2: 7:30-4:30 (M-F)
Kid 3: 8:30-5:30 (MWF)
Kid 4: 7:30-5:30 (MWF)
Kid 5: 10:00-6:30/ 2:00-11:00 (T/ W-F)
Kid 6 and 7: 7:30-4:30 (Any 3 days except W)
Kid 8: 7:30-5:30 (M-T,TH)
Kid 9: 9:00-5:30 (M, W-F)
Kid 10: 8:30-5:30 (T-F)
Kid 11: 6:00-5:00/ 12:30-5:30 (M/ T-TH)

Kid 12,13,14: 3:00-10:30/ FLEX 10 Hr day (F/ Saturday-Sunday)
Kid 15/16: 8:00-8:00 (Saturday)

With such long and extended hours we are able to register far more kids than most home sites.

And 4 before school kids and 2 after school. School agers alone are 300$ weekly- assuming there are no days off if there are and the kids need care there is an added charge. The 2 flex children are 260$ weekly, the 3 are covered by DSS- appx 140 a day.

We have non-traditional hours and are the only daycare around the area open 7x a week- that has been, and continues to be our greatest selling point. Because of our hours we have a larger than your typical home daycare sized staff- which limits OT and such.

I used to have hours and schedules similar to this.
Many in my area still do.

However, I changed to contracted hours and stopped taking school aged kids and I now make MORE money working LESS hours.

[Controlled Chaos]

Thought of this thread while making lunch - I am not as good at from scratch as a lot of ladies on here, but I know making my menu 90% vegetarian helps me keep my food costs down too Lots of rice and beans, cheese, and peanut butter.

[sunlight]

Controlled Chaos, your right! Rice, Beans, Peanut Butter do keep food costs lower. Plus, the kiddos like it!! We have been making homemade burritos. I have used rice, and beans and even some left over chicken. With a side of raw veggies, dip and orange slices my kiddos here love it! Even the very picky eater I have is eating everything and wanting another helping.

I did talk to my local Food Program and the software they use is Accutrack. So I guess I will be using that too. Hope it is user friendly

[Unregistered]

Where does everyone buy their Curriculum?

Where do you buy your curriculum?

I envy those of you who can take school agers. Our schools have before and after care, and it is reasonably priced and well run, so no one needs it here. If you can take before and after school aged kids OP, I would look into that.

Some of my logic may seem backward, but it works out financially to my benefit:

1) I do not transport. This saves me needing a bigger vehicle, car seats, etc.

2) I buy a curriculum. It does cost about $130 a month for 9 kids, but all craft materials are included, I get manipulatives, nice posters, many things I can reuse. In September's box I get a calendar set to use for the year. I never have to run to the store to buy craft supplies, and find I save money in this department. I've been doing curriculum for about 3 years, and have so many extra materials now I don't know what to do with it all! But I save everything. Some people are excellent shoppers and could find everything for less, but the quality of the other stuff you get is great.

3) By using a curriculum I get a higher quality dcf.

4) I shop at Aldi's. No excuses. We have 4 grocery stores around us, and here are the prices if I buy the same things for a week of groceries at each place (a week of groceries is for 3 people all food, and 6 daycare kids for breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks for 5 days, and all paper products and cleaning supplies).
D&W: $400
Meijer: $325
Walmart: $200- $225
Aldi: $130

[smart]

Ideas to increase daycare revenue

- Annual registration fees

- Federal food program can get you up to $4.88 per day per child

- Head start partnership

- Quality rating system increases from subsidy based programs

- I also offer drop-in care to my customers or the ability to book more care for those who come 2-3 days a week and want extra days. Most part-time parents want to book extra days and someone is usually out so we have room.

[penguinsplay]

Check out Kris Murray: https://www.facebook.com/childcarebusiness/

She has terrific ideas. I have her Marketing book and it is chock full of great, realistic ideas. Also, I don't know if you are able to spend serious money on Software but Procare is terrific! I have used the software as well as using tech support. They are wonderful! They have a module for the food program as well as many other modules for Child Care finances and reporting. Best of luck. Try not to nickel and dime your profits away! Budget! Ask for donations for holiday decorations...

[Jazzii]

We've always run on contract. The only children whose contracts are written to the tee, is the child who is here late at night. We don't charge hourly but by they day. So my family of 3 F-Sun pays 135 daily.

Our contracts are for 8 hours daily + 1 hour of travel. If a parent picks up late they are charged- 20$ per every portion of 15 minutes they are late- curbs their shenanigans quickly

we had a mom who called asking to pick her kid up 3 hours late! we said no, she did it anyway, needless to say she was not happy with her late fee of 240 and pulled shortly thereafter.

[CityGarden]

Hello everyone and happy holidays!

Going over my yearly income and overall budget, I realized that the daycare wasn't as profitable as I hoped. And there was less profit then the previous year, I am not sure why honestly, maybe the weekly expenses for food or supplies.

Which made me wonder if any of you had tips or suggestions to share that made your business more profits?

What do you use to track this? I love that you do and are able to see this so clearly.

[LovetheSun]

Thank you all for taking the time to share your tips. A lot of them were so useful, and I will definitely apply them!

I am feeling motivated to be more careful this coming year happy face

Preparing for my taxes helped me realizing that the income vs expenses wasn't great in 2016. Lesson learned!

[CityGarden]

I teach zoo phonics and hardly ever close. Most I've ever closed was 3 days in a row which was thanksgiving week.

I'm also very family oriented and hold a lot of family functions.

What sort of family functions? I would love to have some - I was thinking maybe two family picnics.