Do You Offer Part Time / Day Rates?

[momma2girls]

I charge fulltime $140.00 per week, and Part-time, $35.00 per day. This is up to a 9 hr. day. I have a 3 day min. and it must be the same days each week, no switching back and forth, etc. I have all full time now, but I did have quite a few parttime and I was actually loosing out alot of money doing parttime. I had one- one day a week, another one 2 days, and another one 2 1/2 days- uggh!!!

[Meeko]

I'm always so confused on flat rate charges. How does everyone figure it out! I have some parents who are here the same amount of time everyday then I have some parents who's schedules may fluxuate a bit. Some days 9/10 hours then the next day mayb 6 and so forth. They aren't here from 7;00-5:00 everyday. How do you charge for them? What happens if one week they are here for your full time rate but the next week they are only there enough hours for a part-time rate, what happens then?

My clients are not paying for hours or days in care. Their schedule doesn't matter. They are simply 'renting" a place in my day care, which they may use as much or as little as they like.

They pay me just like they pay their landlord. The landlord doesn't care if you never leave the house all month or if you are on vacation for 29 days out of the month in another country. Doesn't matter. Rent is rent...regardless of how much time you spend in the house....you still pay it.

Same with my day care. A place in the day care costs a certain price...regardless of days, hours or actual attendance.

[DancingQueen]

well.. I just got a voicemail message from mom #1 She wants to go with me (interviewed on Tuesday). But now she only needs 2 days per week.
I originally told her I could do the 3 days at 35 per day. I never mentioned a 3 day minimum to her, but I think I have to, especially at only 35 per day.

Now mom #2 sounded like she was going to go with me over the phone and that meeting me was just a formality (which always makes me a nervous).
When I spoke to her I wasn't at home and I was very honest and told her that I have refused PT in the past. She said most daycares refuse it. i told her I'm reconsidering my position and asked for more details. She needs 2 kids 2 days per week. I thought really quick about how nicely one of those kids would work with the first mom.. together they would take ONE spot. I told her I would absolutely consider it but I'd have to think about the rate that I would charge. I told her that I wasn't at home.. but a ball park figure would be approximately 37 per day.

I gave her a different figure because she was only looking for the 2 days. I did VERY CLEARLY state that I was NOT at home and that 37 was not a firm number. I told her I'd have to check and let her know. And I explained that I didn't have a firm answer because I had never done PT in the past.

#2 is also on State assistance, regardless of what I charge her, she'll pay almost NOTHING out of pocket (I have a current family that pays 9$ per week out of the 140 that I charge).

So I guess I'll call #1 back and let her know that I can do the 35 for only 2 days but the rate would still be $105 as I have a $105.00 minimum rate per week? I'll let her know that I must have a firm schedule as well (especially if #2 is the alternate days). I hope she goes for it. My concern is that because I never mentioned a minimum, she went home and discussed with her DH and he said they can only afford 2 days.. or something like that. My alternative is to charge her $50.00 per day. Which I'm afraid will make her jaw drop. But a HUGE plus for her, is that she is a teacher and I told her I would not charge her to hold her spot next summer. But I will charge for snow days, vacation days etc.. when her child isn't here.

My question on #2 is this...
I gave her a very vague # of 37 per day for 2 days per week per child. I have to up it.. She only works 2 days per week and I would love for her to ONLY bring them the days she works, if possible.
Instead of saying 37 per day with minimum of 3 days... would it be horrible if I told her

"I evaluated the figures and the estimate I gave was too low. A big part of why many providers don't do part time, is because a part time child takes the income that could be made by a full time child. All families I've had in the past that were not 5 days per week, were still charged my full 5 day per week rate. I am willing to make an exception, as we discussed on the phone but I won't be able to go as low as $37 per day. I am willing to give you 35% discount from my normal weekly rate. So instead of paying the full time rate of $160.00 per child, I will charge you $104 per child."

I think, offering the wording to be a percentage off full time, rather than daily... will save me from having her wanting to bring the children on more than just the 2 days?

I wonder if I should do that for both families?

then in my actual contract I can state that anything beyond the contracted days would be ... so much per day?

Would this wording work out? I'm trying to cover all of my bases before I make my call backs.

I still end up with one of her kids taking up a full time spot unless I can find another PT person to fill the other days - but atleast this is better than only having TWO daycare kids that I have right now. I lost 3 kids on the same day. my income went from 700 per week down to 280. OUCH

[mrsp'slilpeeps]

I only have part time DCK's. I have 5 dck's, 2 sets of silblings. 1 set comes 2 days a week at $60.00 a day for both.
The other set comes 3 days a week for $50.00 a day for both, thats all she can afford.
And the other dck comes 2 days a week for $30.00 a day.

I also have 2 of my own kids so almost every day im at capacity.
but come school time 3 of them will be going to school, but will still be here B/A school.

I will be having an interview in 2 weeks for another p/t baby to start in Oct.
so if it all works out as planned 4 kids will be at school, 2 kids will be gone by the time the other kids come home.

I like having pt kids even though the pay ****s but no one has called me for fulltime care. So i have to take what I can get.

[skittles]

Wow. I way undercharge or cost of living is high here. I charge 65/wk for 30 hours or less for parttime and 100/wk for full time. I also include meals and snacks. I was told I am not far under the average rate.

[SimpleMom]

A lot of people will say that you are not far from average rate. When I first started up I was told people only charged by the hour here and i did that. Yuck, barely made it. Then I slowly realized it was the hrly, but based on a flat weekly rate.

Now, I only take ft, but offer a discount for less than 50 hours. The max I charge is $150.00, but I don't have anyone that needs that much time. It works for me. I like knowing who I have here and when. I also like to keep my numbers lower and that helps that as well.

The least I charge is $115.00/wk and that's the norm. More than 40 hrs and I charge more than the $115.00. I used to do Pt and charged 75 for 3 days, 95 for 4 days, etc. over 40 hrs was more as well.

[Abigail]

What would I do if I have someone who comes two days a week (normally would fill the empty space from the 3 day a week) who wanted to come one more day when I had an opening because I'm not completely full? This is just a once in a while occurance, not changing from 2 to 3 days in her contract.

Would I charge the same amount more per day that she is paying or would I charge a daily drop in fee which is silghtly higher?

[LittleD]

We charge $140 per week. But it's supposed to go up.

[mac60]

I curretly just have weekly rates, based on 3 days, 4 days, or 5 days. 3 day minimum.

I have considered going to 2 rates....a part time rate of 3 days per week or less, a full time rate of 4/5 days per week. With a max hours per day then additional minimum cost.

[E Daycare]

I have all part time kids and prefer it this way. Right now I have two kids that come 3 days a week and another that comes 1-2 days a week with his sibling coming the same days he comes around October. I also have a potential infant for 1-2 days a week come January. I consider it part time as no one is here over 3 days but to be confusing I have my rates as such:

under 6 hrs a day (even if its 5 days): $32/day
2 full days and under (even if its from open to close): $32/day
3 full days or over $35/day.

Im crazy schedule lady so I follow the same schedule regardless if they come or not and I havent had any issues with my Part timers following my routine. After about 2 weeks they are good to go and when they are here its business as usual and when they arent the other kid fills in.