Rates and Payments

[mamac]

I voted weekly and pre-paid. I plan on being paid one week of tuition at sign up and then payments are due every Fri (or last day of care) before care is provided.

I have PT and FT weekly rates, but I also offer Drop-in Care at a daily/half day rate (paid at drop off) and Before/After School care which will be calculated hourly but paid on a weekly basis before care is provided. (like PT/FT)

Before joining this forum I had planned on getting paid every Fri with no pre-payment. Glad I found this place!!! happyface

[Little Star75]

I've seen so many questions lately about rates and payments. I know when I first opened pre-paid daycare was rare. Now it seems to be the norm. So to cure my curiosity....

Do you charge hourly, daily weekly or a combination?

Are you pre-paid or post paid?


Please choose only one rate option and one payment option. I couldn't separate into two polls on one thread so I combined them. Thanks everyone.

I charge pre paid and paid weekly

[MarinaVanessa]

I keeping going back and forth between whether or not I should charge a daily rate or a flat weekly rate for PT/FT but the director of my school's child care center says it's better to charge a weekly rate for regular care because sometimes if you charge per day they try to get out of paying for the day for an absent day- espeuslally if they are on substidized because the program will try to get out of paying for the day. And I am definately require pre-payment.

Charging a flat fee for FT and PT clients is the way to go if you want to avoid those issues you said. They pay the same amount each week whether they attend or not, otherwise consider them drop-in clients and charge them daily/hourly for the time that they actually use with the understanding that their spot is not guaranteed. I allow my drop-in clients to call me in advance (usually the previous week) to ask for my availability and then they reserve their days but I have a "first-pay-first-serve" policy and don't consider it reserved unless the days have been paid for. They pay for the days in advance if they want them guaranteed and there are no refunds if they change their minds later and can't make it.

[Starburst]

I voted weekly and pre-paid. I plan on being paid one week of tuition at sign up and then payments are due every Fri (or last day of care) before care is provided.

I have PT and FT weekly rates, but I also offer Drop-in Care at a daily/half day rate (paid at drop off) and Before/After School care which will be calculated hourly but paid on a weekly basis before care is provided. (like PT/FT)

Before joining this forum I had planned on getting paid every Fri with no pre-payment. Glad I found this place!!! happyface

me too because like you said I didn't know you could do pre-payment before this site. I also plan on during enrollment charging for the first week of pay but I think I am also going to charge a small yearly registration fee as well as the last week deposit before enrollment (or an option of an extra fee the first few weeks to cover the last week deposit)

[KDC]

I charge a daily rate, they pay weekly. End of week payment for following week of care.

Friday, March 29th - paid
$$ is applied for the week April 1-5

They pay for the spot, not the care. So, if they are not there -- they still pay. I do reduce attendance to 2 days a week for summer for teachers (used to not charge at all, and all the teachers flocked to me, and I found myself unemployed for summers -- nice break, but couldn't afford it).

I charge for breaks, as I don't have all teachers and I'm still working those days. When they first started with me, they didn't use me - keep their child home with them. After awhile, it changed... spa days, "Dr. Appt's" lunches with friends, errands... and I quickly do not feel guilty for charging. rolleyes: It's paid for them, and they enjoy having some time to themselves.

I wrote in 2 sick/personal days & 1 educational day. I try as best as I can to be available and limit any unplanned days off. Therefore, if I take the occasional day, it's rarely 'counted'. I do have 2 vacations/year... adds up to probably a week total.

[Willow]

I charge hourly and only for time I actually work. Parents pay me every two weeks, after care has been provided.

I don't have problems getting paid or parents leaving their children with me when they don't actually need care to work.



I have a wait list and the luxury of being incredibly choosy with my families I think because parents view my policies as fair. They also rarely if ever test the boundaries of my policies because they know there are 10 other families just waiting for them to flub and steal their spots

I don't do part time or drop in care or charge enrollment or activity fees.

[LK5kids]

Hourly...but going to xxxxx amount per day if I stay in the business. Parents pay me at the end of the week. I have never had problems......hopefully I never do.

[TheirEmi]

I get paid monthly at the beginning of the month.

[melilley]

I charge a flat weekly rate and a daily rate. Full time families (5 days a week) pay a flat weekly rate. Part time is charged a flat daily fee and I have a two day minimum. My parents pay either the Friday before care begins for the next week or on that Monday that care begins, depending on the family and when they can pay, but it's always before care begins for the week.

[originalkat]

I charge monthly.

[canadiancare]

I do post because I don't charge if I am sick (haven't missed a day since I had a kidney stone in 2007 but just in case).
I have one parent who pays me at the beginning of the month and says she doesn't care if I take a sick day here and there.

[LaLa1923]

I just wrestled with this question when making my new contract! I stuck with hourly because most of my kids are 5 days a week full time. We figured I would be losing money doing a daily or weekly rate for what I make charging hourly.

Also, another thread had me thinking. I do have all my children most of the day so if a parent is going to run errands, appointments, etc. while the child is here there bill just keeps going up, up, up the longer they are gone.

My parents also pay me for services already rendered and I have never, ever had a problem with it and with me doing hourly that is the only way to bill so that you can collect for all hours used. I figure all my bills are due once a month after I have used the services why would childcare be different. I don't know of anything I pay bill wise that would be do before I use it.

But how much do you charge? I'd love to charge hourly but no one does that here... :confused:

[LaLa1923]

I charge hourly and only for time I actually work. Parents pay me every two weeks, after care has been provided.

I don't have problems getting paid or parents leaving their children with me when they don't actually need care to work.



I have a wait list and the luxury of being incredibly choosy with my families I think because parents view my policies as fair. They also rarely if ever test the boundaries of my policies because they know there are 10 other families just waiting for them to flub and steal their spots

I don't do part time or drop in care or charge enrollment or activity fees.

I've considered this.....BUT, what do you do if you have a family that just tells you last min they don't need you? Then your out of an income? I have a feeling this would happen around here, and then I'd also not get paid for my holidays or vacations..

[MCC]

I charge bi-weekly in advance. Parents pay by direct deposit, I try to discourage checks, but I will take them. I do not take cash.

I recently have gotten a lot of part timers and they pay per day up to 3 days, and then for the week if it's 4 or more. My daily rate is the same as my weekly rate divided by 5, but I'm thinking of changing it to discourage the amount of part timers.

[TheirEmi]

But how much do you charge? I'd love to charge hourly but no one does that here... :confused:

I'm paid 1000/mo/baby ( only 2 babies)