Rates and Payments

[MotherNature]

I charged by the amount of days & hrs & got paid the Friday at the end of the week for the past 7 months I've been open. I just changed my contract & instituted a handbook on the 1st that requires pay in advance, a 2 wk deposit ( I waived that for my current family.), & I get paid weekly, regardless of hrs. You're here Tuesday for 2 hrs or 8 hrs..same to my paycheck.

[GoodKarma]

I get paid the Friday before care. I charge a weekly rate, but they can pay for as many weeks as they want ( in advance). One parent usually pays for 2 weeks at a time.

[Country Kids]

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

My last was $2.65 an hour.

I know do daily now and much easier to figure out at billing time.

With some clients I am making more money, some I lose money but in the end it pretty much evens out.

[daycare123]

I chose weekly paid for the most part. One family pays on Friday for the upcoming week. One family pays for the week anywhere from Tuesday-Thursday of the week, and one family pays Friday for care already provided for the week. I have never had anyone not pay me and I am flexible as to what works best for them. I don't care as long as I get paid every week.

[jenn]

I charge the same daily rate for full time and part time. I charge a minimum of 3 days of pay for part time.

My families pay at the end of the week. I have not had problems with this, but I sure understand why pre pay is the norm. My parents get a set amount of "free days", so if they pay ahead and then use an unexpected free day, they end up with a credit. I don't want to refund or keep track of credits. (My daughter has health issues, so I am extra picky about sickness of any kind. I give some free days, because there are days that the DCK's would be fine to go to another daycare, but I don't allow them due to her condition.)

Drop ins pay an hourly rate and pay prior to care.

[Willow]

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..

I only take families where both parents work or are in school. Helps weed out those who have the opportunity to take all kinds of days off.

If someone falls ill or something I charge enough and live within enough within my means enough to have a bit of wiggle room. On the off chance kids happen to say go spend the week at grandma's I give two weeks annually where attendance can fall below twenty hours per child per week, and then I charge a 20 hour per child per week minimum (although I have yet to actually ever charge that).


The security charging parents in a way they feel is fair keeps me filled to my desired capacity and my wait list prevents any lapses. I'd rather have it this way than be dealing with unhappy*bucky about payment families and repeated interviews with no bites because prospectives don't think my payment policies are reasonable