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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Hand Parents Invoice at Pick-Up?
Boymom 05:44 AM 05-03-2016
I love this family, but they always forget to pay me on time. I'm done with it. They were supposed to pay me yesterday. I am tired of asking for my pay. They are really nice, they are just incredibly forgetful! I've thought about handing them invoices a few days before it's due, but I haven't done it yet. Well I'm thinking about printing one out of MMK right now and then handing it to them at pick-up! Is that awkward to hand them an invoice since I've never given them one before??
EntropyControlSpecialist 05:46 AM 05-03-2016
No. What's awkward is they are late paying their bill and aren't embarrassed about it.
You need to be paid on time. Do what you need to in order to get paid on time.
That is not asking too much since I'm sure they are paid on time at their job or they wouldn't go to work.
I charge a late fee once a payment is a minute past due and the child cannot attend until it's paid in full. I don't want to be chasing after what they agreed to pay me. That's just not something I'm willing to add to my job duties.
You need to be paid on time. Do what you need to in order to get paid on time.
That is not asking too much since I'm sure they are paid on time at their job or they wouldn't go to work.I charge a late fee once a payment is a minute past due and the child cannot attend until it's paid in full. I don't want to be chasing after what they agreed to pay me. That's just not something I'm willing to add to my job duties.
Thriftylady 05:55 AM 05-03-2016
You need to start a late fee, and enforcing it today! Mine is $10 per day late. Since I have restarted and stared that late fee, I haven't had late payments. I had one flakey parent ask a year ago if she could pay Monday instead of Friday. I said "sure, just remember to add your $10 per day late fees, so that will be an extra $30 for the week". She paid on Friday!
childcaremom 06:12 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by EntropyControlSpecialist:
No. What's awkward is they are late paying their bill and aren't embarrassed about it.
You need to be paid on time. Do what you need to in order to get paid on time. That is not asking too much since I'm sure they are paid on time at their job or they wouldn't go to work.
I charge a late fee once a payment is a minute past due and the child cannot attend until it's paid in full. I don't want to be chasing after what they agreed to pay me. That's just not something I'm willing to add to my job duties.
No. What's awkward is they are late paying their bill and aren't embarrassed about it.
You need to be paid on time. Do what you need to in order to get paid on time.
That is not asking too much since I'm sure they are paid on time at their job or they wouldn't go to work.I charge a late fee once a payment is a minute past due and the child cannot attend until it's paid in full. I don't want to be chasing after what they agreed to pay me. That's just not something I'm willing to add to my job duties.
Blackcat31 06:32 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Boymom:
I love this family, but they always forget to pay me on time. I'm done with it. They were supposed to pay me yesterday. I am tired of asking for my pay. They are really nice, they are just incredibly forgetful! I've thought about handing them invoices a few days before it's due, but I haven't done it yet. Well I'm thinking about printing one out of MMK right now and then handing it to them at pick-up! Is that awkward to hand them an invoice since I've never given them one before??
Set a payment date. I love this family, but they always forget to pay me on time. I'm done with it. They were supposed to pay me yesterday. I am tired of asking for my pay. They are really nice, they are just incredibly forgetful! I've thought about handing them invoices a few days before it's due, but I haven't done it yet. Well I'm thinking about printing one out of MMK right now and then handing it to them at pick-up! Is that awkward to hand them an invoice since I've never given them one before??
Have a late fee
Do not allow drop off with out payment (including late fees)
Don't waiver from that ^^ policy.
Boymom 07:17 AM 05-03-2016
Thank you everyone! I just printed an invoice out of MMK and put a very detailed note reminding them of my policies and that I will absolutely start enforcing my late fees (which I should have been doing in the first place!)
rosieteddy 08:08 AM 05-03-2016
I had a couple of parents like this.They thought nothing of bringing payment at end of the day or next day.I started a late payment policy.I also started taking a months checks ahead of time.Parents gave post dated checks for the entire month on the first Thursday of the month.This worked out well.I had all the checks and was able to send them with my husband to the bank in the am.No more waiting for that last check.
Thriftylady 08:47 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Boymom:
Thank you everyone! I just printed an invoice out of MMK and put a very detailed note reminding them of my policies and that I will absolutely start enforcing my late fees (which I should have been doing in the first place!)
Sadly we have to do this. It would be so nice if all parents just paid on time because that is what you do.Thank you everyone! I just printed an invoice out of MMK and put a very detailed note reminding them of my policies and that I will absolutely start enforcing my late fees (which I should have been doing in the first place!)
Blackcat31 09:27 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Thriftylady:
Sadly we have to do this. It would be so nice if all parents just paid on time because that is what you do.
I don't. I haven't sent an invoice or payment reminder to a single family in many years now. Sadly we have to do this. It would be so nice if all parents just paid on time because that is what you do.
My parents KNOW payment is due BY 5PM on Friday or there will be an additional fee added and NO services will be provided until FULL amount has been paid.
I set the tone IMMEDIATELY and never waiver from it.
It confuses parents less that way
Thriftylady 09:33 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't. I haven't sent an invoice or payment reminder to a single family in many years now.
My parents KNOW payment is due BY 5PM on Friday or there will be an additional fee added and NO services will be provided until FULL amount has been paid.
I set the tone IMMEDIATELY and never waiver from it.
It confuses parents less that way
This is what I do now also. I don't give invoices, unless for some reason the fee changes. But it seems you have to let them know for sure that there will be a late fee. So the "we have to do this" was meaning the late fees, not the invoices.I don't. I haven't sent an invoice or payment reminder to a single family in many years now.
My parents KNOW payment is due BY 5PM on Friday or there will be an additional fee added and NO services will be provided until FULL amount has been paid.
I set the tone IMMEDIATELY and never waiver from it.
It confuses parents less that way
NillaWafers 11:25 AM 05-03-2016
I just had to charge a late fee for my first time, for a parent that pays the 1st and 15th. My policy states that the payment must be give by 5:30PM on the due date. The 1st was a weekend so I guess this parent thought she could just pay a day late? She was pretty miffed/POd that I enforced a late fee and tried to argue that I wasn't open and I couldn't have cashed the check anyways (I actually could have, my bank has mobile deposit and I get a 200 immediately available credit). She tried to argue she didn't know, but it is in my contract and doesn't even say that paying a day late is ok. 
Anyhow I stuck to my guns and you should too. Once you start enforcing the late fees they'll stop paying late.
Anyhow I stuck to my guns and you should too. Once you start enforcing the late fees they'll stop paying late.
Blackcat31 11:42 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by NillaWafers:
I just had to charge a late fee for my first time, for a parent that pays the 1st and 15th. My policy states that the payment must be give by 5:30PM on the due date. The 1st was a weekend so I guess this parent thought she could just pay a day late? She was pretty miffed/POd that I enforced a late fee and tried to argue that I wasn't open and I couldn't have cashed the check anyways (I actually could have, my bank has mobile deposit and I get a 200 immediately available credit). She tried to argue she didn't know, but it is in my contract and doesn't even say that paying a day late is ok.
Anyhow I stuck to my guns and you should too. Once you start enforcing the late fees they'll stop paying late.
Wouldve been easier to pay a day earlier verses later.... but its funny how so many families think the opposite. I just had to charge a late fee for my first time, for a parent that pays the 1st and 15th. My policy states that the payment must be give by 5:30PM on the due date. The 1st was a weekend so I guess this parent thought she could just pay a day late? She was pretty miffed/POd that I enforced a late fee and tried to argue that I wasn't open and I couldn't have cashed the check anyways (I actually could have, my bank has mobile deposit and I get a 200 immediately available credit). She tried to argue she didn't know, but it is in my contract and doesn't even say that paying a day late is ok.
Anyhow I stuck to my guns and you should too. Once you start enforcing the late fees they'll stop paying late.
I say payment is due "on or before" or use the words "NO later than X". I also tell my parents the late fee is automated and is added automatically within my accounting software so don't even ask me to waive it.... I provide child care services not accounting services.
My parents all get it.
NillaWafers 11:54 AM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Wouldve been easier to pay a day earlier verses later.... but its funny how so many families think the opposite.
I say payment is due "on or before" or use the words "NO later than X". I also tell my parents the late fee is automated and is added automatically within my accounting software so don't even ask me to waive it.... I provide child care services not accounting services.
My parents all get it.
I told my husband that I felt bad, but really if she were paying ANY OTHER SERVICE, she would have paid ahead of time. People seem to think dealing with an entity vs. a person will be different.Wouldve been easier to pay a day earlier verses later.... but its funny how so many families think the opposite.
I say payment is due "on or before" or use the words "NO later than X". I also tell my parents the late fee is automated and is added automatically within my accounting software so don't even ask me to waive it.... I provide child care services not accounting services.
My parents all get it.
Unregistered 02:15 PM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I don't. I haven't sent an invoice or payment reminder to a single family in many years now.
My parents KNOW payment is due BY 5PM on Friday or there will be an additional fee added and NO services will be provided until FULL amount has been paid.
I set the tone IMMEDIATELY and never waiver from it.
It confuses parents less that way
When your parents pay on friday are they paying in advance for next week or the current weekI don't. I haven't sent an invoice or payment reminder to a single family in many years now.
My parents KNOW payment is due BY 5PM on Friday or there will be an additional fee added and NO services will be provided until FULL amount has been paid.
I set the tone IMMEDIATELY and never waiver from it.
It confuses parents less that way
Blackcat31 03:12 PM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
When your parents pay on friday are they paying in advance for next week or the current week
For the upcoming week(s) of care. When your parents pay on friday are they paying in advance for next week or the current week
Some families pay weekly and others pay bi-weekly.
Thriftylady 03:14 PM 05-03-2016
Originally Posted by Unregistered:
When your parents pay on friday are they paying in advance for next week or the current week
Always in advance here. They have two choices. Pay on time on Friday your normal fee OR pay on Monday morning with late fees. If you choose to do neither, then I will not keep your child on Monday.When your parents pay on friday are they paying in advance for next week or the current week
thrivingchildcarecom 05:44 PM 05-03-2016
Getting tuition payments on time can be one of the biggest issues we face as providers. I have tried a few things over the years but what I do now that has seemed to work best has been to send out a weekly note the day before tuition is due. I think it has worked because I do post it every week and that way their don't seem to be any excuses for forgetting.
If you would like me to share the verbiage I use in my short note, send me a PM with your email. I would love to share.
If you would like me to share the verbiage I use in my short note, send me a PM with your email. I would love to share.
thrivingchildcarecom 05:47 PM 05-03-2016
Good for you! Why is it that parents seem to forget to pay for daycare, but not a car note, mortgage, bills, (insert any regular payment here)!?
Oddly enough, it is so true, as soon as you enforce your rules, they do get it and you most likely will not have that issue again (at least not as often). People hate fees!
Oddly enough, it is so true, as soon as you enforce your rules, they do get it and you most likely will not have that issue again (at least not as often). People hate fees!
Miss A 07:13 PM 05-03-2016
I used to send out a monthly newsletter, but now that my group is all infants, I send out a monthly calendar with important dates such as when a substitute will be providing care for an appointment, and each Friday has a reminder that payment is due firbthe following week. I have not had a family pay late since starting this.