Extended Hours What To Charge?
 

Hey all, I charge $140 for a regular week and my regular hours are
7:30-5:30. I had a lady call and ask about two kids for 7:30-6:00 as she wouldn't get off until 5 and works in a city near us where there is a problem with traffic coming into town in the am and out of town in the pm so she didn't want to have to worry about late fees and such so asked me what I would charge to extend until 6pm just to be on the safe side. I know that traffic is an issue for people coming out of this city as we are across the river from it and the traffic can be ridiculous in the afternoons. I told her I would give a 10 per week per kid discount for siblings, and that it would be $25 per week extra ea to extend the hours like that, making it $165-10=$155 each per week. Did I overprice myself on that one because I did not hear back from her.

I have another lady who is a grandparent raising her 2 yr old and 4 yr old grandchildren who called about care if she got a job she was hoping to get. She was planning on just getting care for the four yr old for now and getting a family member to maybe keep the younger one, probably because she cant afford care for them both...she would need care from 6:30-6:00 because she will be working at a plant and I was wondering what I should tell her the rate would be for that. I told her my reg wkly rate and told her it would be more for extended hours, I just dont want to price myself out of yet another possible kid, she lives and works nearby in our town so wouldnt be much of a commute. I am wanting to fill spots because if I don't I won't be able to do this and I will have to try to find a teaching job, or worse...a non paying daycare teacher job in this economy where EVERYONE is looking for work. I want to be reasonable to myself and to others because they will go where it is cheaper if they can't afford it. I had two possible clients this week, one never called back and one never called to set up the visit for the part time spot so I don't know what is going on...wait, make that three because I did have a couple parents come by with their son to visit and I havent heard back from them either although I felt it went very well, I do know they were shopping around as they had gone to other centers.

So, what to do...I am stressing this am and going to be calling the grandparent back soon as I saw she called last night while I was out but didn't leave a message so I am hoping she was calling to tell me she got the job but who knows. Just found out this am that I have insurance, but it is costing my hubby another $84 a week out of his check now which is a lot since he doesn't have a lot left after cs and deductions and gas...ugh

I dont think you over priced your self at all i think til 6 pm would be 10 and a half hour days I think u should be charging more . But thats my opinion. But maybe they are looking and will call you back .

Since my regular hourly rate works out to $2.80, should I charge $3.00 per hour past regular time or like $5? I am so desperate to get kids in here but at the same time I know I can't appear that way, lol. thanks!

To make matters even better, I just found out that one of the other ladies with a FCCH nearby who has been helping me out with questions and such only charges $100 a week but doesnt not do extended hours period. I think I may have overpriced myself or either she is way lower than normal, I am not sure. People in the city nearby charge $125-140 and some a bit higher but I think that is rare so being out in the country away from town maybe my rates are a bit too much and that is why I am not getting the clients?

Okay, I know I said a little while back I was thinking of dropping my rates a little to compete and people said not to, now that I know she is only charging $100 that puts me way out of price range and no wonder that woman stays full and turns people away!

I would say call a few providers in your area and ask what they charge so you no if u are under or over .. how many kids do you have now? I would say your extra over hours should be higher than the rate your day is now so if it is 2.80 make it worth your while to be takin time away from your family so maybe say to be open til 6 it will be x.xx amount. or go with what u said 310 a week but then say anything over 6 pm is 5.00 every 15 minutes so shell never be late i dont know. Im having hard time to trying to determine a new rate for a family right now that is totally changing their hours. so i called a few places in area and got a few prices so i wouldnt be over priced in case they want to go else where. prices here are higher in some homes and lower in some homes it depends what u want to make im finding. if you want to be full or not. i dont want 6 kids ever so i thought i was charging a little more to be more one on one but now i find im not. lol

I agree with Care-care...I would call around and find out what the average is in your area. I've done this several times over the years. Sometimes I have found out my rates were way too low and recently I lowered them a little to make mine more competitive.

I would definitely charge more for the after hour care and if you normally charge $2.80/hr, then $5/hr sounds perfectly reasonable.

Thanks for your input, I was actually looking up providers around here to do just that today. I actually haven't heard back from the lady who was wanting to know about sibling discount and extended hours with the two kids so I assume I was overpriced for her.

The grandparent was the one I was thinking of what i would charge for extended hours but then I found out the lady down the road who has been full since she opened only charges the $100 so I am going to check with others. I am contemplating a drop to $125 to get started and then maybe going up once I have been open awhile or when the economy improves if ever, lol. I don't mind if I only have 3-4 but that is a minimum for me and to make at least what I took home before when I taught. I have two kids who are drop ins now but only because they know I have no other kids to take spots away so that they have to pay for them...

Originally Posted by mom2many:
I agree with Care-care...I would call around and find out what the average is in your area. I've done this several times over the years. Sometimes I have found out my rates were way too low and recently I lowered them a little to make mine more competitive.

I would definitely charge more for the after hour care and if you normally charge $2.80/hr, then $5/hr sounds perfectly reasonable.

So I called around to the stand alone child care centers and a few of the FCCH centers that are in my town. Here is what I got quoted based on ages I asked about:
SPEC-Large center w a waiting list, all meals included open 6:30-6
2 mo old $160
3 yr old $140


Child Care Network-Large center, all meals, open 6:30-6
18 mo $135
3.5/4 $125
Registration fee $35

Smaller FCCH #1: 7:30-5:30 if I remember correctly, no extended hours
flat rate of $100 week, believe she provides meals because she is on the food program and has regulars so that works for her.

FCCH #2

18mo $379 month= 94.75 week
3.5 yr $345 month= 86.25 week
Registration fee- 10.00 a month or she will waive if you pay your monthly amount all at once.

FCCH #3, no daytime spots open, does evenings 4-11 and weekends at same weekly rate

18 mo $150
3.5 yr $125
Waives registration fee if she knows you will be actually using her services

hmmmmm...thoughts?

Honestly, unless you really need the money, dont extend your hours for one family. BTDT...and its not worth it. if you close at 6pm, that means you really arent going to be done until 6:30 or later.
I am in this situation right now and I hate it..... I real;ly dont think there is enough money that could cause me to stay open later on an every day basis again...

I added the 5 prices from the 3 FCCH's and averaged them. 113.20 is the average price for home based care in your area. If it were me, I'd probably charge 110/wk for regular care hours and 130 for extended...based on the averages.

Originally Posted by MN Mom:
I added the 5 prices from the 3 FCCH's and averaged them. 113.20 is the average price for home based care in your area. If it were me, I'd probably charge 110/wk for regular care hours and 130 for extended...based on the averages.

Lol, that's what i was going to do once I got the lil guy down for nap. Just have one today and probably one tomorrow...but I was definitely thinking of a drop to $125 at the least because I thought the others charged a bit more and some did for the younger so maybe I will look at an age rate too, not just a flat rate bc the infants and toddlers do take more one on one.

I just had a mom call who is a teacher (hmm, then looking at no pay on weeks she is out likenthe summer, charging a holding fee, or keeping a similar ratenall year regardless...that mom wants her 9 mo old in a home center bc she doesnt like the alternative but there is a regular center so close to her I don't see her wanting to drive all the way to my house on the othernside of town but who knows). And she saw my regular rate online so didn't even ask about that thankfully lol.

I've got to figure it out bc I'd rathernhave spots filled for a bit less but not too much less ya know..I could have less kids at a more expensive rate or be full at less...but be full and have enough$ to make it work..ugh