Originally Posted by mbullette:
As I am working on my rate increase today how much is to much? I charged per hour and families took advantage of that. Some families who said they would be coming 40 hours a week will show up for 20 if I am lucky. I am not making enough and so I need to change my rates. I have one family that their currently weekly rate comes out around $100 a week if I am lucky. With my new rates they would be pay closer to $160. I think that is a huge jump but then again I never know when he will show up. Next week he will only be here 5 hours which I just found out about this morning. She has decided to have her mom watch him and then took vacation. I had one family this past week come just Tuesday and at pick up they told me they wouldnt be back for the rest of the week because Grandma was watching her. The families just do what they want and my income is never consistent. I am working on this right now but is that a huge jump in price or should I not even worry about it? Help!!!
It IS going to be a huge increase for your families but you either want a consistent income or you will need to deal with families who sign on and then do everything they can to lessen their costs by having family members watch their child whenever they can so they don't have to pay because they can and you are allowing it....kwim?
I am not saying they are bad parents for doing so, as anyone would do the same...Imean why pay you when someone else will do it for free? Basically you are only back up for when they can't find that free caregiver.
If you are willing to risk losing some families (rate changes and requirements to HAVE to commit will cause those families who are only using you as back up to find alternate arrangements) then just make the changes YOU need to continue having a profitable business. Do what YOU need to do to make an income and stay in business.
Require families to commit. Require a certain minimum for payment and/or attendance to save or hold those spaces and start requiring families to give you written notice of their schedules as well as not allowing them to jsut tell you the night before that they will or won't be there or atleast continue to charge them when they do that.
If you want, I will share my handbook, rate sheet and contract page with you. Just PM your e-mail address. You can get a good idea of how I do things and are welcome to use any of the methods, rules and or policies I have.
