Originally Posted by midaycare:
This discussion always irks me, as the people who love it are always Tier 1
Tier 2 is hardly worth it, and the difference between an extra $10K a year to me, or $1800. Sure, $1800 is great....BUT it's a lot of visits, I have to fill out paperwork every day (FP doesn't accept online submission over here), and I'm always making the simplest mistakes, which would be caught by computer, but not when I write it out. So I can easily lose a week of money because I made a simple error (they are super strict). So I don't make $1800. Maybe $1200.
On another note, child care providers are not rich. We are not stealing money from the food program and running to Maui.
I'll admit I didn't love it when I was tier 2. Right before I was bumped up, DH and I had seriously discussed being done with the FP and having parents provide the meals.
Personally, I think in-homes SHOULD be tier 1, especially as the food program is pushed heavily to licensed providers (and most state regulations about food are food program ones)
That said, I have been on long enough to make it work so I do MAKE money (which helps immensely because the $2 per hour you make off each child's tuition hardly covers it)
There is a health food store that sells organic oatmeal in bulk. You can get a 5 or 10 pound bag (I haven't had to buy in a while) for pretty cheap. And oatmeal is CHEAP to serve and lasts in airtight containers forever. Plain oatmeal, oatmeal pancakes, hm granola, oatmeal cookies for a rare treat, etc etc Chicken is another one - our grocery store has sales where boneless chicken breasts are $1.99/lb. I stock up. Grilled chicken, hm nuggets, hm chicken soup, chicken tacos/quesadillas, etc etc
Otherwise it wouldn't be worth it. And frankly, it's none of my clients business what I do with the money I make. Just as its none of my business what they do with theirs.