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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I am Raising Rates
cheerfuldom 02:35 PM 08-09-2011
Sending home a letter today for a small increase in rates. Full timers will pay $5 more per week and part timers (there is only one right now) will be paying $3 more per day. It's really not much but you never know what parents are going to freak out about and I am a little worried someone is going to get snotty over this. My rates are still competitive especially considering my set-up and small ratio plus each of these families have been here for at least 7 months (the longest family is close to 2 years) so its not like I am surprising them a month after they started. I hope it goes over okay.....
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Sugar Magnolia 04:56 PM 08-09-2011
That's a very reasonable increase. You should be fine, I'm sure your quality program keeps your families there. Nobody wants to put themselves OR their children through finding a new provider, especially if they are happy with you, over a mere $20 a month. Good for you for raising rates!! Just curious, how did you word it? I did this in March and went very heavy on the "cost of doing business has increased, rising insurance rates, yada yada" line of reasoning. I specifically avoided specifics like, "we're getting new _____ for the kids." Let us know how it went ok?
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cheerfuldom 07:22 PM 08-09-2011
I wrote a short letter reminding them what they currently pay, what the increase would be and that the increase coincides with the increase in the cost of living (general and vague term, didn't want to give specific reasons and open up discussions!) and that this increase helps me continue providing daycare services, also the increase would be effective on Monday. Last Oct I raised two families by $10 a week and the other two families have joined since then and this is their first increase. I'm going to be really ticked if someone has a problem with $1 a day increase.
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SilverSabre25 07:29 PM 08-09-2011
I'm raising rates by $10/week in January. This is an increase specifically for the daycare--to cover preschool materials (whether I stick with my own or (bleh) go with a boxed one) and to cover specific improvements for the daycare (really big sandbox is one that I'll mention) as well as "cost of living".
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cheerfuldom 06:34 AM 08-10-2011
well one family said nothing today and another did not show up. The mom said she had a headache and was keeping the little one home.....I hope she is telling the truth and not shopping for daycares.
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wdmmom 06:39 AM 08-10-2011
I break it down for families. If they are looking at a $20.00 a month increase, some may consider that expensive. If you break it down to $1.00 a day or $.10 an hour, they are more receptive to it.

When will parents realize that "cheaper is not always better!"
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MommyMuffin 06:41 AM 08-10-2011
Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I'm raising rates by $10/week in January. This is an increase specifically for the daycare--to cover preschool materials (whether I stick with my own or (bleh) go with a boxed one) and to cover specific improvements for the daycare (really big sandbox is one that I'll mention) as well as "cost of living".
That is what I will be doing, but I will be doing $5. Do you or would you increase for ALL ages...even infant? I only do curriculum for 2 +. Maybe I could just say it is an increase for toys..wipes..classes. I need the increase the most for curriculum and art supplies though.
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SilverSabre25 06:44 AM 08-10-2011
Originally Posted by MommyMuffin:
That is what I will be doing, but I will be doing $5. Do you or would you increase for ALL ages...even infant? I only do curriculum for 2 +. Maybe I could just say it is an increase for toys..wipes..classes. I need the increase the most for curriculum and art supplies though.
I don't charge differently for different ages and right now I only have toddlers and up. If anyone asks about it though (one family is adding an infant in January) I can tell them that infants are more hands-on work and as the hands on work decreases they use more of the supplies, so it's an even trade. It's a good question though; thanks for asking. Now I'm prepared if it comes up.
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Cat Herder 11:52 AM 08-10-2011
I raised rates in January so won't be doing in again for 2 years.

I went up $2 a day.
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Meyou 11:55 AM 08-10-2011
I raised my rates $2.50/day in April. I'll do another $2.50 raise in January but my families know its coming. I hadn't done a rate increase for 4 years previous to these two so they're really just getting me back up to the top of the market in my area.
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