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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I Forgot My Check...
Dsquared 05:55 AM 04-17-2012
If payment for the week of care is due Monday morning and parents show up without their payment with the old "I forgot the check at home..." what type of fee do you guys charge? The parents will usually will bring the check at pickup (if you have a conversation with them about where's the money at drop off) later that day BUT it has started to became a habit with some of them. I also feel that if they weren't reminded that they "forgot their check" at drop off they probably would not bring it to pickup on Monday afternoon/evening.

My thought is you didn't forget to bring your kid today so don't forget your payment.
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wdmmom 06:16 AM 04-17-2012
What is your late fee? I charge $10 per day. If it's not received in the morning when it's due, I would charge the fee. Bet they won't forget it next time.
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Blackcat31 06:17 AM 04-17-2012
This sounds tough but seriously if they forget their check and it is REQUIRED to be in on Monday mornings then I would NOT take their child. I try to NEVER provide services without payment.....even for just a few hours.

I would have the parent run to the bank (with child) or I would maybe allow them to bring the check at pick up but ONLY if:

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laundrymom 06:42 AM 04-17-2012
First time I charge inconvenience fee of $10 per day. Second or more time fees raise $5 per week. After each 6 months of on time pymt fee is reduced by $5 until original fee is reached.
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Lilbutterflie 07:44 AM 04-17-2012
I think I'm the odd woman out here; but I usually give them the benefit of the doubt the first couple of times and allow them to bring it at pickup without any additional fees. If they don't bring it at pickup, the late fee applies. If the check is not brought the next morning, I don't accept the child until they pay.

However, if this is occurring EVERY week (more than twice in a row); I would have a talk with the parents. Let them know you have tried to be flexible with them, but since it is becoming a habit you are going to start enforcing your late fee if the check isn't brought in the AM during drop off. Hopefully this policy is already in your handbook, but if it isn't, add it and make them sign a new one.
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momma2girls 08:03 AM 04-17-2012
I have this in my contract- Payment is due Mon. of the week of daycare am at drop off or pm at pick up. If payment is not made, I will not watch your children, til payment is made, and there will be $10.00 a day late fee, inc. Sat. and Sun.
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daycare 08:43 AM 04-17-2012
What works for me is having payments paid on Friday in advance. Most people get paid on Friday, so they don't have time to spend it over the weekend and etc.

I also have a one time $40.00 late fee if not paid by friday at closing plus a $10.00 fee per day that it is not paid. I don't accept payments on weekends either. If they show up on Monday morning and don't have the full fee for me including late fees, No pay no stay.

Of course, this is on a case by case basis and I have only ever had to do it once.
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renodeb 09:13 AM 04-17-2012
Just think of it tis way: What if there boss said " OOps forgot the check book today, but will you still work. I think its a lame excuse. I have even had parents say that the check was in the car do I want them to go get it. Now come on! I charge 10 dollars a day. Its a great deterent.
Debbie
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Crazy8 10:02 AM 04-17-2012
This is why I require payment on Fridays for the following week. You will often get the "I forgot my check" excuse Friday morning. If its not in by 5pm Friday evening they get slapped with a late fee, and more late fees if its not dropped off over the weekend (I do allow them to do this) and then by Monday morning there is no "I forgot my check" - its now "turn around, take your child and visit the ATM down the street".
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Jewels 10:07 AM 04-17-2012
I trust all my parents to pay me, so I don't charge a fee for being late, It is easy to forget a check, I honestly used to do it all the time when I had my son in daycare, I never carried my checkbook on me, and I never remembered until I got there and looked at the payment box, lucklily I lived a few houses down and would run back home, but I really sometimes(not often) did not remember on monday morning, my thoughts in the morning were on getting myself ready, and making sure I had enough time to snuggle and watch a cartoon with my little boy and then get out the door by 6:30... people do innocently forget, I never think its a ploy not to pay me, I have a family that would alwayas forget, never bothered me, I knew they were good for it, most of my families are set up on the childcarepay.com, so everything is done automatically, and theres no way to forget......but I also never go to the bank until the end of the week, sometimes I don't make it for 2 weeks. I'm just lenient I guess, I've had my current families for so long, and they are all so great to me, and maybe its because I've never been screwed over yet.
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CheekyChick 10:10 AM 04-17-2012
Payment is due on Friday, but I give a 5 day grace period before charging a late fee. In almost five years I have never charged a late fee, even if they surpass the five days. Thankfully, 95% of my parents pay on time or early.
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MrsB 10:12 AM 04-17-2012
Mine is $10 a day late fee too but I just switched this week to no longer accepting checks which has cut down on my "oh I forgot my check books"

My biggest excuse was "my wife/husband has the ck, she'll give it to you at drop off" Oh brother, you couldnt spend 3 minutes last night getting a check from your wife/husband?

I have the little credit card scanner that hooks to my smart phone for running payments or they can use auto pay on minute menu.

I do have one young mom that doesnt have a cking account and the grandmother pays the bill. So the 3rd week of every month. The grandma gives me 4-5 post dated checks for the upcoming month.
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jojosmommy 11:38 AM 04-17-2012
Tell them pmts are due Friday now. Then when they pay Monday it will be on time. Or tell them you are requiring online pmts through childcarepay.com. I love it! Never had an issue since starting that.

And really, if I forgot the checkbook ONCE I would rip out two blanks leave them in my glove box or somewhere interest car for emergencies and never look like a no mind again. Come on people.
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Lilbutterflie 12:25 PM 04-17-2012
Originally Posted by MrsB:
Mine is $10 a day late fee too but I just switched this week to no longer accepting checks which has cut down on my "oh I forgot my check books"

My biggest excuse was "my wife/husband has the ck, she'll give it to you at drop off" Oh brother, you couldnt spend 3 minutes last night getting a check from your wife/husband?

I have the little credit card scanner that hooks to my smart phone for running payments or they can use auto pay on minute menu.

I do have one young mom that doesnt have a cking account and the grandmother pays the bill. So the 3rd week of every month. The grandma gives me 4-5 post dated checks for the upcoming month.
Mrs. B, I have a couple questions for you!

1- I have thought about signing up for the auto pay on Minute Menu; but how long does it take from the time the parents make payment to when it actually hits your account? I thought I read that it could take 5-7 business days, yikes! For the parents that use it, what is their deadline for making payment, and do you get notified (email or otherwise) when the payment has been made?

2-How much does the credit card scanner run? Do you have to pay per transaction?
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daycare 12:55 PM 04-17-2012
Originally Posted by Lilbutterflie:
Mrs. B, I have a couple questions for you!

1- I have thought about signing up for the auto pay on Minute Menu; but how long does it take from the time the parents make payment to when it actually hits your account? I thought I read that it could take 5-7 business days, yikes! For the parents that use it, what is their deadline for making payment, and do you get notified (email or otherwise) when the payment has been made?

2-How much does the credit card scanner run? Do you have to pay per transaction?
I used to use the childcare pay but it takes 5-7 business days to post to the account. AND still then you won't know if the payment bounces or not until then. None of my payments were ever paid on time using that program and a few times checks did not clear the bank and I did not find out for about 7 days. So I stopped using it.
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MarinaVanessa 01:10 PM 04-17-2012
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
This sounds tough but seriously if they forget their check and it is REQUIRED to be in on Monday mornings then I would NOT take their child. I try to NEVER provide services without payment.....even for just a few hours.

I would have the parent run to the bank (with child) or I would maybe allow them to bring the check at pick up but ONLY if:
  • they were a long standing family with a great payment history and
  • they pay a late fee since the check was due in the morning but not paid til the afternoon, I would consider this to be a late payment.
I do the same as Blackcat but I turn them away regardless. I've had 2 families that were always in good standing and never paid late until one time (at different times). Both said they'd run home really quick and bring the payment right away before work, both left little Johnny here at DC and both didn't come back to DC until after work at the end of the day. One actually brought the payment at pick-up, the other came empty handed and brought it the next morning. Both were charged a late payment fee. I never allowed anyone to leave the child again unless they had the money in hand
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Jewels 01:12 PM 04-17-2012
The minute menu program does take longer to actually get your money...my parents money is all automatically withdrawn from their bank occounts on monday mornings, and its deposited into mine on fridays, I think its stupid that it takes that long, the company obviously earns interest off of all the money during those 4 days, nothing bounces though with that because the money comes straight from their accounts, it really is quite convenient, and no one thinks about anything, I have 4 out of 7 families that use it, and they are all set up automatically, And I do get emails every monday when the payments are made.
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jojosmommy 08:11 PM 04-17-2012
Yep takes 5-7 days. Less time than it takes me to get to the bank if a parent was to pay Monday because I am open longer than the banks everyday and don't transport during daycare.

Never had a payment returned for bad payment thru childcarepay.com. Had 1 here from a regular check and it took over a week to have the bank return it. By then I had already done a week plus 1day of care free.

I invoice all my parents Wednesday. They have until Friday evening to pay it. Usually get paid (money in the bank) by wed of next week. I bill for two weeks at a time so it's just like getting paid every two weeks from a regular job.
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frugalmama4 09:12 PM 04-17-2012
Well I can top this!

Open my door on Monday morning DCD drops off kid's... OK no biggie. I asked do you have the tuition are will mom be picking up? Yep, mom will pick up and bring it she has the check book...I OK.

Mid-day dck get's sick...I call mom...she calls dad to pick-up. I decide to be nice and tell mom don't worry about late fee "I won't make you come all the way here after work when I know you need/want to get home to your sick kid. Just please bring payment in the am....next day mom texts kids not coming dcb still sick...OK I text back please deposit tuition into my account. MINE YOU MOM & DAD WORKS IN A BANK (separate banks) as managers. To add to my drama dad works at the bank I bank at could have easily deposited payment without any issues...mom works across the street from the bank I bank at could have went on her lunch break and/or when she got off on Monday!

Back to the present day (Tuesday) I had to text and call (no answer with either) mom to say Please deposit tuition. I'm so ready to terminate this family

I will have to sit a talk with them really don't want to at all

Good Luck! Oh, BTW My contract states for this family tuition due by 6:30 Monday...best believe I have changed it to Friday's for the upcoming week!
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Christian Mother 09:29 PM 04-17-2012
Payment is due at drop of each Mond. morning. I have had parents forget their ck and I'm not a stickler on it. They've never gone a wk with out paying. Usually they just bring it the next day at drop off or they bring it when they pick up their child. I do have one parent who pays me once a wk for 2 wks and so forth. But, if it ever became a problem and it was happening all the time I would have a conversation at pick up that if it wasn't brought the following day they could not bring their child. I've never had that conversation yet.
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MrsB 08:59 AM 04-18-2012
Originally Posted by Lilbutterflie:
Mrs. B, I have a couple questions for you!

1- I have thought about signing up for the auto pay on Minute Menu; but how long does it take from the time the parents make payment to when it actually hits your account? I thought I read that it could take 5-7 business days, yikes! For the parents that use it, what is their deadline for making payment, and do you get notified (email or otherwise) when the payment has been made?

2-How much does the credit card scanner run? Do you have to pay per transaction?
1. My parents that use Minute Menu, the transaction date is Friday so I get my money in my account on Thursday. The only time it takes more than 5 days is if there is a holiday, then I would get it Friday or Monday. If a payment doesnt go through, I get an email from them Wed or Thursday. The plus is that minute menu only charges you a $3 fee where as my bank would charge me $35. I agree it seems like it takes longer than it should, but it would be 4 days or more to hear from my bank if a ck didnt go through too, plus a ton of fees. The way I figure it is the money and time I would spend going to the bank and usually not make it there to Thursday or the following weekend. It is worth it to me.

I got the Intuit Go payment scanner. I think it is a 2% fee per transaction. Which is pretty good for cc payments. It is quick and convient and well worth the money for me. If I run it on Monday then I usually get my money on Wednesday. Plus all those fees are 100% deductible.

Here's the link: http://intuit-gopayment.com/free?cid...120418155206:s

Since I stopped taking checks I have had NO problems what so ever. I stand there at the door with my scanner Monday morning. "Would you like to use Visa or Mastercard today" They usually have their debit cards ready to go!

Most use Minute Menu though because then they can print receipts for their flex spending accounts.
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Crazy8 09:07 AM 04-18-2012
Originally Posted by Lilbutterflie:
Mrs. B, I have a couple questions for you!


2-How much does the credit card scanner run? Do you have to pay per transaction?
I have the square credit card device.... Bad thing is its 2.75% per transaction. Good thing is you can get the device for free and you can get the funds quickly - I think next day is what they advertise. I've had it a while but never use it - I don't want to pay the fees so its there if a parent needs to use it but they have to pay the fee. If everyone used it that would be $25/week in fees for me!! I don't care if the fees are tax deductible - no way am I shelling out $100 a month!!!
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dEHmom 09:09 AM 04-18-2012
I did not read the replies you received on this, but I think this is the perfect time to implement 2 new policies.

1. Payment is due the FRIDAY for the FOLLOWING 2 WEEKS of care. If they pay on the monday, automatic $30 late charge ($10 per day including saturday and sunday) and do not accept payments on the weekend either.

2. NO PAY NO STAY policy. If payment is not made on the friday and they show up on the monday and say they will pay at pickup, do not allow the child in until payment is made in full (including late payment fee). Do not provide receipts for late payment fees either.
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