Are You Kidding Me?!

[HappyPennie]

I am annoyed....I started a new DC boy last week and when I met with the mom we agreed on the 7th as her first payment date because it worked better for her payment schedule at work. I got a text from her this afternoon asking if we could make a payment arrangement for the first payment because she did her calculations and wouldn't be able to pay me the full amount. Not wanting to, I sat down with my husband and we figured out a payment plan that put her first payment at $200 ($112 remaining balance) and she could pay the $112 remaining with her second payment. She said that should work and then 2 seconds later sent another text asking if she could pay the $200 on her NEXT paycheck (20th) and then catch up after that. Seriously?? You want me to go a whole month without getting a dime?? I told her I needed some kind of payment on the 7th and she came back with $80....I'm annoyed and just needed to vent....I want to be willing to work with people but COME ON. What would you do in this situation?

[MissSarah]

Speaking from experience, if you let the parents make payment arrangements instead of paying the full amount they take advantage of you. I charge for the days I work only not for each space and I get paid every two weeks. One family pays on time and in full every two weeks as agreed on. The other family is constantly trying to pay a little here and a little there...they do this because when I first started with them 4 yrs ago I let that happen and now I am STILL paying for it. I demand payment in full now but they still ask at least once a month and it's very annoying.

Don't make the same mistake I did...insist on payment in full on the agreed upon date and don't care for the kids until you have it. NO PAY - NO PLAY is the policy I have now. Good luck!

[Cradle2crayons]

I get paid UP FRONT, on the first day of drop off or they can take their kids back home.

In the beginning I was burned way too much about payment.

As long as you let them have special, they will use you as a doormat.

[e.j.]

I have a trial period in case things don't seem to be working out with a new dc family. I think I'd be having a discussion with this dc mom that starts out along the lines of, "Our dc arrangement doesn't seem to be working out for you. Unless you can find a way to pay for my services, I'm afraid your last day will be...."

[cheerfuldom]

Stop negotiating right now. Let them know that "upon further thought, I really need to stick with our original agreement. With that in mind, I will need the full payment as agreed upon on the 7th or I can no longer provide care"

I personally ALWAYS get paid in advance.

[AfterSchoolMom]

I agree...no negotiating. Either they pay or they're out. DCM will probably continue to do this to you if you don't put a stop to it now.

[sarahhardy2711]

I agree with what everyone else is saying, if you work with them now then be prepared for this to happen all the time. I will say, if you get a good vibe from the family then working with them might A little might work. But by no means, does 1 month with no pay work !! It's unfair of them to think that you should have to work a month before getting paid. I personally would say " I feel that sticking to our agreed upon arrangement would work best for me, I won't be able to accept payment any later then ____ date." What you do know sets the tone for the rest of your business relationship.

[JoseyJo]

Pay in advance is the only way to go! I have been burned EVERY TIME I have ever let a parent pay after services are provided. When they have to pay before hand they value your time and energy more and treat you with more respect than if they pay you afterwards like a bill.

[TheGoodLife]

Originally Posted by e.j.

I have a trial period in case things don't seem to be working out with a new dc family. I think I'd be having a discussion with this dc mom that starts out along the lines of, "Our dc arrangement doesn't seem to be working out for you. Unless you can find a way to pay for my services, I'm afraid your last day will be...."

Yes! Don't let her walk over you- she should have been saving up before care started. I get paid the Friday before, for the following week and have never had a problem! You're giving her services for free and you will be out $ in the end. Reiterate that $x is due, restate payment policy, and tell her services will have to be terminated if it will not work out and she cannot follow payment policy. Not your job to figure her finances out

[TheGoodLife]

Originally Posted by cheerfuldom

Stop negotiating right now. Let them know that "upon further thought, I really need to stick with our original agreement. With that in mind, I will need the full payment as agreed upon on the 7th or I can no longer provide care"

I personally ALWAYS get paid in advance.

I like this wording, too

Originally Posted by HappyPennie

I am annoyed....I started a new DC boy last week and when I met with the mom we agreed on the 7th as her first payment date because it worked better for her payment schedule at work. I got a text from her this afternoon asking if we could make a payment arrangement for the first payment because she did her calculations and wouldn't be able to pay me the full amount. Not wanting to, I sat down with my husband and we figured out a payment plan that put her first payment at $200 ($112 remaining balance) and she could pay the $112 remaining with her second payment. She said that should work and then 2 seconds later sent another text asking if she could pay the $200 on her NEXT paycheck (20th) and then catch up after that. Seriously?? You want me to go a whole month without getting a dime?? I told her I needed some kind of payment on the 7th and she came back with $80....I'm annoyed and just needed to vent....I want to be willing to work with people but COME ON. What would you do in this situation?

I would probably explain to her that because you had an agreement, you want to stick with it. Explain that if you just accept $80 this time, then say 20th gets here and she can't pay the balance in full, she gets further and further behind making YOU further and further behind on your bills. You do not want a current balance to spill over into a new month because each pay period that passes with a short payment, it gets harder to catch up.

Usually, when I explain things like that, it gets the job done and most will "find" a way to get the $$. And then after this, advance payments only. NO payments in arrears, it's how you get screwed!

[TheGoodLife]

Did this DCK just magically appear? How did they not figure out the cost of your DC services beforehand?! Ugh, if it was me I'd politely state that payment must be made before services, they owe a balance of $x, and must pay before care resumes. I'd have it in writing, too, since you've already provided care w/o payment. (Sorry, bad day and I guess this one is really making me

[SquirrellyMama]

It sounds to me like she is going to keep putting you off and all of sudden you've given them a month for free. When she can't keep putting you off she'll be gone and you won't have gotten any money for watching this DCK.

She'll then find someone new to pull this trick on.

K

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I would assume that this mom is always going to be a headache. You've already watched for free. Personally, I would probably tell her that unless if she plans on sticking to your original agreement, you can not continue care. What happens when you get to the 20th and she can only pay you $80? Then you have watched for a month for $160. If you continue on this road, and she probably will, she will never catch up. Even if the 20th she pays in full, the next check she will be short again because bottom line, she can not afford this. I also get paid in advance, after getting burned too many times

[Laurel]

Originally Posted by HappyPennie

I am annoyed....I started a new DC boy last week and when I met with the mom we agreed on the 7th as her first payment date because it worked better for her payment schedule at work. I got a text from her this afternoon asking if we could make a payment arrangement for the first payment because she did her calculations and wouldn't be able to pay me the full amount. Not wanting to, I sat down with my husband and we figured out a payment plan that put her first payment at $200 ($112 remaining balance) and she could pay the $112 remaining with her second payment. She said that should work and then 2 seconds later sent another text asking if she could pay the $200 on her NEXT paycheck (20th) and then catch up after that. Seriously?? You want me to go a whole month without getting a dime?? I told her I needed some kind of payment on the 7th and she came back with $80....I'm annoyed and just needed to vent....I want to be willing to work with people but COME ON. What would you do in this situation?

Most of us have been burned when we've tried to be 'nice' or 'flexible'.

It is always okay to say that you have re-thought things and changed your mind as no one can be expected to go without pay for a month. I've had to learn to say "I'll need to think about that and then get back to you" or even "After further thought, that isn't going to work for me after all so blah, blah, blah." Luckily when I used the first sentence I have rarely had to use the second one.

Laurel

[Leigh]

I wouldn't let it go with NO payment. I insist on payment up front. If you wanted to work with them, I would not provide more than one week of care without being paid (get paid on Friday for M-F).

I insist on payment upfront for the upcoming week. The ONLY place I work out a payment plan is for my final 2 weeks payment. I will give parents up to 8 weeks to pay the last 2 weeks payment. First week is due BY drop off on the first day of care.

Not everyone is out to pull one over on you. Probably more people WILL pay than won't. But once you let someone go that ends up NOT paying you, you'll see why you should get paid upfront.

The rule here is like borrowing money to your friends and family: Never lend more than you are willing to GIVE. If you're willing to give this person your time for free, then go ahead and take a chance. I'd at LEAST insist on post-dated checks to protect yourself.

[momofboys]

Curious about what happened here. I always require upfront payment. I think it is too risky to get payment after services are provided. Hope it all worked out for you!

[My3cents]

Originally Posted by MissSarah

Speaking from experience, if you let the parents make payment arrangements instead of paying the full amount they take advantage of you. I charge for the days I work only not for each space and I get paid every two weeks. One family pays on time and in full every two weeks as agreed on. The other family is constantly trying to pay a little here and a little there...they do this because when I first started with them 4 yrs ago I let that happen and now I am STILL paying for it. I demand payment in full now but they still ask at least once a month and it's very annoying.

Don't make the same mistake I did...insist on payment in full on the agreed upon date and don't care for the kids until you have it. NO PAY - NO PLAY is the policy I have now. Good luck!

I have to charge for the weekly spot. I am not that good that I could manipulate schedules to fill in for the voided odd days with kids to make up the difference in charging for a full slot. My clients know right up front that I depend upon a weekly income and they pay no matter if little one is here or not. Much less hassles this way and I also NOW am charging a week ahead so that I am paid before the week starts on fridays. Big learning curve, but no you should not have to wait for your money. I have helped out here and there but it is not something I want to become a habit because I depend upon my money and I work hard for it. My job last longer then any of my clients jobs

[My3cents]

Originally Posted by JoseyJo

Pay in advance is the only way to go! I have been burned EVERY TIME I have ever let a parent pay after services are provided. When they have to pay before hand they value your time and energy more and treat you with more respect than if they pay you afterwards like a bill.

yes I agree they do! For those of you that don't set up payment like this, what I did was just start up this way when the next client started with me. I let the others be "grandfathered" so to say. This works out very well for me. It was odd/awkward asking for this at first but once that part was over it has been the best advice given here, get paid in advance. No pay no stay.

[HappyPennie]

You are all confirming my gut feelings on this. I know this will be an ongoing problem. She i found out she still owes money to the provider she had before me. I told her Saturday that we have to stick to our original agreement or the payment arrangement I proposed to her and she never replied. She did however, drop him off today conveniently for her it was at the same time as another family so I didn't say anything. I know she won't have the money by Friday...so am I stuck watching her child for free until then?

[JoseyJo]

Originally Posted by HappyPennie

You are all confirming my gut feelings on this. I know this will be an ongoing problem. She i found out she still owes money to the provider she had before me. I told her Saturday that we have to stick to our original agreement or the payment arrangement I proposed to her and she never replied. She did however, drop him off today conveniently for her it was at the same time as another family so I didn't say anything. I know she won't have the money by Friday...so am I stuck watching her child for free until then?

Since you already agreed that she could make her first payment on the 7th you could just wait and see if she pays up then, and if not then don't watch her child again until she is caught up and paid in advance for the upcoming week. Very likely she will try to pay you less than she owes and pull her child if you refuse to watch her without being paid in advance. You would get some money, but would be watching her child for longer for free.

-OR- You could talk to her and tell her that you found out that she still owes her previous provider and you are now worried that you will be providing care for her child and not get paid what you are owed. Very likely she won't pay you at all on Friday and she will move on to another provider she can pull this on again. You wouldn't get any money for past services but you wont be continuing to watch her child for free and can fill that spot with someone who will pay.

[Blackcat31]

I hate to say it but I doubt very much you are going to be paid at all.

She sounds like a daycare hopper and she isn't going to pay you on the 7th anymore than she plans on paying you today....kwim?

If you don't want to care for the child for free, I'd bail now and not provide one more minute of service until she pays IN FULL~ UP FRONT.

[TheGoodLife]

Do you have a written contract with start date and tuition rates, just in case? That way you have something to use if you have to go after for for collections?

I'd wait until the 7th, see if you get paid, then explain that you cannot get back paid and ease into upfront payments. Will she be paid in full up to that date on the 7th, or will she still be getting care that hadn't been paid yet? That's hard to have agreed to something already then change after care starts- I'd definitely explain that you can't do anything less than the original agreement. You may not be able to get to a pay ahead schedule, but definitely don't go back and do any more payment favors.

[DaisyMamma]

Originally Posted by HappyPennie

I am annoyed....I started a new DC boy last week and when I met with the mom we agreed on the 7th as her first payment date because it worked better for her payment schedule at work. I got a text from her this afternoon asking if we could make a payment arrangement for the first payment because she did her calculations and wouldn't be able to pay me the full amount. Not wanting to, I sat down with my husband and we figured out a payment plan that put her first payment at $200 ($112 remaining balance) and she could pay the $112 remaining with her second payment. She said that should work and then 2 seconds later sent another text asking if she could pay the $200 on her NEXT paycheck (20th) and then catch up after that. Seriously?? You want me to go a whole month without getting a dime?? I told her I needed some kind of payment on the 7th and she came back with $80....I'm annoyed and just needed to vent....I want to be willing to work with people but COME ON. What would you do in this situation?

DCM, on second thought, I'm not comfortable making payment arrangements. The full amount is due on the 7th. Thanks for understanding.