Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Debit/Credit Card Payments
TXhomedaycare 12:43 PM 09-19-2016
Okay I did a search and looked at some of the previous post on accepting card payments and I still am not sure if there is a better option than Square which is what I am using now. I am trying to see what everyone uses and who has the lowest fees. Square charges 2.75% per payment and all of my parents pay via card so it adds up quick. I am looking for a better option or I will have to charge the fee to the parent or get rid of square for good. I have seen some previous post about a few free apps or services but once they find out your a business you still ended up having to pay fees and I would like a long term solution. I use the brightwheel app but their fees are higher and they take longer to process the money to me. Thanks 
Blackcat31 12:54 PM 09-19-2016
Originally Posted by TXhomedaycare:
Okay I did a search and looked at some of the previous post on accepting card payments and I still am not sure if there is a better option than Square which is what I am using now. I am trying to see what everyone uses and who has the lowest fees. Square charges 2.75% per payment and all of my parents pay via card so it adds up quick. I am looking for a better option or I will have to charge the fee to the parent or get rid of square for good. I have seen some previous post about a few free apps or services but once they find out your a business you still ended up having to pay fees and I would like a long term solution. I use the brightwheel app but their fees are higher and they take longer to process the money to me. Thanks
I live in a fairly small community. Okay I did a search and looked at some of the previous post on accepting card payments and I still am not sure if there is a better option than Square which is what I am using now. I am trying to see what everyone uses and who has the lowest fees. Square charges 2.75% per payment and all of my parents pay via card so it adds up quick. I am looking for a better option or I will have to charge the fee to the parent or get rid of square for good. I have seen some previous post about a few free apps or services but once they find out your a business you still ended up having to pay fees and I would like a long term solution. I use the brightwheel app but their fees are higher and they take longer to process the money to me. Thanks
ALL the banks in my area (including those that are locally owned) offer some type of e-pay via e-mail. See if your bank(s) offer that.
Leigh 01:00 PM 09-19-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I live in a fairly small community.
ALL the banks in my area (including those that are locally owned) offer some type of e-pay via e-mail. See if your bank(s) offer that.
Do they e-deposit payments? Mine prints and mails a paper check. I live in a fairly small community.
ALL the banks in my area (including those that are locally owned) offer some type of e-pay via e-mail. See if your bank(s) offer that.
PayPal friends and family is an option that doesn't cost anything, but I don't know how long you'd get away with regular payments before they caught on
TXhomedaycare 01:02 PM 09-19-2016
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I live in a fairly small community.
ALL the banks in my area (including those that are locally owned) offer some type of e-pay via e-mail. See if your bank(s) offer that.
Thanks! I just checked my credit union (they are behind the times and didn't offer anything last time I checked) and they now offer PopMoney so I am considering them.I live in a fairly small community.
ALL the banks in my area (including those that are locally owned) offer some type of e-pay via e-mail. See if your bank(s) offer that.
organicdclady 01:12 PM 09-19-2016
I use venmo. Bank transfers and debit cards are 100% free, for personal and business use. You have to initiate a transfer to your bank each time you get paid, it doesn't happen automatically like square.
I wait for the last payment to be made on Friday then initiate the transfer so all of it goes at once. If I do it before 5 pm the money is in my account the next day.
If you need the money immediately, it is probably worth it to explore other options. I have not yet found a free method that makes funds immediately available.
The only weird thing about venmo is that it is a social app. Meaning there is a feed that shows who paid you and for what. You can easily turn it off so it is private and only you and the other party can see the payments.
I wasn't comfortable with all my families being able to see each and every transaction.
I wait for the last payment to be made on Friday then initiate the transfer so all of it goes at once. If I do it before 5 pm the money is in my account the next day.
If you need the money immediately, it is probably worth it to explore other options. I have not yet found a free method that makes funds immediately available.
The only weird thing about venmo is that it is a social app. Meaning there is a feed that shows who paid you and for what. You can easily turn it off so it is private and only you and the other party can see the payments.
I wasn't comfortable with all my families being able to see each and every transaction.
Meeko 01:35 PM 09-19-2016
I use Venmo too.. Totally free and as long as the parent does the transfer on time (easy to do from their phone) I always get the money in my account the next day. The parents who use it (most of them now) love it too.
TXhomedaycare 05:52 PM 09-19-2016
Originally Posted by Meeko:
I use Venmo too.. Totally free and as long as the parent does the transfer on time (easy to do from their phone) I always get the money in my account the next day. The parents who use it (most of them now) love it too.
I am going to look into popmoney and venmo. My credit union offers popmoney but they keep saying it is only for credit union member to credit union member. Venmo sounds to good to be trueI use Venmo too.. Totally free and as long as the parent does the transfer on time (easy to do from their phone) I always get the money in my account the next day. The parents who use it (most of them now) love it too.
Crazy8 06:06 PM 09-19-2016
I posted about this recently, I was using square cash and loved it until they emailed me and told me that I was a business and they would be switching me to a business account and charging the fees. 
I switched to venmo and have had no problems. The money isn't in my account as quickly as with square cash but I've reworked my budgeting system to accommodate that.
I switched to venmo and have had no problems. The money isn't in my account as quickly as with square cash but I've reworked my budgeting system to accommodate that.