ALL The Tricks Parents Use To Avoid Paying For Daycare

[crazydaycarelady]

There is the "send the grandparents to pick up" when payment is due trick.

The ever popular "forgot the checkbook" trick.

Todays trick is the "just don't show up" the last day before you leave for a week for your wedding trick.

What are some of your favorites?

[Annalee]

Funniest thing here was when mom said the money was on TV when she went to bed but when she got up it was gone so someone must have come in and got it overnight...just disappeared!

[laundrymom]

Mom opens wallet to pay, "wow! I used my last check at the grocery. Can I pay you when they come in?"
"Oh. Wow. That's such a pain. I do see your debit card right there. I'll log you into the credit card payment system. I know how embarrassing this must be for you. "

[LysesKids]

Every other week I get the... "Not my week to get paid & hubby is working late" ... he'll have to drop-it off when he gets home (his hrs are screwed up too) sometimes it's 8pm on Friday before he gets me the $ - little ms gets picked up at 4pm. They really need to learn how to budget... And yes I threatened to make them become Drop-ins if it happened again - I refuse to let my weekend plans get messed up because of your issues.

My biggest problem is they know their weekly pay is the grocer money at the moment... everyone else pays on the 1st of the month & all my bills get paid then

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by laundrymom

Mom opens wallet to pay, "wow! I used my last check at the grocery. Can I pay you when they come in?"
"Oh. Wow. That's such a pain. I do see your debit card right there. I'll log you into the credit card payment system. I know how embarrassing this must be for you. "

If I had a penny for every time I've heard that line, I'd be retired ad sitting on a beach in Tahiti right now.

My usual response is: "That's okay, I accept cash too."

Then if it's till early in the day, I tell them I will be here until X time so they can run to the bank or if it's late, I tell them to make sure to bring cash AND the late payment fee on Monday at drop off.

My favorite thought process over the years is one that goes something like this: "Can I pay you next week? My car payment/utility/cell phone/insurance/speeding ticket/rent/car maintenance payment is due and they will shut off my services if I don't pay it."

That line of thinking is SO common in this field that I actually address it specifically in my handbook.

[littletots]

- lost purse
- lost checkbook
- "oh, it's time again?"
- dad says "thought mom paid" and vise versa
- buys phone doesn't have payment until next paycheck
- "do you take credit cards?"
- "oops, I'll drop if off after dinner" never shows
- lost purse (again )
All from same past parent

[nanglgrl]

"Can't find checkbook, lost while moving" then an hour later while dropping off cash "used last check and has to order more" but then remembered earlier story and changed to "used last check in that book, has more checks but they are lost in the move" I have to admit it did come together nicely. Lol. She did intend to pay and I don't think she was trying to pull one over on me since she's been a long time client that pays on time but I'm not sure why the need to lie. I do have strict policies but I'm not a monster and realize that life happens.

[melilley]

I have to pay my mortgage, can I pay you on Friday (which would be late), I'll pay you for two weeks. They thought they were giving ME a deal if they paid late, but paid for two weeks ahead instead of one.

Another from the same family was that dcm bought too much stuff for HER classroom and didn't tell dad, so they didn't have the money to pay ME.

[e.j.]

"I don't have the money to pay you right now. My mother says all you do is play all day anyway. She offered to give me the money to pay you but I'd rather owe you than owe my mother."

[Janiam]

- checkbook is in the car....'I'll wait'.
- OH has the checkbook
- can I pay you Friday?.....Sure, include the late fee's. They miraculously come back with cash (and an attitude).
- I'm running late, can I pay you later? Can you afford to pay me later?
-No show and think there shouldn't be late fee's.

[KidGrind]

Medical emergencies and death in the family.

[BabyMonkeys]

Originally Posted by e.j.

"I don't have the money to pay you right now. My mother says all you do is play all day anyway. She offered to give me the money to pay you but I'd rather owe you than owe my mother."

Seriously? Wow...there are no words

[Leigh]

Originally Posted by Janiam

- checkbook is in the car....'I'll wait'.
- OH has the checkbook
- can I pay you Friday?.....Sure, include the late fee's. They miraculously come back with cash (and an attitude).
- I'm running late, can I pay you later? Can you afford to pay me later?
-No show and think there shouldn't be late fee's.

I am TOTALLY using this one next time!

[e.j.]

Originally Posted by angelw2babies

Seriously? Wow...there are no words

Yeah; she and her family have known my family for years. Many of my family members - including my dd and dh - are her father's patients. Her mother and sister have highly recommended my day care to others so I have a hard time believing her mother thinks all we do is play here. I had 3 of her sister's kids in my care a few years ago, too, so she knows better! Just shaking my head at how people behave sometimes.

In eleven years I've never had any "no payment trick played"...knock on wood!

[Sunchimes]

In the early days before this forum, I had no handbook, late fees, or pre-pay. The first week of December, 2 families with different employers, had mix ups in their pay. One claimed they lost her time card and wouldn't make it right until the next pay cycle in January. Since this was USPS, I remain skeptical. The other had some silly story. I knew they were using the money for Christmas, but loved the kids and didn't want to lose them. This has always been my downfall. We had a greatly subdued Christmas here that year. BT the next year, I had pre-pay, a handbook, and a late fee. I also got pickier about parents.

It's never happened again. Now, I feel the need to hug all my parents in the morning.

[DaveA]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

In eleven years I've never had any "no payment trick played"...knock on wood!

9 years for me and so far no problems with that. Sometimes being 6', 220 lbs and making sharp objects for a hobby comes in handy.

[CraftyMom]

Originally Posted by DaveArmour

9 years for me and so far no problems with that. Sometimes being 6', 220 lbs and making sharp objects for a hobby comes in handy.

[littletots]

Oh, yes. How did I forget? Spent too much on Christmas so paying late.

[Fiddlesticks]

I do feel blessed to have the families I do, I cannot imagine any of them trying not to pay me. Regardless, my policy states that if they don't pay me on time they need to come with cash in hand (including late fees) on Monday morning or they cannot drop off their children. I have never had this happen. Years ago I had a family who on Friday evenings would say, "Oh, I forgot the check, do you want me to run back with it? " To which I would reply, "Yes." They stopped doing that after the third or fourth time and realized that on time payments are never optional.

[KiddieCahoots]

Switched purses last night and forgot to put my check book in this purse.

My bank is holding the fee for you, but for some reason has not issued the check yet.

[littletots]

Originally Posted by KiddieCahoots

Switched purses last night and forgot to put my check book in this purse.

My bank is holding the fee for you, but for some reason has not issued the check yet.

I gotta use this on my husband!

[KiddieCahoots]

Lol! Would definitely work on my hubby .........

[renodeb]

I have had just about all of these. Somewhere along the line I actually added into my contract in the payment portion "I ask you to consider how you would fell if your employer did not give you your paycheck on the expected date" to try and avoid this. I must say this current group has been the best about paying with no reminders. I don't really have a favorite but I did have one mom say "your check is in the car, do you want it?"
I just love dc parents
Deb

[Stephnrich]

Sending grandparents to pick up is my favorite. Or the "Oh didn't my husband/wife pay this morning?" Or the ones who pay a month in advance, and then feel like they get a few days grace in paying timely.

All in all, I do not have as many payment problems now that I've grown a backbone.

[AmyLeigh]

I rarely have payment problems, but one that still has me scratching my head two years later:
"My paycheck didn't come through today. I'll have to pay you tomorrow."

Hmm, your coworker who is also one of my families received her paycheck with no problem. Then her SIL used the same excuse a couple of weeks later.

[Missqjulie]

Originally Posted by laundrymom

Mom opens wallet to pay, "wow! I used my last check at the grocery. Can I pay you when they come in?"
"Oh. Wow. That's such a pain. I do see your debit card right there. I'll log you into the credit card payment system. I know how embarrassing this must be for you. "

Lmbo!!!!! Oh I need to invest in that!