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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>I'm raising most of my rates. You guys think fair pricing?
E Daycare 06:38 AM 12-05-2012
My normal daily rate is $35/ day for single child and $55/ day for sibling group and $150/ full time rate of 5 days. I'm also only open mon, wed and fri for most kids as I went to a part time schedule this year. One needed "emergency" full time care that ended up being not so temporary.

I have one kid who comes wed and fri, another who comes one to two of the days I'm open and another who, against my better judgment was allowed to come mon-fri.

I bit myself in the bum this year by allowing "tempoary" full time care at $150/wk. This kid comes 50-55hrs per week and I had to force mom into finding care by telling her come the new year it's strictly mon, wed, fri. Also, I have one very part time kid-comes one, maybe 2 days per week. That kid is charged $32/day (discount I applied to her brother two years ago that I never changed when she was born).

So everyone is all over the map and I'm just going to do a flat "raise most rates" across the board.

My day rate for mon, wed and fri will still be $35/day. This will apply to the one who currently does $32/day.

My sibling rate will now be $60/day (still a $10 discount) since adding another kid does add more food I have to throw out and more usage of supplies. Plus I'm hoping it knocks down parents relying on me for the sibling care on a whim instead of their backup care. All siblings here go to preschool and I'm not obligated to take on care as they aren't contracted with me yet parents like to ask me to watch during holidays so they can have their time. All fine and dandy but be willing to pay for it.

I'm going to implement a new part to my contract. Emergency full time care at max 4weeks per year. This is going to be at $200/wk rate. A $50 increase. This is in hopes to deter parents from taking advantage of a situation where they think they can get away with asking for full week care but I also don't want to be a grinch that they feel like they can't rely on me if they really need it.

All parents are contracted to have backup care to avoid any full time situations. All do except one who figured they could get away with full time care at a big discount.

New rates:

Full day rate $35/day up from $32/day for one dcf. Others have always been $35/day
Sibling full day rate $60/day up from $55/day
Full time rate at $200/wk up from $150/wk

Sound like reasonable reasons to raise rates? I don't think I'll get much backlash from them and in 3yrs I've never raised rates and I'm not really raising my day rates. So it's not going to give me a significant push of income except maybe an extra $3-$6/wk if no siblings come.

I just want things to be even across the board. No more special treatments. Ive been getting confused. Lol
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Heidi 06:42 AM 12-05-2012
My only comment is, if you don't want to offer full time care, then dont. Don't even advertise the possibility. It's $35 per day...period
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E Daycare 06:50 AM 12-05-2012
Originally Posted by Heidi:
My only comment is, if you don't want to offer full time care, then dont. Don't even advertise the possibility. It's $35 per day...period
Very true! I'm still on the fence with that part but I'd like the parents to know ill help but only in a bind and they will have to pay.

Maybe I'll do 2wks instead if max 4wks. It's part time and most kids don't come 4wks equivalent in 6mo lol.

Just thinking out loud at this point as I'm still in the process of updating this contrat. I'm not 100% sure I'll keep daycare open after may of 2013 anyways as we plan to sell and move back home FAR FAR away. Plus el hub is THIS CLOSE to telling me to close up shop anyways. He's suggested it multiple times but I keep thinking. I'm giving things till the end of January and if they don't clear up I'll be done.

It's been a lot of back and forth internally for me. Sigh....
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Meeko 06:54 AM 12-05-2012
I would kill to be able to charge that much! (I know it all depends on what part of the country we live in)
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williams2008 07:15 AM 12-05-2012
I sure wish I could charge that much as well!!
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E Daycare 07:28 AM 12-05-2012
Originally Posted by williams2008:
I sure wish I could charge that much as well!!
I've never had a charge complaint either and I'm pretty sure it's average for the area in Ohio that I'm in. I also do a complete preschool circulliim and don't charge for field trips. Most kids are here 10hrs per day so it levels out to $3.50/per hour per kid. Also most kids are very part time which I don't mind.

I pull in about $250wk for all 3 kids. Sometimes it's $280/wk. I work (now because of a full timer) 55/wk. So the $250/wk right now for 55hrs/wk isn't much. It's paying for Xmas right now.

Come the new year I should average about the same for only 3 days of work. That's when it'll be more worth it. Lol
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wdmmom 07:36 AM 12-05-2012
I would adjust the sibling discount.

$35 per day, per child. If both children attend all 3 days daycare is open each week, a discount will apply. (I do 10%.)

I would not offer a $10 per day discount. What if you got a set of twins that took up your infant spots? With being a part time provider, you need to maximize your income.
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E Daycare 08:40 AM 12-05-2012
I'm not too concerned about the sibling discount really as its few and far between. Im not going to take on any more kids (we will be moving within a year) and I plan on closing in may (if not before) or keeping ver limited in the summer.

If kids end of dropping then that's fine too. If things don't pan out with this new contract I'm shutting down end of February and spending the remainder of time I have with my 3.5yr old before he has to start kindy in a year and half.

I don't have to do daycare, it's been a good supplement as spending income for myself and a lot of extras for my son so the next few months are being banked for when I close this year. Just trying to regulate things and get everyone on the same page.

Especially since its a new tax year! WOOHOO TAXES FUN TIMES AHEAD.

LOL
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Country Kids 08:46 AM 12-05-2012
If your closing down in 2 months why change the rates? I would leave them as they are for that little amount of time. You probably won't see much of a difference for 2 months.
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williams2008 08:57 AM 12-05-2012
I charge $70 a week and all of mine are here everyday from 8 to 12 hours a day, I don't know what I was thinking!! I have a set of twins that are here everyday from 10 min til 6 until 6:15 p.m. My oldest dck is 38 months and I do a preschool curriculum with him as well.
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lovemykidstoo 10:17 AM 12-05-2012
Originally Posted by williams2008:
I charge $70 a week and all of mine are here everyday from 8 to 12 hours a day, I don't know what I was thinking!! I have a set of twins that are here everyday from 10 min til 6 until 6:15 p.m. My oldest dck is 38 months and I do a preschool curriculum with him as well.
You're only charging $14 a day per child? Is that the going rate in your area?
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williams2008 11:09 AM 12-05-2012
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
You're only charging $14 a day per child? Is that the going rate in your area?
Pretty much between $14-$18 a day per child, I know it sucks doesn't it!?!? There is so much childcare competition here in such a small town. I took the lower end of the poll in order to kids in here, being that my first year open I couldn't get anyone enrolled for the first 2 months cause I was charging $80 a week per child.
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allsmiles 01:20 PM 12-05-2012
Originally Posted by williams2008:
Pretty much between $14-$18 a day per child, I know it sucks doesn't it!?!? There is so much childcare competition here in such a small town. I took the lower end of the poll in order to kids in here, being that my first year open I couldn't get anyone enrolled for the first 2 months cause I was charging $80 a week per child.
ha same thing i had to do!! but have you looked at what the state assistance pays for your area?? I charge $85 now, went down from $95 but when i looked, the state only pays $90 HAHA.. i felt so much better..
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williams2008 01:27 PM 12-05-2012
Originally Posted by ladyquana:
ha same thing i had to do!! but have you looked at what the state assistance pays for your area?? I charge $85 now, went down from $95 but when i looked, the state only pays $90 HAHA.. i felt so much better..
I dont have any dcks on a on state assistance everyone is private pay. I also participate on a WIA program that is offered through our local workforce office for parents who attend college and they will only pay up to $70 a week
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