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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Getting Back to Paying Ahead
AuntTami 03:00 PM 01-12-2015
Prior to the christmas break, all of my families were paying ahead of time for the upcoming week. Things were going well, everyone paid Monday's at pick up. And then christmas break happened and somehow, we went from paying ahead, to paying at the end of the week for one family, and another family hasn't paid at all from TWO WEEKS ago!
My contract states that payment is due by Monday at pick up or I will begin assessing a $10 late fee per day. I've never had to charge people before, so I'm not sure how to even go about this?
I'm pretty lax in all of my policies, and don't tend to *enforce* them once a family has been with me for a while and has established themselves with me. Which I actually prefer(I have the contract and the rules, but mostly that's to weed out the undesireables) but in times like this, it comes back to bite me in the butt.
How should I go about addressing this?
The family that owes me $60 from weeks ago, I asked 3 or 4 different times in the last two weeks that they stop by and pay me. I had her son part of one day FOUR weeks ago, but it was only $10 so I wasn't worried about getting it at the time and knew I would have them both the next week. the next week I had them both full days one day that week, expecting to have them 2 more days that week. They cancelled coming those two days due to "grandpa" taking them. The messages I sent and left were unanswered.
Out of the blue this morning, the mom texts me and says "im sorry but I had other bills that were over due and needed to be paid. I can pay you next Friday if you'll take my daughter(1.5) this week" I agreed because the LO is only here for 1.5 hours a day, every other week, so it's really just extra money that I'm not counting on to pay my bills, and I don't really have to *do* anything with the LO except watch her. No meals served etc. But I told the mom "I'm willing to work with you. I understand how tight money can be, but I need a heads up in the future, so I know what I can and can't do with MY bills(she didnt need to know her payment is just extra)
It really IRRITATES the ever loving sh** out of me when people tell me "I had to pay my bills first" I AM A BILL!
You need to pay me too!
Second family, mom is a teacher. She was paying on Monday's at drop off prior to the christmas break. I didn't charge her for her space during christmas break as I had a SA'er that took up the spot for the break, so I wasn't losing money. Last week Monday came and went, and then Tuesday and I still hadn't been paid, so I asked her about it. She told me she would pay me on Friday, as "its a hard time to be a teacher" I said okay. She did pay on Friday. Today came and went, and no payment, so I *assume* she's planning on paying on Friday again.
While it's not a *big* deal that people pay on Friday, I would prefer to be paid on Monday's PRIOR to the start of the week, not at the end of the week, and this is what my contract dictates. In addition, I've been burned a couple times in the past, and thats why I started requiring payment up front.
SO! Long story aside, how do I go about bringing this up to my families at this point since I've let it happen for so long already? I thought about publishing a news letter type thing something along the lines of "Attention Families: Effective February 1st, 2015, I will begin enforcing ALL payment procedures depicted in my contract that you signed when you signed your child up. This includes paying on Monday by pick up, for the current week."
??? I just worry everyone is going to say "well why didn't you enforce this before?" and I can't say "because mostly everyone was paying on time. but now 2/3 families arent!"
My contract states that payment is due by Monday at pick up or I will begin assessing a $10 late fee per day. I've never had to charge people before, so I'm not sure how to even go about this?
I'm pretty lax in all of my policies, and don't tend to *enforce* them once a family has been with me for a while and has established themselves with me. Which I actually prefer(I have the contract and the rules, but mostly that's to weed out the undesireables) but in times like this, it comes back to bite me in the butt.
How should I go about addressing this?
The family that owes me $60 from weeks ago, I asked 3 or 4 different times in the last two weeks that they stop by and pay me. I had her son part of one day FOUR weeks ago, but it was only $10 so I wasn't worried about getting it at the time and knew I would have them both the next week. the next week I had them both full days one day that week, expecting to have them 2 more days that week. They cancelled coming those two days due to "grandpa" taking them. The messages I sent and left were unanswered.
Out of the blue this morning, the mom texts me and says "im sorry but I had other bills that were over due and needed to be paid. I can pay you next Friday if you'll take my daughter(1.5) this week" I agreed because the LO is only here for 1.5 hours a day, every other week, so it's really just extra money that I'm not counting on to pay my bills, and I don't really have to *do* anything with the LO except watch her. No meals served etc. But I told the mom "I'm willing to work with you. I understand how tight money can be, but I need a heads up in the future, so I know what I can and can't do with MY bills(she didnt need to know her payment is just extra)
It really IRRITATES the ever loving sh** out of me when people tell me "I had to pay my bills first" I AM A BILL!
You need to pay me too! Second family, mom is a teacher. She was paying on Monday's at drop off prior to the christmas break. I didn't charge her for her space during christmas break as I had a SA'er that took up the spot for the break, so I wasn't losing money. Last week Monday came and went, and then Tuesday and I still hadn't been paid, so I asked her about it. She told me she would pay me on Friday, as "its a hard time to be a teacher" I said okay. She did pay on Friday. Today came and went, and no payment, so I *assume* she's planning on paying on Friday again.
While it's not a *big* deal that people pay on Friday, I would prefer to be paid on Monday's PRIOR to the start of the week, not at the end of the week, and this is what my contract dictates. In addition, I've been burned a couple times in the past, and thats why I started requiring payment up front.
SO! Long story aside, how do I go about bringing this up to my families at this point since I've let it happen for so long already? I thought about publishing a news letter type thing something along the lines of "Attention Families: Effective February 1st, 2015, I will begin enforcing ALL payment procedures depicted in my contract that you signed when you signed your child up. This includes paying on Monday by pick up, for the current week."
??? I just worry everyone is going to say "well why didn't you enforce this before?" and I can't say "because mostly everyone was paying on time. but now 2/3 families arent!"
TheGoodLife 04:31 PM 01-12-2015
Parents,
Just a reminder that payment is due on Monday prior to care for the week. My late fee is $X per day, and will be assessed if tuition is not paid by 5:00 Monday (or whatever time you prefer). I'm sure you can understand that I rely on my income on time for daycare expenses, groceries, and my own bills. If payment is not made, care will not be provided until payment and any late fee is paid.
Thank you,
Provider with a backbone
I would recommend that you be firm and friendly, but stress on the firm- if anyone asks to pay late I'd say OK, the late fee is $X per day- don't do it as a favor w/o the fee once of you'll find yourself in the same predicament. Letting parents slide on some policies may work for you, but as a business I'd never provide services w/o payment- you have to use that money to pay for groceries and other supplies upfront and should expect payment made before that care is given!
I'd also have a note attached to those that owe money and say as of <date>, you owe $X, the late fee $X per day from today.
Just a reminder that payment is due on Monday prior to care for the week. My late fee is $X per day, and will be assessed if tuition is not paid by 5:00 Monday (or whatever time you prefer). I'm sure you can understand that I rely on my income on time for daycare expenses, groceries, and my own bills. If payment is not made, care will not be provided until payment and any late fee is paid.
Thank you,
Provider with a backbone
I would recommend that you be firm and friendly, but stress on the firm- if anyone asks to pay late I'd say OK, the late fee is $X per day- don't do it as a favor w/o the fee once of you'll find yourself in the same predicament. Letting parents slide on some policies may work for you, but as a business I'd never provide services w/o payment- you have to use that money to pay for groceries and other supplies upfront and should expect payment made before that care is given!
I'd also have a note attached to those that owe money and say as of <date>, you owe $X, the late fee $X per day from today.
Leigh 05:45 PM 01-12-2015
"its a hard time to be a teacher"
Did she get her hours cut (with a wage cut)? She's in one of the most recession-proof careers on Earth! I feel for you. If you're going to be "working with" these people to get payment, I would at least require a post-dated check to ensure that the payment comes when it is supposed to this time.
Did she get her hours cut (with a wage cut)? She's in one of the most recession-proof careers on Earth! I feel for you. If you're going to be "working with" these people to get payment, I would at least require a post-dated check to ensure that the payment comes when it is supposed to this time.