beachgrl 10:35 AM 10-05-2011
I am sure any one who frequents this board knows I have been trying to get enrollment up but not much is happening for me right now and I am getting to a point where this is make it or go back to working outside the home again and most likely not in an ideal situation...that being said,
I have a parent who is very interested and who is trying to get a job that is quite possible she will get, but it will be 5 days a week...varying days/evenings and some weekend time as well, only when her 5 days falls under that time and when her hubby is also working at the hospital where he wouldn't be able to keep their child. My question is, how should I charge for this? I don't want to overprice myself out of a possible spot that I could care less if I have the kid evenings or weekends at times as long as it is during her work hours and that it's only 5 days max or it would of course be more.
I changed my rates to $125 and have even thought about going down to $100 to get kids to fill these spots because being full I would make enough to make up the difference from people not using me because I charge more than others in the same area kwim?
So, do I charge her $125 and let it be whenever she needs care as long as it's her work schedule or do I charge her a flat rate for m-f including if she needs day/night care that may be the $125 or more? and charge her a daily rate for the weekend days if she needs them?
arrrghhh...I want to be flexible and help people and help myself in the process and I have turned down similar situations in the past only to not have but two drop in kiddos who are not cutting it! help!
cheerfuldom 10:37 AM 10-05-2011
can you get a schedule ahead of time? are you guaranteed a certain amount of hours each week?
beachgrl 10:52 AM 10-05-2011
I am sure she could tell me what her schedule would be based on when they put it out, she is just trying to see now if she can find child care that will accommodate that she would need days/evenings and some weeknds. The local wireless company here is a large employer in the area and everyone works rotating shifts so they may have one for a few months, then it changes but from what it sounds like she is trying to get a retail sales job with them so it could change from week to week I guess.
All she said was it would be 5 days days and some evenings, as well as occasionally on weekends bc they could work her m-s for those 5 days and her hubby works weekends sometimes depending on his schedule.
daycare 10:57 AM 10-05-2011
I dont do weekends any more, but here is one area that you have room to raise the rates. Good weekend care is VERY hard to find. SO, I would sit down and figure out your daily rate for the weekdays and then a rate for the weekends. Add them together and you have a weekly rate which you then would X by the number of weeks in the month.
Lilbutterflie 11:07 AM 10-05-2011
I agree with pp, good weekend care is VERY hard to find. Remember, if she plans on using you on weekends, she is taking away one or both of your days off! I certainly wouldn't like it. Which is why I don't offer it.
First, you want to make sure you can get the schedule at least two weeks in advance. Otherwise, you won't be able to plan your weekends at all.
Second, charge her per day for the week. Figure out your daily rate for weekdays ($125 per week breaks down to $25 per day for a 5 day week); and then figure out your daily rate for weekends (ex: charge $35 for a weekend day). Using this example; if she plans on using you 4 weekdays and one weekend day; her rate for that week would be $135. For weeks she uses you all weekdays, the rate would be $125. This way it will encourage her to do as little weekend days as possible for the cost factor.
daycare 11:13 AM 10-05-2011
is the client open to makin monthly payment? When I have clients that have rotating shcedules, I have them fill out a schedule planner of the days they will be using two weeks in advance turn it in and then same for the last two weeks. I then take those and make one monthly bill. Except, you would have to have it to where she is paying one month in advance.... does this sound right?
beachgrl 11:19 AM 10-05-2011
okay I see what you all are saying, I don't know if she would have the ability to pay a monthly amount but I can check with her on that as well as how far in advance she would be able to know what her schedule is because i do need to be able to plan for the weekends if I would need to provide care or not. I do like the idea of the daily rate for the weekends but I wonder about doing a per day thing for her when she will be taking up the weekly spot during the day and possibly evening that another child might be able to use so that is why I wondered if I should charge my regular weekly rate for any days m-f and then charge and extra daily rate for weekend care that would be a little higher but not much for any weekend days needed.
I just don't want to make it too much, but she would be using a ft regular weekly spot no matter what days she needed, and no regular daycares and hardly any of the home ones provide weekend care...decisions decisions...
daycare 11:24 AM 10-05-2011
go with what butterfly posted.... week rate 25 (example) weekend rate is 35
so lets say child attends
tu-25
we-25
th-25
fr-25
sa-35
then the weekly rate for this week would be 135
Now, you will have monday open right? You want to charge her weekly flate rate m-f 125, then add on the weends at an additonal charge of lets say 35 each additional weekend day? Am I getting this right?
cheerfuldom 11:47 AM 10-05-2011
you could always take her for now and then in the future, replace if you fill all your other spots and her schedule does not end up working for you. why not figure out the rate and put it on a trial period or something?
beachgrl 12:59 PM 10-05-2011
Originally Posted by daycare:
go with what butterfly posted.... week rate 25 (example) weekend rate is 35
so lets say child attends
tu-25
we-25
th-25
fr-25
sa-35
then the weekly rate for this week would be 135
Now, you will have monday open right? You want to charge her weekly flate rate m-f 125, then add on the weends at an additonal charge of lets say 35 each additional weekend day? Am I getting this right?
yah, I was trying to figure which way would be best to do it since there would be some mid-day to evening care and some weekend days...to be fair to her and yet a decent rate for me doing the eve/weekend as needed to where she will use me and not someone else. That is a good idea to do a trial period for it too..she is another that lives on the other side of town and most likely will be going into the bigger city to work too so I have to factor that in if she is willing to drive out to where I am which is only about ten minutes.
She said where they lived prior, the lady had them give their schedules a week in advance, would charge her by the day according to what days she used..
daycare 04:20 PM 10-05-2011
First dont feel bad that the parents will have to drive out of their way to get to your house. This is their choice. Dont let this affect the rate of your childcare.
Second, don't offer the schedule that the other provider had. you will find youself with never knowing how much money you are going to make. you want things to be consistent all the way around. the child attending, your pay and so on.
Do you have a parent handbook and contracts?
Another thing I would do is offer a two week paid trial. During this time either party can leave the contract at any time without notice. After the two weeks trial you need to decide if you can work with this family, do you need to change drop off or pick up, or anything else. then if you think that you will work well with the family move forward. Make the family give 2 week notice after the trial period should they want to leave for any reason. gives you time to find a replacement.