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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Having To Ask To Be Paid..
MomBoss 07:17 AM 02-05-2018
I have parents who pay monthly, some pay biweekly, and some pay weekly. One even pays weekly then monthly so its always changing. Of course i keep track of when payments are due, but how many of you remind parents of payment? I feel like every monday im saying "did you bring a check?". Half the time its "i forgot ill bring it at pickup". Sometimes mornings are chaotic or a child is having a hard time at drop of, so I dont think about asking for my check and dont realize they didnt pay me until an hour later after drop of. I shouldnt have to remind people to pay their bills. Especially when I have other things to think about in the morning.
A parent who paid for 3 weeks, 3 weeks ago, owes today and i forgot to ask for my check. Im sure he doesnt realize he owes me since his wife usually gives him the check to give to me and they dont always pay the same way. (Sometimes monthly, sometimes weekly).
Do any of you have to ask for your check?
I feel like texting DCD letting him know payment is due, but why should I? When I ask at pickup and he doesnt have his checkbook..its not my fault and he will have to pay the late fee if he brings it tomorrow. Am I wrong?
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Baby Beluga 07:25 AM 02-05-2018
I don't give an advance notice (like an invoice) but if they don't have it at pick up, I ask "and tuition for next week?" before they leave.

Often times it is either:

1) they aren't used to paying in advance and forgot or
2) it's in their pocket and they just forgot.
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LittleExplorers 07:27 AM 02-05-2018
Perhaps you can send one last reminder stating as of today, I will not be reminding you of due dates (and state the reasons you mentioned) late fees will apply, or get them all on the same payment schedule. I suggest to my families they put a reminder in their phone/calendar but I also require payment prior to care so no payment, no care. They will no longer forget after one time of going home to get a check. 😊
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rosieteddy 07:34 AM 02-05-2018
When I ran in to this problem I changed the way I accepted checks-tuition.I explained that I knew it was hard to remember payment when on different schedules.I notified all parents that starting the next month tuition would be due the last week of previos month.Example four weeks in March .All march checks due on Feb26 if usually pay for week starting Monday.I had parent give me 4 checks post dated for each week of March.ThenApril checks were due on March 26 ect.This worked great You should not have to ask to be paid. Eventually I was paid the month before for a full month ahead.
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mommyneedsadayoff 07:35 AM 02-05-2018
I would make them to commit to one specific form of pay. They either pay monthly every time or weekly every time, but there is no going back and forth. As for reminders, I would stop reminding and enforce late fees and also have a 3 strikes, you are out policy. You shouldn't have to chase your check. If it was an occasional thing, I might text a reminder, but habitually being late is not ok and will cost them more in the end.
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284878 07:36 AM 02-05-2018
Do you get a bill for services you contact? I do.

First I recommend changing every one pay on Friday before that way if they forget, you have all weekend to bill them with late fee.
Second put everyone on the same billing cycle. If you choose weekly and they pay monthly, who cares but if you choose monthly and they pay weekly charge a convenience fee.
Third bill everyone every time, those that don't owe, show a credit. Those that owe show what is due.
You are a business and if you want to be treated like one, you must act like one. Ask your yourself, if I owed xx business how would they handle it?
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Blackcat31 07:47 AM 02-05-2018
I refuse to chase my paycheck.

I require parents to choose ONE option for payment.
If they choose monthly, it's ALWAYS monthly.
If they want/need to change payment schedule they are required to notify me a minimum of 2 weeks in advance so I can adjust my budget accordingly.

Payments are required NO LATER than 5pm Fridays.
On Saturday morning I check to make sure ALL payments are posted and paid as required.

If a family did not pay, their child(ren)s name is removed (or blacked out) from my sign in sheet. Upon drop off, they will find they are NOT allowed to sign in since there was no payment.

IF they have payment including late fee (cash only) or proof they paid electronically they can sign in. Otherwise they are turned away at the door until they can pay.

I won't remind anyone and I won't let emotions cloud my actions.... NO PAY = NO STAY. period.
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Ariana 11:15 AM 02-05-2018
What method of payment do they use?

With etransfer they can set up automatic regularly scheduled payments so there is no excuse.

For checks you should require 2-3 months worth of check in advance (this is what I do) so you are never waiting for your payment.

For repeat offenders I would require advance checks no matter what OR start charging them late fees.
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storybookending 11:25 AM 02-05-2018
I make everyone pay every Friday. I don’t have time to be tracking everyone’s different payments schedules. I do what it convenient for me. Everyone pays on Friday, cash or check. Some pay in the mornings, others at night. I don’t say anything to anyone.
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Unregistered 12:48 PM 02-05-2018
I have a parent who pays at pick up on Mondays. She dropped off DCB on a Monday morning, picked up and told me on her way out, "I lost my purse last week, can't pay today." I said ok (nicely) and shut the door. I sent her a message telling her she can't bring DCB back until she found her purse and the payment. She paid the next morning.... lol
I recently changed my payment policy and added a late fee. We really shouldn't have to remind parents to pay. We don't have to remind them to drop the kids off.
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Homebody 01:33 PM 02-05-2018
I only have one family that I text a week ahead of time for a reminder. They pay monthly and DCB is only here on Thursdays and Fridays, but doesn't come every week because step mom is a teacher and so stays home when school is not in session. I was having problems with them remembering to pay when he didn't come. I don't feel like I should have to remind them either, but I only have him 4 more months because he is off to Kindergarten next year so I will just deal with it. Funny thing is DCB's Dad and Stepmom used to run a home daycare for 5 years, and I thought they would be my easy family. I had problems with them communicating drop off and pickup times in the beginning because they changed from week to week depending on who was doing it. Communication has improved but I have to keep on them about it. I'm looking forward to summer.
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CityGarden 01:52 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by 284878:
Do you get a bill for services you contact? I do.

First I recommend changing every one pay on Friday before that way if they forget, you have all weekend to bill them with late fee.
Second put everyone on the same billing cycle. If you choose weekly and they pay monthly, who cares but if you choose monthly and they pay weekly charge a convenience fee.
Third bill everyone every time, those that don't owe, show a credit. Those that owe show what is due.
You are a business and if you want to be treated like one, you must act like one. Ask your yourself, if I owed xx business how would they handle it?
What do you use for invoices? I have been using Brightwheel but want something different.
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MomBoss 02:11 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
What do you use for invoices? I have been using Brightwheel but want something different.
I dont do invoices because payment is the same every week. They know what they have to pay so i expect it every monday.
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Mom2Two 02:29 PM 02-05-2018
If you switch to Venmo, then you can send a charge, which they can pay with a tap on their smart phone or whatever. Sending the charge is a reminder.

I bill every two weeks on Friday evening. I email the invoice and send a Venmo charge, then we sit there, watch a movie, and listen to the cha-chings as I get paid, which is kinda fun. My families do it right away.

I do an invoice because I charge by attendance and so my invoice itemizes attendance + any fees.

I realize that it can be hard to make the switch to ePay, but if you start the switch, you'll get rid of that headache as everyone changes over. I hate reminding to be paid.

I had one family that wasn't paying til Sunday evening, so I began texting them on Sunday afternoon, asking if they got the invoice, and after I did that a couple of times, they quit letting it drag on all weekend. If it had kept going on, I would have started a late fee after 5pm on Sunday or something like that.

If a family ever didn't pay me by Sunday evening, I would tell them that I was planning on them not being here on Monday. And after a warning or two, I would either heft up the late fees or term. I don't want that stress.
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HappyEverAfter 05:11 PM 02-05-2018
I have a chalkboard by the front door that on Mondays I always write “tuition is due”. I’ve never had to ask for a payment. All of mine pay weekly except one who pays ahead 2 weeks at a time.
I do have a “no pay, no stay” policy though and I make sure parents know this right off the bat. I do not let anyone run a balance, not even for a day.
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Denali 08:14 PM 02-05-2018
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
I don't give an advance notice (like an invoice) but if they don't have it at pick up, I ask "and tuition for next week?" before they leave.

Often times it is either:

1) they aren't used to paying in advance and forgot or
2) it's in their pocket and they just forgot.
I hate asking. I shouldn’t have to ask. It drives up my anxiety terribly. But I myself have been really happy when I get those “hey payment is due soon.” (This is in addition to the paper bill I get) Messages from Bank of America or the electric company instead of just waiting it out and getting slapped with late payment fees.

I feel like they are going the extra mile for me.

It is my responsibility, yes, but I feel they are trying to help me avoid the extra fees. Now if I still forget/don’t pay that’s on me, and I pay without a word. Ultimately it’s my job to pay on time, but I’m most definitely grateful that someone reminded me.

I can be pretty forgetful about some things sometimes, so any help is greatly appreciated. I have so much going on with scheduling, doctor appointments, therapy appointments, and my training for daycare that things slip my mind. Especially those things that are only due/happening once a month...

Now, there are people that purposely try and “forget” but they are easy to figure out. They typically have other problems as a daycare family.

Once you’ve gotten to know the parents you’ll know if you should remind them because they honestly just forgot vs the parents that try and avoid paying. 👍
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LysesKids 07:39 AM 02-06-2018
Originally Posted by MomBoss:
I have parents who pay monthly, some pay biweekly, and some pay weekly. One even pays weekly then monthly so its always changing. Of course i keep track of when payments are due, but how many of you remind parents of payment? I feel like every monday im saying "did you bring a check?". Half the time its "i forgot ill bring it at pickup". Sometimes mornings are chaotic or a child is having a hard time at drop of, so I dont think about asking for my check and dont realize they didnt pay me until an hour later after drop of. I shouldnt have to remind people to pay their bills. Especially when I have other things to think about in the morning.
A parent who paid for 3 weeks, 3 weeks ago, owes today and i forgot to ask for my check. Im sure he doesnt realize he owes me since his wife usually gives him the check to give to me and they dont always pay the same way. (Sometimes monthly, sometimes weekly).
Do any of you have to ask for your check?
I feel like texting DCD letting him know payment is due, but why should I? When I ask at pickup and he doesnt have his checkbook..its not my fault and he will have to pay the late fee if he brings it tomorrow. Am I wrong?
This is part of why I accept CC on my phone thru SQUARE APP lol; You forgot the Cash/Check, pull out your Debit /CC card

I also don't give options on how often they pay... you pay monthly on the first; If you need a month or 2 to get there, then bi-monthly on 1st & 15th. I explain to my families, you pay Mortgage/Rent, Auto, Cable, Phone etc by the month. I'm a business service as well, so I get paid by the month also
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284878 11:45 AM 02-06-2018
Originally Posted by CityGarden:
What do you use for invoices? I have been using Brightwheel but want something different.
I created my own, it is on a quarter sheet of paper that I hand to the families that pay in cash or check. I only really pass this out if I feel that I may have an issue with payments with the family or if the amount is different than normal.

With families that pay by Venmo, if they have not paid by Thursday morning, I send them a request that morning for payment.

If you want to see my invoice, pm me. Otherwise, I would recommend checking out WAVE.com, it is free and you can create your own there and print or email them out. You can also use their other features for free.
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284878 11:59 AM 02-06-2018
Originally Posted by Denali:
I hate asking. I shouldn’t have to ask. It drives up my anxiety terribly. But I myself have been really happy when I get those “hey payment is due soon.” (This is in addition to the paper bill I get) Messages from Bank of America or the electric company instead of just waiting it out and getting slapped with late payment fees.

I feel like they are going the extra mile for me.

It is my responsibility, yes, but I feel they are trying to help me avoid the extra fees. Now if I still forget/don’t pay that’s on me, and I pay without a word. Ultimately it’s my job to pay on time, but I’m most definitely grateful that someone reminded me.

I can be pretty forgetful about some things sometimes, so any help is greatly appreciated. I have so much going on with scheduling, doctor appointments, therapy appointments, and my training for daycare that things slip my mind. Especially those things that are only due/happening once a month...

Now, there are people that purposely try and “forget” but they are easy to figure out. They typically have other problems as a daycare family.

Once you’ve gotten to know the parents you’ll know if you should remind them because they honestly just forgot vs the parents that try and avoid paying. 👍
I agree.
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Meeko 12:28 PM 02-06-2018
Love Venmo. Last month I had a dad pay me while he was sitting on a beach in Bali and a mom pay me from Disneyland. I like easy!
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Ms. Alison 01:25 PM 02-06-2018
I agree with Meeko. Love Venmo!

Also, I have an ongoing payment spreadsheet (Receipt/Invoice) that I created in Excel. It shows upcoming payments, as well as what's already been paid. Parents get the updated email weekly or bi-weekly, whichever I am able to do based on my schedule. If there is a payment due I write DUE in bold letters where the paid amount is supposed to be. I usually get a Venmo payment almost immediately. If they pay via check, they email me with apologies and bring a check Monday with several weeks of tuition ahead of time. Emailing the invoice is a nice way to avoid awkward conversations of payment reminders.

Payments are due every Friday, the week prior to services rendered.

Good luck!
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Leigh 01:15 PM 02-12-2018
Today, in a FB group, I saw a response to a chasing-my-paycheck post.

The responder suggested that OP (who had several parents owing back tuition) post a sign on her door saying that she was opening late, and that it happens. Sometimes, people forget things. She'll open when she gets around to it and feels like opening. She knows the parents will understand, because they are late with their payments and asked her to understand that they "haven't gotten around to it".

That's genius, IMO.
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284878 05:29 AM 02-13-2018
Originally Posted by Leigh:
Today, in a FB group, I saw a response to a chasing-my-paycheck post.

The responder suggested that OP (who had several parents owing back tuition) post a sign on her door saying that she was opening late, and that it happens. Sometimes, people forget things. She'll open when she gets around to it and feels like opening. She knows the parents will understand, because they are late with their payments and asked her to understand that they "haven't gotten around to it".

That's genius, IMO.
Love it
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