Payment

[nadia527]

I have a question regarding payment. I have a client coming into today (my first client). I just want to know how would payment work when first starting off. Do they pay an enrollment fee and how does that work, and also how would i do payment after. How do other provider receive payment daily, weekly. I will be charging $35. I'm just starting off so I just want to know how other providers do it. Thank you in advance.

[Lee-Bee]

I charge a 2 week deposit that is held for final 2 weeks of care. This is given before they start.

They then pay for 2 weeks of care the Friday before the care for those 2 weeks starts.

This means I never work a day that is not prepaid (so they can't just up and leave without paying.

I take either post dated cheques (a few months at a time) or they can pay via email transfers.

[Spixie33]

I charge a one week deposit when a family registers. I hold that deposit until their last week.
I get paid on a weekly basis on Thursdays.
If they don't pay then I would not offer care the following week and I wouldn't be out any fees. Thankfully that's never happened and the system has worked very well

[Busy ECE mommy]

I charge a 2 week deposit, which is deducted from the last 2 weeks of care.
I do monthly fee schedules detailing how many days they are scheduled for, and how much perday.
I take 6 months of post dated cheques at a time, and payment is all on the 1st, or divided btwn the 1st&15th, so I am in control of the cheques, and always have them in advance.

[Crayola kiddies]

same here ...2 week deposit at contract signing to be applied to the last two weeks of already commenced care and then the first two weeks starting the friday before care starts and then every friday from then on ....always in advance and i only accept cash or EMT

[mickyc]

I am the odd one out here. I get $300 deposit on signing and then apply it to the first 2 weeks of care. I then get paid bi-weekly on Friday morning for the following 2 weeks. I have only had an issue with 1 family over the last 5 years trying to leave without paying when leaving. I did end up getting paid. I still apply my deposit to the beginning of care.

[Wonderwiper]

Also an odd one here ha ha! While I do take a two week deposit to cover last two weeks of care....I do not care how or when parents pay. By that I mean that everyone pays for care in advance but can decide upon registration if they prefer to pay weekly, bi weekly or even monthly. Makes no difference to me, they can decide what works best for their finances. I have never once had to chase payment.

[5 Little Monkeys]

Like most others, I ask for a deposit and apply it to last week of care. I also get paid in advance and do it biweekly (one parent does it monthly). If a parent wanted to do it weekly or monthly that would be fine....as long as it's In advance :)

[babydom]

I'm really the odd one out here. Lol. I never get paid in advance (I should really change that...haha) it just feels weird that I'm getting paid without working yet. Any other job u work then get paid, so i guess I'm used to that. Although I like the advance payment better so if they skip out, ur covered.

I take a two wk deposit...applied to the last wks of care. And then paid every Friday for the wk I just provider care for. I accept cheques, posted dated cheques, emt or cash.

[Suzie_Homemaker]

No, no, *I* am odd one out - maybe.

I get one week deposit which apply to final week of care. I get paid two weekly in advance on Monday morning - no fee, no care. If Monday is stat day or closed day or child on vacation, payment still due on Monday. I take cash or EMT so parent need to either bring cash on Friday or EMT fee before normal opening time.

But, even with one week deposit, I require 4 week notice (6 if sibling group). My contract clear fees due regardless of attendance. If I increase fee, they get 14 day notice so even if they give notice on day they not like fee increase, they will have pay for two week at new rate.

Contact clear that legal action will always be taken for outstanding debt at contract end, plus filing fee, plus late account payment fee of $10 per day from start of debt until court date.

[Lee-Bee]

I'm really the odd one out here. Lol. I never get paid in advance (I should really change that...haha) it just feels weird that I'm getting paid without working yet. Any other job u work then get paid, so i guess I'm used to that. Although I like the advance payment better so if they skip out, ur covered.

I take a two wk deposit...applied to the last wks of care. And then paid every Friday for the wk I just provider care for. I accept cheques, posted dated cheques, emt or cash.


I think this job is just so different than working for a company though. We prepay for that child's food, art supplies and what ever else we incur each week. Not to mention income coming from a company versus a person just has different levels of security (in regards to knowing you will receive it).

That said, if you have a deposit to apply to that week (or 2) of care if the family runs off you still get paid for the days you worked...you would just be out the weeks of notice they are supposed to give.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I understand what you're saying babydom....but there are a few other services (nail salon, some spas, some hairdressers, some gas stations etc) that make you pay before you get the service so I put us in that category :)

We go longer without receiving pay than most other service jobs so we could potentially be working for a 1-4 weeks without pay and than have customers leave! Paying in advance takes away that risk

[babydom]

Don't get me wrong. I'm so for the paid before work kind of deal. Lol. I just don't know how I would change that with my clients now. As they would have to pay me two wks on the same day. Like tomorrow they pay me for this wk I just worked. But if I were to change it then tomorrow they also pay me for next wk. so to change it it probably wouldn't fly as they'd have to pay two wks on a fri. Maybe I'll just implement it for new clients?!?! I also worry if a family skips out they'd say I want my money back because u didn't have said child this wk. Obivously it be in the contract. But some families get mean and do the small claims court thing.

[Fireyesblue]

2 week deposit which gets applied to last 2 weeks of care. I only accept cash or electronic fund transfer (which is my current method of payment).

[mickyc]

When I started out I had another provider in my area help me get started. She told me that if there was any of her policies I copy it was to get paid 2 weeks in advance of care!