Just starting home daycare, advice please!

[Momof4]

You could keep your rates a little bit lower to attract clients and get started, but please make a contract with clear policies and as the ladies already mentioned do get your CPR/first aid updated at the very least. Keep all your receipts as they are all tax deductions, even the CPR training.

I started at a low rate because I am a Mom/Grandma and that was the experience I was drawing upon, but I found out that I do a fantastic job running my daycare and don't need an ECE diploma, just common sense and dedication to my business.

Once I had a good client base in place so that I had fantastic references I was able to raise my rates slowly $2/year or so until I was in a better range after a few years. My clients didn't bat an eye because they were happy with me.

[bright sparks]

brooketown, go to the home page of this site and search for daycare based on your postcode. This will bring up not only your competition, but also their daily rates and some info regarding the program they offer and their availability. It will also be a good indicator of the demand for care in your area.