Stats & rates.

[espresso33]

Hello ladies,

I am new to the forum and have been a HDC provider for the past four years. Anyhow, i'm thinking of writing up a new contract, and would really like to know how you all go about charging for stat holidays. The F/T families all pay for stats, but part timers don't....is this fair, or should p/t families (2-3 days per week) have to pay for stats as well? Also, in regards to raising rates, how much of a raise do you give yourselves, and would you charge the extra per day or an extra set amount per week? I haven't given myself a raise since I started my business.
(My current rate per day is $42.00 btw, which is pretty much the going rate in the city I am in, which is FLOODED with home daycares!)

TIA

[jodaycare]

My part timers only pay for stats if it falls on their scheduled day. I usually raise rates when I get a new child, the existing parents continue at the old rate. I have been in this business for 20 years and have only raised rates for everyone at the same time once or twice. I am currently charging $38 per day for full time and $40 for part time. When I do a rate increase, it is usually a $1 or $2 per day. Hope this helps.

[Crayola kiddies]

Is your pt daily rate higher then your ft daily rate? Have your families all been in care longer then a year? Will raising your rates cause your current families to look elsewhere? If your area is flooded and raising your rates even a dollar a day will send them scurrying then I wouldn't but I would up them for new families coming in as current ones leave.

[Momof4]

I also charge more for part-time than full-time. In my case it's $3 more per day. The reasoning is that they can schedule around stat days and I can't fill the empty days so I lose out when I take a part-time family.

I agree that I wouldn't raise your rates more than $1-2 per day for current clients. Especially if you have a lot of competition around you. You still have to run your business as you see fit, let the clients know that, but you have to be fair.

[torontokids]

My families all pay for stats. Part time rate is $5 more per day and if their day falls on a stat they pay me. I haven't given myself a raise as I've only been in the business since Feb. I think I will keep my rates as is for the time being as they are market rate and my area has a lot of care providers at the moment.

[apples and bananas]

My families don't pay for stats... but my part timers have a min number of days they pay for regardless of sick, vacay (theirs or mine) stats ... anything. They all pay a min of 3 days a week. It's just easier for me to budget when I set minimums. And it makes PT a little less appealing... I hate doing PT.

AS for a raise... I only raise rates on new clients.

[playfelt]

Given that there seem to be so many new daycare opening in a lot of areas I would be careful about raising fees if you are already at the middle to high end for your area. I only raise rates for new families and usually by a dollar or two ie went from $35 to $37, then to $39 and now to $40.

For stats my part time families pay a higher rate and only the ones whose day falls on the stat pay - ie pay by enrolment.