Rates

[JumpinJuniper]

Hello! I am looking at restructuring my rates and am looking for some insight on how to go about it. I currently charge by contracted hours at an hourly rate. I'm looking to simplify things a bit and not have to keep track of hours so much. So a daily or weekly rate. I can't decide if I want a flat rate or want to do a sliding scale, like different rate for different pick up times. I have seen a couple people talk about them in the old forum. Does anyone have anything like this they can share with me or how does everyone do their daily/weekly rates?

[TwinMama]

I charge by the day whether you're here or not. Unless I close for the day. I get 5 paid vacation days. I'm thinking about changing that to more though.

[Blackcat31]

I used to do rates by the week based on pick up time.
Now I charge 2 different weekly rates (parent choice)
$165 per week if picked up by 3:00 or $190 per week if picked up after 3:00
Families choose one rate when signing contract. No switching back and forth
Families can buy extra time after 3 if needed with prior approval and advance notice

[GirlMomma]

I think I need to increase my rates 😂

I charge $125/week per child with paid holidays. I give each family 3 weeks vacation/year & I get the same amount, though I only plan to take 1 or 2 a year. If I am sick, I do adjust my rates the following week.

I am closed and PAID on New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, 4th of July (if it falls on a weekday) Labor Day, Thanksgiving & Black Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve. Should I choose to take one of my vacation weeks on a week one of these holidays falls on, I wouldn’t charge them for the holiday.

In the future, I think I may be changing my rates to reflect the pick up time.

[Cat Herder]

I have a flat rate tuition based on the slot, not attendance. $145 weekly, 50 hours per week, the average for my area.

did write up a sliding scale contract but ended up not using it. I just don't want to manage, police or enforce it. I will copy/paste in case someone else wants to consider it.

Tuition rates are based upon the total number of hours available per week and chosen departure time.

To give families more control of their personal budget, Flying Unicorns Childcare and Preschool offers three tuition schedules to choose from.

You may choose which schedule works best for your family upon enrollment and change once per year with a 30 day notice.

Early Arrivals and Late pick-ups will be billed at $1.00 per minute. If this becomes excessive (more than three times in twelve months), termination of contract will occur.

Overtime must be pre-arranged and approved in advance.



A: Departure by 3:30 pm – 40 Hours - $135.00 week

B: Departure by 4:30 pm – 45 Hours - $145.00 week

C: Departure by 5:30 pm – 50 Hours - $155.00 week



* Earliest arrival time is 7:30 am. *

[Blackcat31]

Yep, I used to manage all that easily....now my attitude towards this job, life in general and the attitude from parents makes it a lot easier to just have a simple weekly flat rate and go with it, It's easy to understand when signing on and easy to understand when paying me so win win for everyone especially me. lol!

[Blackcat31]

I am paid in advance 52 weeks a year. I take 2 weeks vacation and most federal holidays off. Sometimes I do take a random day off and always let parents know as far as possible in advance when I do take a day that wasn't normally scheduled. I don't give parents any "free" days. The compromise is that the rate they get upon enrollment is the rate they have until they age out of my program. I keep them until they start Kindy and then I am out.

[Cat Herder]

I do similar to BC, only I charge 50 weeks per year and only guarantee rates for two years. They expect a rate increase every 24 months. Rates go up with inflation since 1/4 of my income goes directly into my IRA and another 1/4 goes back into the daycare as expenses. I live off 50% of my income. I divide my tuition based on 50 weeks instead of 52 so they don't have to pay during my two weeks vacation. I still make the same income and they see it as extra money since they are used to paying out that much weekly and often pay someone else when I am gone. Win-win mental gymnastics. .

[Annalee]

I do the 52 week no matter what pay....and after covid, I think the world KNOWS this now! NO MATTER WHAT I GET PAID!!!!

[Gemma]

Hello! I am looking at restructuring my rates and am looking for some insight on how to go about it. I currently charge by contracted hours at an hourly rate. I'm looking to simplify things a bit and not have to keep track of hours so much. So a daily or weekly rate. I can't decide if I want a flat rate or want to do a sliding scale, like different rate for different pick up times. I have seen a couple people talk about them in the old forum. Does anyone have anything like this they can share with me or how does everyone do their daily/weekly rates?

I tried charging by the day and it did not work out for me. Now I charge a weekly rate regardless of attendance and I don't think it can get any easier