Community› The Bump Message Boards› Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
New Discussion

What's a fair price?

VTbride05VTbride05 member
in Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months

I watch kids in my home 3 days a week. I have a set daily amount that is reasonable for my area. I usually do not take part time kids but a neighbor asked if I would start watching her son on Mondays for a 1/2 day. That is my only opening so I am happy to fill it, but not sure what to charge her. My policy states that I have a set rate of $XX for the day, whether it be a half or whole day as it reserves the spot for the day for that child. I think that the neighbor was a little turned off by this, which I understand. But I need to make money too and could fill that Monday with a full day/full price kid.

So.... keep they at the full day amount or charge less? What does your DCP do?

Like giveaways? Like my blog!
www.facebook.com/TryVermontFirst
I love these two beautiful children!
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Report Reply to Post

Re: What's a fair price?

  • momtoRaegan041008momtoRaegan041008 member
    I pay $2 per hour, our old babysitter was $25 per day.  We never only went half a day, so I'm not sure how much she would charge.

    girls photo zvczv.jpg

    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • BabyCakes3BabyCakes3

    We pay $45/day for 3 days but a full week is only $36/day. That probably doesn't help at all but DD can't go on the other days if they are full. So paying more for less days is normal, I think.

     Maybe you could charge her a lesser amount & tell her that if a full time comes along you will have to take that? It would suck but ......

    Report Reply
  • LeggyNicLeggyNic member

    Your policy makes sense to me.  You COULD fill the spot with a full day child and make a full day's pay.  If your neighbor has a problem she can look elsewhere.

    In our area finding drop-in/part-time care is near impossible so I'd probably pay a full day just to have the opportunity and with someone so close to home.

    BFP 2/14/08, DD1 born 10/11/08 (natural); BFP 5/16/10, DD2 born 01/12/11 (c/s, breech)
    TTC #3: BFP 4/27/12, Ectopic 5/16/12 Expectant Management, 8/15/12 Cleared to TTC
    BFP 9/25/12 EDD 6/6/13, Shooting 3-for-3 from the line: It's a Girl
    PgAL/PAL Welcome
    Pregnancy Ticker
    Report Reply
  • inbetweendreamsinbetweendreams

    When we were looking for PT care, this was always the catch. Most places did not give a discount for PT unless they already had or could find another PT child for the exact opposite schedule. It sucked, so I understand your neighbor's frustration.

    From your perspective, if you know without a doubt that you could easily fill that spot with a FT kid, I would probably charge her FT.

    From your neighbor's perspective, it sucks to pay that since she's only getting half of what she paid for.

    Could you compromise and do 3/4?

    Report Reply
  • ABMcKinneyABMcKinney
    If you are going to charge her a full day price then make it clear that she does have the option of leaving the child there for the full day.
    Report Reply
  • PrincessBearPrincessBear

    imageABMcKinney:
    If you are going to charge her a full day price then make it clear that she does have the option of leaving the child there for the full day.

    And vice versa.  If you do decide to give her a partial day rate, make it very clear what hours you expect to keep the child for.  I think I would charge her the full day rate with the option of leaving him/her the whole day.  Then there is never the possibility of  "Oh, I have to run some extra errands today...can Suzy stay for an extra hour?"

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"