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tara
22-01-2009, 08:33 PM
Dose any body have to hint for there payment from a parent and if so what do you say.On tuesday l asked if the tax credits were sorted yet.As l like payment in advance.I have a lovely mum but l hate asking for my money.

Winnie
22-01-2009, 08:44 PM
I give out the invoice before payment is due, if i didnt recieve the money before the end of the week i think i would have to remind them. Some minders charge a late payment fee, have you got that in your contract? Even lovely parents can forget so maybe she just needs a gentle reminder ....but there does seem to be more childminders with parents not paying these days (credit crunch?) so i would say dont let it go on too long :(
And I do not get involved in conversations about tax credits- the parents pay me not the govenment and i think it can be used by people as an excuse not to pay their childminder :eek:

tara
22-01-2009, 09:05 PM
I give out the invoice before payment is due, if i didnt recieve the money before the end of the week i think i would have to remind them. Some minders charge a late payment fee, have you got that in your contract? Even lovely parents can forget so maybe she just needs a gentle reminder ....but there does seem to be more childminders with parents not paying these days (credit crunch?) so i would say dont let it go on too long :(
And I do not get involved in conversations about tax credits- the parents pay me not the govenment and i think it can be used by people as an excuse not to pay their childminder :eek:

I think your right totally but l started of 4 weekly payment now shes saying that the tax credits are paying her weekly so shes paying me out of her money and she will pay me then.I never work with out payment first but im still quite new started minding 1st october so l think l need to learn some tricks.I was putting her baby in my car and l said have you sorted out tax credits yet.I did this so she would pay me.She then took my money out of her pocked and said sorry.I feel bad as shes a single mum and has a lot going on.But in my head l thinking im providing a service so l want paying for it.:panic:

berkschick
22-01-2009, 09:06 PM
I just ask them outright.

It normally is enough to make them ashamed!

tara
22-01-2009, 09:08 PM
I just ask them outright.

It normally is enough to make them ashamed!



What do you say?

mum22
22-01-2009, 09:08 PM
Monthly invoices given out the last day i see them and payment by return (all in advance) mind you most of mine are voucher direct debit so no real issue

berkschick
22-01-2009, 09:10 PM
I have a mixture of parents from a very well off couple with a 6 bedroomed house down to a single Mum in a rented flat.

They are ALL treated the same. Their personal circumstances are not my concern. They are all invoiced monthly in advance and all fined for not paying on time!

berkschick
22-01-2009, 09:12 PM
What do you say?


Have you got my fees? If they say no I will bring them tomorrow I will say please make sure you do as I am waiting for yours before I bank everyone elses. Only really have an issue with one parent and its normally just a few days late. I did have a parent last year who was lovely but always forgot so I asked her to pay by standing order weekly in the end, that worked well.

miffy
22-01-2009, 09:18 PM
I invoice a week before payment is due and put the due date on the bottom of the invoice.

Most of my parents are good payers

I agree it's good to ask parents directly (not always as easy as that though)

Miffy xx

tara
22-01-2009, 09:20 PM
Ive looked after her baby since october 1st over night which lve had 4 weekly payment.She upped her hours to day times as well this january.Since she has started to say can she pay weekly.I hate my money in dribs and drabs.She said on tuesday ill have to give it to you weekly but she said she will pay me out of her wages and keep the tax credits.Which makes my life hard as l have bills to pay.I think she must think im well of or somthing.But even then l still started 4 weekly payment.Its like taking money l feel dirty for asking for money to look after her lovely baby.I need to learn to be firm but nice.When l ask directly thats when l get the tax credit talk and im fed up with hearing about them.I have date when payment is due and l even have a late payment line at the bottom but im a push over :angry:I know this sounds nasty but im not interested in her money just want my payment.God its so hard.

berkschick
22-01-2009, 09:28 PM
Is she behind with her payments to you?

I have one who I often have for extra hours here and there. I have just done February invoices so I have charged for the hours needed in Feb and then added the extra hours she has done in January at the bottom.

tara
22-01-2009, 09:37 PM
No shes not behind but l like the 4 weeks in advance and if l state 4 weekly before he started she should stick to it.Im worried that im getting into a habit of hoping for my money.I m due my 4 weeks night next week but l think ill only get the 1 week :angry:

miffy
22-01-2009, 09:55 PM
You don't sound nasty at all

You are only asking her to stick to what was agreed when she started with you.

I think you are going to have to talk to her and say that you must have the fees paid as you agreed at the start.

Good luck

Miffy xx

tinkerbelle
23-01-2009, 07:55 AM
i invoice wednesdays and text them fridays to remind them to bring payment on collection works for me

Mollymop
23-01-2009, 07:56 AM
You are doing your job and you need to be paid for it, so don't feel guilty about asking for your money.
I never do x

tara
23-01-2009, 09:10 AM
Thankyou you are a real good support.Im so glad your all there :clapping:

Blaze
23-01-2009, 09:15 AM
I have a mixture of parents from a very well off couple with a 6 bedroomed house down to a single Mum in a rented flat.

They are ALL treated the same. Their personal circumstances are not my concern. They are all invoiced monthly in advance and all fined for not paying on time!

Same...they know how much it's going to cost when contracts are signed...I invoice in advance...if payment doesn't happen I ask outright for it & have a copy of the invoice to hand & gently remind about late payment fees...the odd note in my newsletter doesn't go amiss either! I usually say something like...Whilst \i appreciate times are tough, I am running a business & have bills to pay too, so would appreciate fees being paid on time.:)

Lottie
23-01-2009, 09:33 AM
Luckily I haven't really had this issue. If a payment hasn't been made on the day I have asked the parents if there's a problem. They have been normally extremely apologetic and it's paid that evening.

angeldelight
23-01-2009, 09:35 AM
I have a mixture of parents from a very well off couple with a 6 bedroomed house down to a single Mum in a rented flat.

They are ALL treated the same. Their personal circumstances are not my concern. They are all invoiced monthly in advance and all fined for not paying on time!


Same here

Although the one does come it sometimes but thats another story

Just invoice the parent in advance so she knows what is expected of her

So what if you are getting into the habit of getting your money - we all do and we need it

Good luck

Angel xx

Lottie
23-01-2009, 09:35 AM
No shes not behind but l like the 4 weeks in advance and if l state 4 weekly before he started she should stick to it.Im worried that im getting into a habit of hoping for my money.I m due my 4 weeks night next week but l think ill only get the 1 week :angry:

Is it in the contract that you are paid 4 weeks in advance? If it is then maybe a gentle reminder that she is under contract and this is what she signed up for.

Polly2
23-01-2009, 09:42 AM
If my parents forget I usually say something along the lines of " did I remember to put your child's invoice in her bag??" hint hint :)

It usually works but I have lovely parents at the mo most of which have the money ready before I give them their bill.

marion123
23-01-2009, 10:42 AM
ive got 4 parents 1 pays me every monday morning 1 pays every tuesday morning (Tax CreditS) for the week 1 pays monthly in vouchers and the last one pays me for the month in cash up front my parents are great dont even need to ask :clapping:

rickysmiths
23-01-2009, 10:43 AM
I am lucky I have lovely parents. I am paid inadvance and and change to hours is reflected in the following months invoice. I have a mixture of monthly, weekly, voucher, cheque and cash. Most of the time things are fine.

Yesterday one of my parents cheques for Jan payment was returned by my bank as stopped and unpaid. I spoke to the parent immediately she said to represent the cheque and it would be fine. I said that would mean no money in my bank until late next week for a bill due 1 Jan and would she please bring me cash with her child in the am and she did.

Sorry I work hard 50 hours a week and I do expect to be paid as per contact.

If this parent has a new issue and would like to ask you to ammend the contract that would be reasonable but messing you around is not and I would tell her that.

mushpea
23-01-2009, 05:59 PM
i have had issues with this in the past with two famillies, one familys cirumstances changed and tax credits which they relied on to pay me took so long to sort it out that i had to give noitce, i had gone 2 months with out money but this time and the tax credits then took a further 2 months to sort it out so not only did i struggle to pay bills but i lost the children as couldn't afford to work for nothing but i was nice when asking as new it wasnt their fault.
i then had a parent who constantly paid late, payment is suppolsed to be every monday for the week ive just worked, she always paid by the friday but never on time, excuses ranged from, 'i forgot' to 'havent been to the bank yet' she was always late collecting too by about 45 mins so glad i don't have her anymore!!
when i ask (and i hate doing it) i would say somthing like ' have you remembed its payday today' and try not to sound to patronising!

now i have two lovley parents and a college that always pay on time and i never have to ask or remind them of the amount, its bliss!!

Dragonfly
23-01-2009, 06:08 PM
I send a invoice out to monthly payers. but there is always one, two weeks after sending it out I have to say ' you do realise I havent been paid yet' then for the next few days its 'oh left the check at home' or 'I'll bring it to the school tomorrow' and then FORGETS:angry: ever month is the same.:mad:

balloon
23-01-2009, 06:14 PM
I don't hint for it.

I give the invoices out a few days before and then on the day that they're due if the parent doesn't say anything I just politely ask "do you have Jimbob's fees please?" and smile.

I only have to ask one mum tbh and it's more because she's a tad forgetful than because she doesn't want to pay me.

I hated it to begin with but now I just make a joke of it and it's not so bad. :)

RedDragon
23-01-2009, 07:29 PM
I was exactly the same (I'm sure we all were) when I first started - and also I didn't have the benefit of this forum.

I also find it difficult to ask for my money but am getting better.

If you do not like face to face chats you could always do a quarterly newsletter and in red ink and bold letters say "Attention all parents" - then to the parents who pay on time just have a quiet word and say "Not everything directed at you" or something along those lines.


Don't worry that just because you have a beautiful baby to look after who is as good as gold maybe, that you feel bad taking money off the parent - Hey, some people get paid to kiss Brad Pitt!!!!!