Payment Christmas time

Good morning.

Just wondering how many of you charge up front? I don’t, but sometimes wish I do especially when I have already asked people that pay through the tax free scheme to pay by Wednesdays otherwise sometimes it doesn’t arrive in your bank until the following week and they don’t ☹️

Does anyone else feel they are sometimes chasing payments?

I know it’s an expensive time of the year but surely you pay your bills first? If children finish on a Tuesday and they pay through the government tax free scheme when would you expect them to pay? Knowing there’s going to be a holiday?

Think I need a holiday !

Dragonfly it always amazes me how little regard some people have regards paying their childcare fees. Most of my current families are great and always pay on time(I do charge in advance for the month or some pay weekly) but there is one family I have to constantly chase up even late fees make no difference. I don't have any families that use the Tax free scheme but one does pay via the old voucher scheme and I know it always takes a couple of days to reach my account but they are limited as to when they can make a payment.

Hope you have a lovely break.

I agree,

Some parents are very 'laid back' about paying for childcare, and really seem to think it doesn't matter if it is late, or the wrong amount :(

I now charge in advance, invoiced by the 20th of the preceding month, and due by the 1st. I remind all those paying by voucher or Tax Free, that they need to give it a couple of days to 'land', and that these companies seem unable to process (what I presume are automated payments :rolleyes:) over a weekend or bank holiday! I do tell parents that if they need a couple of days grace due to not being paid till the end of the month etc, then let me know, and I am happy to arrange a different payment date. but the ones who say 'oh, I actioned it last night' .. knowing it takes 2 days, or that it is the weekend/bank holiday, REALLY annoy me. To this point, I have put on January's invoices, that it is the parents responsibility to ensure payment reaches MY account by the 1st month, and any fees not paid by then, will be charged late fees, irrespective if they have 'actioned' the payment, because they KNOW transfers are not made over weekends and bank holidays. I've said to let me know IN ADVANCE, ( not on the 1st !!!! ) IF this will be an issue, and then no late fees will be charged. Out of a dozen families, 3 have paid already, and 1 has told me that voucher company will probably pay late, as she doesn't get paid until end of month, and the payment is set to go straight from her salary, to voucher company, and straight out to me ... Here is waiting to see what happens to the rest! Can you tell it is a bugbear of mine ?? !!!

I do say that if fees have not been paid, then childcare will not be provided!

Glad it not just me Loocyloo. Over the 25 years I haven’t had too many families I’ve had to chase but it is so annoying when you told them when they set up the scheme that things will be delayed due to paying it late in the week , holidays etc.Think it’s a delay tactic on their part 🙄

I too have always said and do have families that pay on different days and I don’t mind if I’m told when I agree to have the child or if there’s a problem.

Wonder how many people would be happy f their wages were late coming umm.

Maybe I should start charging in advance like several of you.

Christmas Eve tomorrow, got my son in his 30’s staying he will get a stocking ha,ha who does stockings for their grown up children and their partners if they stay Christmas Eve? I’m mad I know :clapping:

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Christmas Eve tomorrow, got my son in his 30’s staying he will get a stocking ha,ha who does stockings for their grown up children and their partners if they stay Christmas Eve? I’m mad I know

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Me......I am taking the stockings with me this year as I am going to stay at my son's.

Excellent Pixie dust

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Originally Posted by Dragonfly

Christmas Eve tomorrow, got my son in his 30’s staying he will get a stocking ha,ha who does stockings for their grown up children and their partners if they stay Christmas Eve? I’m mad I know :clapping:

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I said I wasn't going to do stockings this year but my 28 year old son said he'd rather have a stocking than a present, so I'm going to have to carry on doing them! I don't do them for partners though.

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

I agree,

Some parents are very 'laid back' about paying for childcare, and really seem to think it doesn't matter if it is late, or the wrong amount :(

I now charge in advance, invoiced by the 20th of the preceding month, and due by the 1st. I remind all those paying by voucher or Tax Free, that they need to give it a couple of days to 'land', and that these companies seem unable to process (what I presume are automated payments :rolleyes:) over a weekend or bank holiday! I do tell parents that if they need a couple of days grace due to not being paid till the end of the month etc, then let me know, and I am happy to arrange a different payment date. but the ones who say 'oh, I actioned it last night' .. knowing it takes 2 days, or that it is the weekend/bank holiday, REALLY annoy me. To this point, I have put on January's invoices, that it is the parents responsibility to ensure payment reaches MY account by the 1st month, and any fees not paid by then, will be charged late fees, irrespective if they have 'actioned' the payment, because they KNOW transfers are not made over weekends and bank holidays. I've said to let me know IN ADVANCE, ( not on the 1st !!!! ) IF this will be an issue, and then no late fees will be charged. Out of a dozen families, 3 have paid already, and 1 has told me that voucher company will probably pay late, as she doesn't get paid until end of month, and the payment is set to go straight from her salary, to voucher company, and straight out to me ... Here is waiting to see what happens to the rest! Can you tell it is a bugbear of mine ?? !!!

I do say that if fees have not been paid, then childcare will not be provided!

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Well .... all paid/actioned, except one mum who hasn't worked this week, due to covid isolation, and says she can't pay me, until she has been to work (self employed). She is not sure if she will be working next week (and if not at work, child will not be coming) but I've said, whilst I feel for her, my fees still need paying. It's a tricky one.

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Originally Posted by loocyloo

Well .... all paid/actioned, except one mum who hasn't worked this week, due to covid isolation, and says she can't pay me, until she has been to work (self employed). She is not sure if she will be working next week (and if not at work, child will not be coming) but I've said, whilst I feel for her, my fees still need paying. It's a tricky one.

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That is a tricky one, Loocyloo. I’d feel sorry for her, but also being self employed, you know your bills don’t stop if you don’t work. When I had to close for 2 weeks with covid, I had to repay 2 weeks worth of fees and still pay all my usual bills.

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Originally Posted by Mouse

That is a tricky one, Loocyloo. I’d feel sorry for her, but also being self employed, you know your bills don’t stop if you don’t work. When I had to close for 2 weeks with covid, I had to repay 2 weeks worth of fees and still pay all my usual bills.

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Exactly. She doesn't have fees to pay this week or half of next, so I've just said full fees need to be paid by time child returns to me.

Maybe this parent should start putting so much aside for childminding fees.

I’m still waiting for one payment also.

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Originally Posted by Dragonfly

I’m still waiting for one payment also.

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Hope you get your payment too Dragonfly.

I am at a loss as to what this mum was thinking, as I know full well she has put them in her budget, as she asked me for hourly/daily/weekly breakdown when child started!

I am going to email her tomorrow and 'suggest' that she pays weekly ( in advance ) if paying monthly is too much. But i shall also be pointing out that fees are still due whether child attends or not!

I only have one paying through a tax free childcare account and the January payment was in my bank a couple of days ago. The child has just gone onto their 3 year old funding and I think mum was so excited that the bill has dropped by a massive amount that she paid it early :laughing:

Most of my others are weekly payers, but they're all pretty reliable and I rarely have to chase payments.

Have just done a newsletter, have put in that about paying earlier when a holiday is looming ( if paying by government tax free scheme) as it can take up to one week to come through because of holiday delays.

I’ve also put I’ll be charging late fees as from January 2022 it’s in my contracts but I’ve never done it before hopefully that will just make them think and I won’t have to do it.

Hopefully my December payment will come through a Tuesday won’t Monday as it’s a bank holiday.