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Do you think a Supplies Fee for Daycare is Fair??

I charge a $35 supplies fee for my in-home daycare every March, to help with the costs. Such as baby equipment, new toys, printer supplies, batteries, art & crafts, etc... That's my only additional fees for daycare other than the weekly tuition. What do you think? Oh, and I charge $130/wk. My weekly tuition is MY income for caring for their children ALL day and making sure they are clean and safe! But only a portion of that really goes to me. I have to pay for extra things, like electricity, water, food, cleaning supplies. And I was constantly buying things for daycare, toys, equipment, new random things, that my actual income was too low. So i thought $35 ONCE a year wasn't going to be too hard on the parents. I give them a receipt at the end of the year too. My rates aren't high for my area... I live in SC. They are about the going rate, but maybe a little bit on the upper end. They pay $35 when they start as well as again in March. But if they start close to March of course I wouldn't charge them twice. So regardless of when they start, they still need to pay $35. It's like a registration fee, but I made it clear of what it's for. It doesn't go in my pockets. And the idea of charging like a dollar extra a week isn't what I was looking for. I wanted everyone to pay that amount at the same time, so I could have a lump sum and go get new things for daycare that everyone could enjoy. i don't want to keep old toys, broken down things, etc. $35 isn't that much... most people I know charge $50-$100 and some charge twice a year.

Public Comments

1. NO, I don't think the supplies fee should be necessary, for in home daycare $130 is alot, that's almost the same amount is actual daycare. I ran home daycare for 8 yrs and only charged $100 a week and that's it.
2. I dont think that is bad, what city are you in? Your fees seem low.
3. a $35.00 once a year is not bad. My son's school (preschool) has a $100 supply fee and i pay $115.00 per week (that is about the norm in my area) My only complaint with my school is that we pay a supply fee every year then we have to but supplies, yes, they send home a list of supplies for his class and i think that is unfair, what is the supply fee for?
4. Ummm. I guess I don't understand. Why would you not have taken those expenses into account when figuring up the weekly cost? No, I don't think it's fair. Weekly/monthly/hourly fees should be inclusive. Fees other than that, such as admission to a movie for a field trip with older children, or other activity that would take you away from your location are permissable, providing that the parent gives consent for their child to attend. Should you require additional materials that you did not plan on needing for a craft project, send home a note asking for each child to bring a glue stick or a pot of glitter. Baby equipment/ outdoor toys/office supplies come out of your weekly/monthly/hourly intake.... NOT separate fund that the parents are required to give. What are you using the tuition for if not that? Are you paying yourself all that money as wages? It's very confusing.
5. I think $40 is a better number
6. I don't think that the parents should supply the items you need for your daycare. A yearly $35.00 fee on top of the weekly fee is asking too much.
7. I don't think it's unnecessary if the money goes towards items that keep the day care up and running in good order. You're price is a lot better than 90% of all day cares out there who want $1000 a month. And besides, you could say the parents have to supply you with baby equipment and toys and arts and crafts, etc.... see what they say then and if they had been complaining then they will probably shut their traps now.
8. I have two children in daycare and I feel that the weekly fee for my child being there should be all I should have to pay. I feel that the things that you have to buy for your daycare are your expenses just like the things that I have to buy through my work week are my expenses, such as gas, lunch, ect. Plus those things that you are talking about are a tax write off for you, so why wouldnt you want to spend your own money on it and write it off at the end of the yr?
9. No. Extra Charges give off red flags. Why the extra charge. Its the cost of doing business. It should be a fixed expense. Would you charge extra for running water? Would you charge extra for indoor toilets? See my point. Parents look at that as a hiden charge to make your FEE seem cheaper than the other daycares. I would run with the whole NO HIDDEN FEES. Roll it in the fee. Divide it by the month or however you want to do it. Let parents know that this is what I charge PERIOD. Your honesty will go a long way. Don't fall into the big corprate system. Raise your rate to 130.67 cents. or $131.00 a week. What if you had a child all year and Beginngin of March they moved. You covered the expense for free. ROLL into the fee. Good luck.
10. My mom and step sister run day cares and all the things you mention are tax write offs for your business. No I do NOT think it is fair. It is your business those are your expenses.
11. *I* wouldn't have a problem with it, especially if you do lots of activities that require supplies with the kids. Many posters don't seem to understand or appreciate how much it costs to provide supplies and activities for their kids. If many people are objecting to it, just raise your rates $3-$5 per week and leave off the supply fee. Then keep that extra few bucks in savings for when you need to buy supplies. They actually end up paying more that way, but then it'll "seem" fair at least.
12. $35 a yr is not too much to ask. My childrens daycare charges it once a yr for classroom supplies for the preschool classes they take while there. however $130 a week is A LOT for SC unless you right smack down town the most populated city. I live in KY (and have owned property in SC) and i pay $80 & $85 a wk for my 4 & 2 yr old respectively. The most expensive here charge $110/wk for under 2 and $100 for over 2. so $130 is a bit. since you charge more weekly i would think lowering the yearly supply fee to $20 would be more reasonable.
13. No, it probably should be factored in, otherwise people will think your gouging.