To be so fucked off with chasing outstanding invoices?

[NickNacks]

I can and do charge late fees but that's not the point. I just want to be bloody paid on time every month without chasing 3/5 of my clients EVERY MONTH!!

I pay my childminder at the end of every week... in cash!

I would be mortified to think that the person I trust to look after my precious children was feeling resentful or put upon... I am sure you are lovely and very professional with your mindees but I would hate to feel that my laxness might affect how childminder related to my children in any way. I want her to feel relaxed and valued, not irritated and annoyed!

YANBU by the way. Charge the buggers a late fee and have that written into their contracts.

YANBU. I'm a freelance copywriter and I get so pissed off with invoice chasing. I'm chasing one from bloody June at the moment - always seems to be the way that the lower value ones get missed and chasing them for months on end basically negates the value of the work you did.

Grrrrrr.

Gee £10 is nothing really... Perhaps charge £10 for one day late, £20 for two days late, etc?

£10 late fee is nothing.
My CM is paid in advance, the picking them up late fee is £1 a minute, no idea what the paying late fee is, but suggest you email all the parents with a note to say that due to SOME late payers the new fee will be £5 a day.
Bet that speeds them up

Hmm late fee is something to think about then...

Then start doing what the majority of minders do and take cash or bank transfer only. I pay cash a month in advance and always have done for all minders I've used.

Yes pay in advance!

Give them a few month's notice that you're moving to payment in advance.

It's a lot easier. No payment, no service.

Standing orders can't vary month by month, direct debits can.

Is there a base amount every month for each person? If so, ask for that to be the standing order (eg 3 days x 4 weeks) then just invoice the additional day or two in longer months.

And definitely increase the late fee as payments get later or else there's no incentive once they miss by eg a day.

My CM has a nightmare - she puts a note up on her door saying 'Invoices for October have been sent - please pay immediately' I've seen it as late as the 14th I feel so sorry for her. I wouldn't wait 2 weeks for my salary. Fucking cheek.

The childminder that used to live at the end of our street got so feed up with late and none payers. She made a new contract. It had in it that you paid on the first day of each week that she had your child (i.e. if you drop off on Monday your pay for the week on Monday) No pay, she didn't let you drop off. She actually turned one guy around with his baby one time. He hadn't got the check with him, so she told him to take the baby and go get it, he came back with cash. If the check bounced you became a cash only parent and couldn't drop off till you made up for the bounced check. Funnily enough she was always full and never had openings.

What? at least you get a late payment fee. My terms are 30 days which means 90 to a lot of people.

why are you being such a soft touch!?!

Its the 11th of the month. Time to say pay up or no care. Politely on day 1, not so politely tuesday, and day 3, wednesday - no care.

If you're silly enough to wait, they will let you - its more credit in their bank/against mortgage etc.

Sort it out now.

I charge monthly in advance by direct bank transfer only. The money must be in my account by the 1st. I have been minding 12 years and have never had a late payer. The vouchers are a bit of a pain in that they don't always arrive in the 1st if there are weekend or bank holidays involved, but at least it's guaranteed income and I know it will definitely go in.

I also charge a set monthly fee based on hours used so the payment is always the same. (39 term time weeks, 11 holiday weeks, 2 free weeks - add up and divide by 12)

11 days late is not on - even worse that it is more than one parent. Send them a note on Monday stating that if the money isn't paid in the next 24 hours then you won't be caring for their child.

Call those who are late, today, and tell them if they don't pay you, in cash, when they pick the children up, you won't be looking after their child until they do.

Ok one has now paid (vouchers so will still be another three days till it hits my account but at least I know it's coming ) and one is still outstanding.

I've tried to call, no answer, and no reply from my text. So rude!!

I'm angry on your behalf!

WheresMyPopcorn I here you on that one. 60 is the new 30 in terms of days here.

I pay my CM in advance cause I appreciate every minute she gives my family.

But I'm afraid chasing outstanding payments is part of every single business I've ever been involved in.

Can you not ask for payment in advance?

I totally get why you are so pissed off. Many years ago my dad was a builder and he was forever chasing invoices. I know some clients took the piss, but I was only 18 at the time so Dad wouldn't hear of me doing the chasing for him.

His business folded when he became ill, but he's now acknowledged that if he'd let me join him I would have been better at chasing invoices for him. Dad's a soft touch; he hated asking for money even though it was owed. I think there's still a few thousand outstanding that he'll never see.

I work freelance for solicitors firms and although two firms are really good at paying me, one of them is unbelievably slow! They can be weeks and weeks and weeks late! Drives me mad . I will have to start considering late fees.

Seriously, don't consider late fees, implement them.

And £10 is nothing. If you're going to be late, one addition of £10 isn't going to deter you.

It should either go up over time or be a percentage of the total invoice and go up over time.

You work. You deserve to be paid.

just average out per month;

eg billy does 3 days at @25 per day = £325 per month (adjust if you allow hols, or do not charge for hols). so, if you allow 2 weeks hols, charge £75 x50/12 instead) That way, everyone knows exactly what they are getting/paying and when. then do it by dd as the only way you will accept payment.

i used to pay my contribution slightly early (25th) which offset voucher being a few days late. my childminder was happy though because it was a set amount into her account bang on time every month.

apologies if this is inappropriate - we use a nursery rather than a CM, but why can't you refuse to care for their child? wjhen they turn up at the door say you're not accepting the child because of non-payment, or text them to say not to bring their child today / tomorrow?

We wouldn't be allowed to drop off our child if we hadn't paid for the childcare.

my dh is self employed and as soon as a company is late with payment they get put on stop. no more work until they pay.

stop taking the children if they pay late. i am sure doing that once would make them think twice.

don't let people take the piss