Raising playgroup prices question

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Can I raise my rates at this point

Yes

62%

[ 31 ]

38%

[ 19 ]

Total Votes : 50

amother

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:13 pm

I get phone calls in September for the year away by the week we came back after sukkahs I started registration I filled up within a week . It was so fast I did not raise my price. Inflation is hard I offer more hours then most and I am hearing I am charging about the same maybe less which is crazy. I know I will go up for 23-24 school year . My question is can I ask now for $30 more a month at this point I really feel I shouldn’t but also I need to . I don’t want to upset people also , but people have said I would pay you more. And inflation didn’t hit yet.

amother

Daphne

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:15 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

There was just a thread on this the consensus was 100% no. Next year open registration in february/march instead.

amother

Carnation

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:17 pm

You can ask, but be prepared that one of two things may happen. Parents will pull out (will you be able to cover those spots if they do?) or they might send anyway but grudgingly, and then it won’t be fun. As a parent, I would be very upset if my babysitter or the playgroup I chose to send to would tell me they are raising the price 3 months before school starts. The costs is worked into my budget, and I probably planned other things in my budget accordingly.

amother

Papaya

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:17 pm

as a Playgroup Morah that's closing shop for next year for a few reasons, I would definitly call a Rav and ask, and then go by his word. This is one big reason I'm closing shop. a $30 increase isn't all that big on the parents, and would make a big difference to the Morah.

amother

Carnation

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:18 pm

amother [ Daphne ] wrote:

There was just a thread on this the consensus was 100% no. Next year open registration in february/march instead.

Or open registration in September but with the raised price.

Simple1

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:20 pm

amother [ Daphne ] wrote:

There was just a thread on this the consensus was 100% no. Next year open registration in february/march instead.

No it wasn't 100%. It was way more nuanced than that. There was an unusual amount of inflation since September. You should ask your Rav.

amother

Lightgray

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:21 pm

amother

Nemesia

Sun, May 22 2022, 12:50 pm

My friend is asking $600 and her group is full for September with a waiting list.

Raise the price and you’ll always find new kids.

amother

Slategray

Sun, May 22 2022, 1:06 pm

You should ask parents if they can pay more but not force them. If the Morah asked I personally would pay extra. I understand inflation, we are all dealing with it and BH my husband is his own boss and can raise his rates accordingly.

amother

Dustypink

Sun, May 22 2022, 1:39 pm

amother [ Slategray ] wrote:

I would also understand and be inclined to pay, but then if I found out that it was optional and other parents weren't paying, I wouldn't be happy and would ask to go back to the original agreement. I don't think you can have 2 tiers within the group without upsetting everyone.

amother

Lightgray

Sun, May 22 2022, 1:46 pm

amother

Pear

Sun, May 22 2022, 1:55 pm

amother [ Papaya ] wrote:

Who are you to say it isnt "all that big on parents"?!? Have you seen my budget? I am not getting ANY raise from work but all my costs are going up too. Seriously- groceries cost me way more now. Let's not even talk about the cost of diapers, basic clothing like socks, gasoline...
This is what we call the cost of doing business. If you close for the year, you will ruin your reputation if parents already signed up with you and were counting on you. If you raise prices, parents will be upset.
A Rav wont understand that necessarily.... he can only tell you the halacha where you had an AGREED UPON PRICE and now are trying to change it. Which even if parents do stay because they are desperate they will be holding grudges and will likely complain about everything...

amother

Buttercup

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:02 pm

How about raising but offering something in return? 15 minutes of free before or after care per day? And/or you supply hot lunch every Monday and Wednesday? Just a couple of ideas.

amother

Slategray

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:07 pm

amother [ Dustypink ] wrote:

During lockdown I didn’t pay the Morah because at the time my husband and I were both not able to work and didn’t get paid. Other parents did get paid and were able to pay the Morah. Sometimes we can give more and sometimes less. Maybe because I know what it means to have no money I can fargin people for paying a little less. And we aren’t even middle class. We are low income. But so are the moros I send to and many other parents in the group. If you can squeeze your budget for it I see it as the right thing to do.

amother

Slategray

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:09 pm

amother [ Pear ] wrote:

In most neighborhoods a Morah doesn’t need to worry about ruining her reputation. People are desperate and will send.

If you have such jealously of moros changing their pricing then why not become a Morah and charge those rates.

amother

Silver

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:15 pm

I would speak to a rav
Im not saying I would be happy as a parent but I would understand and the price diff wouldn’t effect me. The issue I see is that parents cant just pull out there kids because there aren’t other options available at this point. Also if u decide not to raise price are their things you can ask parents to supply so that you wouldn’t have too. Tissues,wipes, soaps, pack of crayons etc

yidisheh mama

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:25 pm

amother [ Slategray ] wrote:

It's a little different here, though. Your personal expenses went up, but not so much your work expenses. You are not buying supplies, paper goods and food for your work. The playgroups are. So by not raising their prices, the main morahs are getting their pay cut. Raising it only ensures that their pay is equal to what they were making or at least not too big of a pay cut. It's not about then getting a raise because their own personal and family expenses went up, but because operational expenses went up.
That said, I think this system of signing up a year in advance is messes up, and if someone chooses to do that, they should at least say what their estimated price is, but they will say their exact price after Pesach. That way they don't have this issue. And if they already did give a price and can't operate on the price they committed to, they need to speak to each parent and explain the circumstances, tell them that they really need $__ in order to stay open, but if someone really can't do it, they'll work with them (and then end up not getting the raise from 1-2 of every 10 parents, and needing to be ok with that). Or ask the parent if they prefer to pay an extra $30 monthly or have the teacher take 1 extra kid in to cover the cost difference. As a parent, I'd probably pay the extra $1-2/ day and keep the ratios lower. It's a tough situation on both ends, and I think this proves that the system of opening registration a year in advance is so messed up and needs to stop. If all morahs agree to open registration in March or April everyone all around will benefit.

amother

Navy

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:25 pm

Op it depends on how much you charge now and what the hours now?
Are you undercharging? It makes a difference.
It also depends on what you told parents when they registered.
Did you say "I charge x amount, next year will be the same price", "not sure yet, I will let you know"...?
Even if you give your customers the option of backing out it's impossible to find a new place at this point. They basically have no choice now.
Why didn't you raise your price in October?

amother

Sun, May 22 2022, 2:55 pm

I don’t feel comfortable raising my price now for September but it’s hard that I am not. I am not Overcharging but not Undercharged I Basically offer the longest hours meaning full day not like 2 or 3. I also try not to take off too many days. I found out that if playgroups who are doing like 40 minutes less then me are charging the same as me or a bit more . That’s just afternoon hours I also open earlier. I did have some people tell me with this economy I could ask for more but still Hesitant. I also take a very small group.

amother

Bergamot

Sun, May 22 2022, 3:20 pm

$30 may not be a big difference for one kid going to a playgroup. But calculate the babysitter who’s going up $50 a month and the tuition that’s going up 1000/kid…

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