Director’s guide
How do you manage a nursery’s monthly fees?
Monthly fees keep the nursery going. Yet in many establishments they are tracked in a notebook or a spreadsheet, and late payments only show up at the end of the month. Here is how to set clear rules, invoice without mistakes and chase payments without damaging the relationship with families.
Updated
Write the rules before the school year starts
Most tensions come from a rule that wasn’t written down. Decide, then write into the house rules signed at enrollment:
- The amount of the monthly fee, and what it includes (meals, snack, activities)
- Registration fees and how often they are charged
- The due date each month
- The payment methods accepted: cash, bank transfer, card
- What happens in case of absence, illness or holidays
- Whether the summer months are charged, and at what amount
- Any discounts, for example for a second child
Invoice every month, on a fixed date
Issue all invoices on the same day, at the start of the month, with the due date. A numbered invoice, with itemized lines (monthly fee, canteen, transport), avoids the “I thought that was included”.
Record every payment the same day
- A cash payment: a receipt straight away, and the invoice marked as paid
- A bank transfer: check it has actually arrived, and record it with the family’s name
- Always note the payment method
- Never “I’ll note it later”: that is where mistakes start
Track what is pending and overdue
At any moment, you should be able to answer three questions: how much is pending, how much has been paid this month, and who is late. In Hi Kiddo, a sent invoice whose due date has passed automatically becomes “overdue”.
Following up without awkwardness
- A few days after the due date, a polite reminder, for example “a quick reminder: October’s monthly fee is due”
- If nothing happens, a personal message from the director
- Then, a meeting to find a solution
- Always in private, never in a parents’ group
- For a family in difficulty, a written payment plan is better than an unpaid bill
Special cases
| Situation | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Enrollment mid-month | Invoice according to the written rule: full month or pro rata |
| Second child | Apply the discount set out in the rules, and show it clearly on the invoice |
| Canteen and transport | Separate lines, so everyone knows what they are paying for |
| Family in difficulty | A written payment plan, with dates |
A tool so nothing is forgotten
With Hi Kiddo, your rates are entered once (monthly fee, registration fees, canteen, transport), invoices go out by email with the PDF in each parent’s language, and payments and late payments are tracked on a single page. The trial is free.
Read next: Nursery invoicing: monthly fees without the Excel sheet
Frequently asked questions
Should the summer months be charged?
It is the nursery’s choice. What matters is writing it into the rules signed at enrollment, so there are no surprises in July.
How should cash payments be handled?
A receipt for every payment, recorded the same day, with the payment method noted. That is what lets you trace a payment if a family asks about it.
Can invoices be sent to parents by email?
Yes. In Hi Kiddo, each parent receives an email in their language, with the amount, the due date and the invoice as a PDF.