Points
Can Point Balances Go Negative?
Yes — but up to -10 points by default (adjustable). This lets families book care even if they haven’t babysat recently.
Low-point users receive nudges:
“You’re in the red — take a gig to stay balanced!”
High-point users (e.g. 70+ points) receive prompts:
“Time for a night out? You’ve earned it.”
App Settings to Manage This
Arrears Limit:
Default limit set to -10 points; adjustable by group admins.
Warning Thresholds:
If a user drops below 0 or nears the arrears limit, they receive a gentle reminder: “You’re currently in the red. Why not take a gig to top up your balance?”
Priority Visibility:
The app may surface available gigs more prominently to users with low balances to help them earn back points quickly.
Optional Soft Freeze:
If a user hits -10 points and hasn’t babysat in a certain timeframe (e.g. 4 weeks), the app may temporarily restrict new booking requests until they earn back points — with a notification to the group admin.
Time Range | Duration | Point Breakdown | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
6:30 – 2:00 AM | 7.5 hrs | 14 × 1 pt + 8 × 2 pt + 8 × 3 pt | 50 pts |
6:30 – 12:30 AM | 6 hrs | 14 × 1 pt + 8 × 2 pt + 2 × 3 pt | 36 pts |
6:30 – 11:30 PM | 5 hrs | 14 × 1 pt (pre-10PM) + 8 × 2 pt (10–12) | 30 pts |
6:30 – 10:00 PM | 3.5 hrs | 14 × 15-min blocks × 1 pt | 14 pts |
Summary of Point Use Realities
(With time-based point multipliers applied)
Starting Balance Recommendation: 100 Points per Family
Why 100 pts?
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Allows for 2–3 longer nights out before needing to babysit in return
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Encourages early adoption and comfort with the system
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Creates liquidity in each Hub — more opportunities, fewer bottlenecks
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Helps offset occasional imbalance in usage across different families
Suggestion
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Starting balance: 100 points per family unit
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Arrears limit: -10 points
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Let admins adjust based on Hub behaviour
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App tracks total system points and warns if liquidity runs low