Cost questions usually start with hours, but a plan can grow in a second direction: supplies. Who buys the dish soap and the trash bags, and whether those purchases show up on an invoice, can change the total for a household as much as an extra block of time does. Settle that line now, while it is still easy to write down.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Name the supplies you mean

Make a short list of what the helper will use: cleaning products, paper goods, trash bags, sponges, laundry supplies, and any kitchen staples the meal help requires. Mark each item as family-supplied, helper-supplied, or still to be decided. A list in your own handwriting is more useful than a general phrase such as household supplies.

Ask how supplies are billed

Some agencies bill supplies as a separate line. Others fold them into a general fee. Ask whether any supply charge appears on the invoice, whether it carries a markup, and whether you receive a receipt. Ask what happens when an item runs out in the middle of a visit.

Decide who makes the shopping trip

If the helper buys supplies, decide whether the shopping time counts as paid visit time, and whether they use the family's card or get reimbursed. Write the answer down. Mixed household and personal purchases cause most of the confusion, so keep every receipt in one folder.

Keep a stock shelf

A simple fix is a labeled shelf the family keeps stocked. Items on the shelf never need to be bought during a visit, so paid time goes to the work instead of a run for one bottle. Check the shelf when you stop by and refill it before the helper arrives.

Put it on paper

Your written plan should say who buys each supply, how each one is billed, and how receipts are handled. Ask the office to confirm the supply list in writing alongside the rest of the plan, so no item falls into a gap between the two.

For the broader questions that shape the total, the pre-hire question list is a good place to start.