Should I increase my fees???

[Kelly]

Its that time of year again when thinking about increasing my fees in April, but in a bit of a dilemma. One of my newer mindees already pays me £3.50 as she has only recently started but my other two little darlings still pay £3ph, I really do want to increase all my children to £3.50 as its the going rate around here, even newly registered childminders charge £3.50-£4ph and I am proud to be level 4 qualified!.

Right now for the problem, one of my mindees is in 10 hours a day so is already charged £30 per day and I feel that anything over that is pretty excessive, is asking mum to find another £100 per month too much? The problem is I could potentially have 4 different families all on different rates!

HELP!!! :confused:

[Rubybubbles]

I would go for it! Much easier to have all on same rate.

Maybe in the newsletter state about inline with the other childminders in your area, ect, I did this april 2006 and no one battered an eye lid over it, if she was to go anywhere else, you've already said they are £3.50/£4 per hour

:clapping: level 4 well done, you must be a fountain of knowledge

[manjay]

I do £3.50 per hour but charge a day rate of £32, any more than that and I would price myself out of the local market. So you could do that if you think £35 a day is too much. Personally I think £100 a month is a big increase but only you know if your parents are likely to accept that.

Good luck

amanda xx

[chubbymummy]

i would charge a day rate and an hourly rate that way it's not too much of an increase for that parent

[sarah707]

I have an hourly rate... and a daily rate.

At the moment I have 7 families on my books (all part time) and mostly on different rates!

It makes billing a nightmare! :panic:

But... some came from the local school when the after school club closed down so I had to honour that rate... and some have been with me a while and I've yet to put their fees up... and others are new and on my new enhanced rate...:D

[button68]

... and others are new and on my new enhanced rate...:D

Now why is that sounding kinda scary Sarah? http://easyfreesmileys.com/smileys/free-scared-smileys-706.gif (http://easyfreesmileys.com/)

[Kelly]

Thanks for all the advice

In the end I decided to have a couple of different rates, after all not all families are in the same situation are they? I have told one family I am increasing to £3.25 ph as they would never be able to sustain a 50p ph increase and the rest to £3.50.

Kelly

[wellybelly]

Go for it, I have an hourly rate of £3.50 an hour and a daily rate of £25. Its keeps it simple and it balances out to a competitive rate to what other mindies charge in the area. As long as you can justify what you charge, theres not really an argument.

[angeldelight]

Glad you sorted it out in the end Kelly

Angel xx

[Kelly]

Well no-one handed in their notice this morning, so all that worry for nothing, thanks once again guys!!

[LittleMissSparkles]

Thats great :)

[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]

Glad you have sorted it out.

Lorraine xx

[Banana]

Glad it was sorted!!

x

[littlestar]

glad its all sorted:clapping: