Do you charge by half hour or just a full hour?

[Bitsy Beans]

Sorry for sticking this in the general board but I am going to ring a potential new client soon and I wanted some quick feedback.
She wants afternoon wrap around from school pick up 3.30pm to around 4.45pm. Would you guys charge for the full hour til 5.30 even though they are using only 15 mins of the service or would you split your hourly rate and charge for the half hour til 5pm? (no way I am even considering splitting for 15 mins :laughing: )

TIA :D

[miffy]

I charge by the session for after school care - my times are 3.30 to 5.30pm so I'd charge 2 hours even if only a few minutes of the second hour was used - it's not worth it otherwise

Good luck

Miffy xx

[hayleychildcare]

I split into 15 minutes :)

But thats only because i charge £4 per hour and its dead easy to do:)

i also charge £2 per evening meal :)

[Ripeberry]

I charge by the hour and half-hour and and all fees rounded up to the nearest quarter hour. So if someone turns up at 9.15 they still pay from 9am, espcially when they were supposed to start at 9am!
And if they are late by over 15 mins then that is a whole half-hour extra (if they let me know in advance).
If they are over 30 mins late and no warning then they get £5 charge added on.

[Daftbat]

For under fives i charge by the half hour but for after schoolers i charge a set rate.

[patevans]

I split into 15 minutes :)

I do this too!!

[Bitsy Beans]

Well just spoke to the mum and she's coming tomorrow.
I did say I'd charge for the full 2 hours BUT she does have a list of CM's she's working through so I think I'll make my setting look more attractive I'll tell her I am prepared to charge by the half hour - I need the work and any extra money will come in handy.

[mummyof3]

I started out charging by the half hour but then as time went on I realised it wasn't worth me working for half hour fee. Also, I had a parent that was 10mins late here and there and expected not to be charged!! I have changed all my setting to minimum charge of 2 hours after school and it works much better. I even find they pick up at 5 or 5.15 and I am still paid until 5.30 :D

[CherryBlossom]

Well just spoke to the mum and she's coming tomorrow.
I did say I'd charge for the full 2 hours BUT she does have a list of CM's she's working through so I think I'll make my setting look more attractive I'll tell her I am prepared to charge by the half hour - I need the work and any extra money will come in handy.

Normally, I would say charge minimum of 2 hours..but I would charge by half hour as it is only 15 mins-and if it means it gets you the work
:)

hope she picks you:thumbsup:

[janminder]

As I charge £4 per hour I would split it into 15 mins as works out easy so I would charge £5.

[tulip0803]

I usually split into 15 mins but have a min 2 hour a day charge so it would be 2 hours here

[The Juggler]

I would charge to the nearest half hour I think in your case.

[FizzysFriends]

I usually charge by the half hour, apart from 1 family that arn't that good at time keeping so charge by the hour so that dropping off 10 mins early and picking up 5-10 mins late are covered.

[miss muffit]

Sorry for sticking this in the general board but I am going to ring a potential new client soon and I wanted some quick feedback.
She wants afternoon wrap around from school pick up 3.30pm to around 4.45pm. Would you guys charge for the full hour til 5.30 even though they are using only 15 mins of the service or would you split your hourly rate and charge for the half hour til 5pm? (no way I am even considering splitting for 15 mins :laughing: )

TIA :D

The thing is if she pays till 5.30 then she might not pick up mindee till 5.30
I charge the 15 mins if it benifits me - :D

[Bitsy Beans]

Thanks for the replies. I think I will tell her in I'll charge by the half hour. Since I have to compete with wrap around at the school at the bottom of my garden I really ought to be competitive as possible.

Hope she picks me too!!!

[patevans]

The thing is if she pays till 5.30 then she might not pick up mindee till 5.30
I charge the 15 mins if it benifits me - :D

this is why I do the 15 mins charge too :D

[Zoomie]

I have a minimum of 2 hours per day.

I also charge to the next half hour.

[Bitsy Beans]

Well mindee and her mum came round yesterday and were here for well over an hour (her DD didn't want to leave :laughing: ).
I did amend my charges for that half an hour and she was pleased with that - plus being as flexible as possible has ensured I have got the work :clapping:
She originally asked for just afternoons but she's asked me for mornings too. OK I shan't be earning shed loads but every little helps :D
Shes coming to sign contracts on Monday. Only downside now is the fact that I will have to be ready and dressed for 8am each day :eek: something I haven't been doing since I jacked in my old job :o

[Minstrel]

Excellent news!

Well it looks like you were up bright and early this morning so i dont think you will have to much trouble settling into a new routine. I am def not a morning person but have got myself into a good routine with getting my two sons ready for school and two mindees arriving at 730am. You'll be great! :thumbsup:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I charge per session and after school is from pickup to 6pm and that is £14 per night for 5 nights and the price goes up if they use less days if they are under 8.