First potential mindee! help!

[ASHG1]

Hello,
I've been registered for 3 weeks now! yay!
I had parent come to see me yesterday about minding her 3 mth old baby, very nice lady but she has no idea how many hrs she would need me for or what days! As i am new any business is good but i have no idea how to go about dealing with it as I need some sort of guaranteed income for the month and don't want to charge on an adhoc hourly basis! Her and her husband are musicians so don't have work all the time! I suggested maybe having a flat rate every week so i have something coming in but don't know whats best! Does anyone have any suggestions? any advice would be appreciated :)

[Pipsqueak]

Explain it to them just as you have done to us.

Then you have the thing of what hours DO they require - if they cannot guarantee you set hours per week or even days then you are having to hold a space open all week - are they willing to pay you for that/or a retainer rate - ie a full time space but at retainer rate of half so

9hrs per day at £3.50 (for example)£31.50 x 5 days

then you half the cost for the retainer fee. That is the minimum they pay you per week and if they use any hours about that half rate then they pay the top up fee.

[miffy]

As Pip says, explain that you need a regular income every month.

Maybe agree a certain number of hours a week that must be paid no matter what - you will need to get to know baby so could care for baby during those hours.

If they don't want to guarantee you an income then you can't guarantee them a place.

Good luck

Miffy xx

[The Juggler]

i agree to, you need to know what will work financially for you i.e. a min. no. of hours per day or if they want 5 days across the week.

good luck x

[ASHG1]

Thanks for the advice everyone!:) That makes sense to have a retainer fee and hopefully they will agree to that! :thumbsup: