Im confused over our fees can someone advise

[GemSar]

Hi all,

hoping someone can help.

We currently charge for a minimum of 5 hour or under, between 5-10 hours and anything longer is discussed.

Me and my partner are having a difference of opinion at the moment as we are not sure if this is benefitting us. We charge by the day and not the hour.

The thing that is confising us is for people that work a typical 8 hour day at work and then travel home- how do we account for someone who travels over an hour and back to work and someone who is round the corner?

It just doesnt seem fair and we could do with some more advice if anyone can help.
Then we are thinking would it work better charging by the hour with a minimum of 5 hours?

Also, how do you word this to parents? Do you say its based on your typical working day and travelling time?

We are confused. Please help :panic::eek:

[Mouse]

The contracted hours are based on the amount of time the child is with you, not how long the parents' working day is.

So, if a parent works 9am-5pm, and it takes half an hour from dropping off to getting to work, you would have the child from 8.30am-5.30pm, so would change for that time.
If another parent took an hour to travel each way, you would have the child from 7am - 6pm, and charge for it.

I charge for a short day (up to 6 hours), or a long day of up to 9hours. If a child is with me for more than 9hrs, I would charge more.

[singingcactus]

I just charge per hour. I don't have a minimum number of hours that must be used/paid for - I do have one child who is only here for one hour a day...but that works for me and his mum.
I have a cap of £24 per day currently, although I am no longer doing this for new clients. I am just charging per hour, so a 10 hour day will now cost new parents £30. I am flexible and affordable enough to be able to expect that extra £132 to be in my pocket instead of parents if they need me for 10 hours a day every day of the month.
Have just read that back and I don't think it makes any sense. :laughing: I charge per hour so parents pay me for the hours I have their child. From drop off to pick up...parents work hours do not come into the equation.

[GemSar]

Ah ok, for some reason I have confised myself by thinking that we need to account for the parents working day.
Silly I know but thats how we learn I guess.
Thanks for your advice :)

[Mollymop]

I think you would be better off charging per hour(hours the child is with you not for how long parents work!!) than per day with a min of 5 hours. x

[stargazer1]

I intend to start off charging per hour (with a minimum charge of 3 hour to make it worth my while). Whether I will stick to it or not is a different story!! :p

[nic t]

I have never done a daily rate, I charge per hour. So contracted drop off at door to collection time is charged.

Although I would probably do a minimum of 6 hours if not more.

[tulip0803]

I charge per hour with a minimum of 3 hours. The parents here seem to like this better as they feel they are only paying for what they use and not what they don't need.

[Roseolivia]

For under 5's i charge per day or half day, over 5's get charged hourly unless they are with me in the school holidays then i charge the same as under 5's. If i charged hourly for all children i don't think i'd get any work as all local minders charge set rates.

[Playmate]

We charge a daily rate, this covers 8-6. We do now have some parents who start between 7 and 8, but pick up by 5, so we do not charge them any extra for for the hour before 8. However we have a couple who start before 8 and don't finish until after 6 and they are charged an extra hour. We have an hourly rate for those who are not doing a whole day, but this is based higher because we often can't fill the hours that are left. This works well for us and has done for 5 years. Our parents know they can use the full day they pay for and therefore don't worry when they are running 10 - 15 mins late. Also makes payements easier as all our parents pay the same amount each month and we don't have to invoice :D