How much do you note down for meals?

[dottylotty]

Just started today with my first little one. She had breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks. Do I note this down as expenses & how much for each meal?

Thank you

[bunyip]

The HMRC guidance is to work out the average cost of a typical meal (or a typical day's food, so you can include snacks too) over a few weeks, then use that figure.

Recalculate every now and then, just so you don't get caught out by fluctuating prices............ or appetites.

[bindy]

I have a large setting, with 2 assistants, so my food bill it big! I do a shop at the beginning of the week for the children and what ever it cost will all go as an expense, around £80-90 per week! I do a weekly menu, I find that easier. I guess for 6 kids a day for lunch, tea and snacks works out around £2.50/£3 per child. Not bad!

[critch]

But if your averaging the hmrc expenses for submitting what receipt do you put in or don't you need one for this?

[bunyip]

HMRC don't require receipts for meals at CM settings. In fact they don't expect us to keep receipts for any purchase under £10.

HMRC used to publish a guidance document for childminders each year, which detailed all this. Not sure if they still do the document, as their website is not easy to search for a single resource. I always got my copy from the HMRC Business Education & Support Team in Sheffield on 0114 29 69 431. Ask them to send you a free copy of "Childminders - information about tax and National Insurance". This helps with most areas of tax and NI.

EHO recommend that we retain all food receipts for 3 months as due diligence in case they ever need to trace back a food poisoning incident, but HMRC aren't interested.

Hope this helps.

[critch]

So do you note them separately e.g child x food £3 and list per day rather than e.g. food £40 (total for all children for week)?

[bunyip]

I put a weekly total for each child. You could put a total for all children for the week, or break it down child by child, meal by meal, snack by snack. It doesn't matter so long as you can evidence it.

[Zoomie]

I have a spreadsheet where it calculates the total figure each week. Each meal has its own price and then I just put how many were present for each meal (ie 2 breakfast, 1 snack, 3 lunch) and it adds it all up. I then put as a total in my weekly accounts. 5 weeks fit on each page, and I print page off after each period so can reference it

[oxfordshirecm]

I have a spreadsheet where it calculates the total figure each week. Each meal has its own price and then I just put how many were present for each meal (ie 2 breakfast, 1 snack, 3 lunch) and it adds it all up. I then put as a total in my weekly accounts. 5 weeks fit on each page, and I print page off after each period so can reference it

Hi zoomie is there any chance you could pm me a copy of the spreadsheet please? X

[loocyloo]

each week I go through my shopping receipt ( or put childminding stuff through till separately ) and mark off/add up what my food bill is for the week. I also include loo rolls, cleaning stuff etc.

I used to charge a set fee per child/per meal, but it got too confusing, especially if child wasn't then there, but i'd already bought the food.

[dottylotty]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Have never been self employed before so finding it all a bit daunting. Don't want to get anything wrong.

[Bumble Beez]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Have never been self employed before so finding it all a bit daunting. Don't want to get anything wrong.

It is daunting to start with...however you'll find it gets lots easier

Sarah x

[JCrakers]

I do
50p for a snack (drink,fruit,bisc)
£1 for Lunch (sandwich,fruit,yog)
£1.50 for a hot meal

No idea if that's correct but it the only way I can do it. I started off trying to do percentages of my bill but it got too confusing

[scottishlass]

each week I go through my shopping receipt ( or put childminding stuff through till separately ) and mark off/add up what my food bill is for the week. I also include loo rolls, cleaning stuff etc. I used to charge a set fee per child/per meal, but it got too confusing, especially if child wasn't then there, but i'd already bought the food.

this is how I do it too xx

[Happiness]

How much would you charge for a breakfast? I work 8am till 4pm ATM and provide breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks. No idea how to charge for these. Also if I provide 2 snacks do I have to have to charge twice let say 50 pence per snack? Sorry I have just started childminding. My oh reckons I should hire an accountant to help out. HELP. Lol

[shellbells39]

Hi I'm new as well. I wondered how it was worked out. Thanks for all the info