Help with fees please...

[EmmaReed84]

Has another enquiry Mum is looking for care for her two children (both EY children) to begin with it would be 10 hours a day, 2 days a week, with a view to increase the days.

My fees are £4 p/h fully inclusive of all meals/snacks and some outings (not baby jars, nappies or wipes) I have stated on my website I am wiling to negotiate fees for siblings... In this case, my "standard" fee would work out £160 a week, just for two days... that is £640 for 4 weeks! I was considering perhaps charging £3.50 p/h (£7 together) which would be £140 a week and £560. A difference of £20 a week and £80 every 4 weeks.

To me even £140 a week for 2 days sounds so high! Do you think it is reasonable, I really need to take on more children but don't want to price myself out! Would you consider even charging £3.00 p/h?

The average fee in my area is £3.75+ not including food.

[sing-low]

I would go with your full fee at first and let Mum negotiate you down. Don't under-value your service!

[unalindura77]

No way!

If I were you there's no way I would. When you are child minding you realise how expensive it is, toys, food etc plus you NEED to make a profit so don't worry

Parents know and budget for their childcare.

I felt the same as you when I started but not anymore!

[lucytownsend]

Our area is much more - £6ph per child so £12 for both! I usually do a £1 discount for siblings which would be £11ph so £110 per day - £220 for the two! Don't undervalue your time, if they query your original cost then you can offer a discount, but only if you want to!

[line6]

I have siblings and also charge £4ph. I don't discount for siblings. My mindees parent didn't ask for it and she had used a cm previously so they obviously didn't either. I would wait to be asked. And then say no because I know I provide a good service at an acceptable rate for my area.

[Ali56]

I normally offer a small discount for the eldest child. I know lots of people don't, but I'm happy with that. I charge £4.25 for the first child and £4 for the second. I feel its fair and the parents feel they are getting a good deal!!
Don't offer too big a discount, you'll be selling yourself short and she'll have to pay for 2 wherever she chooses to send them.(hopefully to you!)
I've had many sibling sets over the years, the latest pair's bill was over £1000 a month on a 5 week month sometimes(for 3 days a week!)-I used to think it was such a lot, but then if you put the hours in you should get paid for them!

[loocyloo]

I offer a small discount for eldest child if both children attend for 25 hrs. Some parents have increased hours to get discount. Some don't but I think offering it at least shows good will/thinking about the children.

Good luck x

[loocyloo]

I would go with your full fee at first and let Mum negotiate you down. Don't under-value your service!

I don't negotiate. I offer a service and have a selection of fees I charge depending on what care is needed.

[starlight1]

I did when started have parent ask me if I did a sibling discount ..I gave her 10% which meant instead of £7 an hour I charged £6.65.... I have some ad hoc siblings since and no discount is applied...

The thing with sibling discounts is you don't work any less hard because they are siblings... I do think though you need to have an offer in mind if she does ask as it does say on website sibling discount... but woun't offer much..also remove that from website...I think negotiate means they can question your terms

[Sarsar3NCH]

I don't offer discounts any more but have in the past. As others have said, if you are going to it works better to offer it to the eldest child as when they go off to school/preschool it is the lower fee that drops off but the child staying in your care still pays full fees.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Stick with your fee if you are prepared to lose the children. You are looking at it from a parents view instead of a business view.

Could you negotiate the rate with the parent and not provide the food, that way you are still getting a good rate? You do only have 3 spaces for under 5's and if you took these two on you are limiting your full time spaces.

[The Juggler]

i never offer hourly rate discounts. Don't offer the discount to mum - see what she says. If she asks what you can do, don't discount the hourly rate, work out the monthly and maybe knock £20 off that. £80/month is a huge discount!!!!!!!

[EmmaReed84]

Thank you ladies...

When I took on my first family it was for 50+hour siblings... It was my first very client and I gave a massive discount! Mum was getting £400 a month off! I won't ever discount such a huge amount again, however I still want to offer something, as I cannot afford to lose clients due to something I could possibly work on if that makes sense...

If the fee was the decider then I would negotiate, I am in no position at the moment to turn a potential client away over a few quid! Like I said though, I would never give a massive discount again.

I did think about saying to parent that the fee would be £x for the 2 days then £x for anything over 4 days IYSWM?

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
You already offer food at no extra charge, so make sure you really sell that point .

You do sound as though you really want/need the work, so maybe say that the sibling discount only applies when both children are full time/x amount of hours per week and would apply to just the older child's fees whilst attending at the same time as the youngest child? I wouldn't go more than 50p/hour and only for one of them.

Or if you are desperate for the work and Mum is pushing toward the discount at only the 2 days, maybe offer a small discount to the oldest child straight away (20p/hour? - that would be £4 a week currently......), but with no/very little extra discount if hours go over say, 40 per week?

I would do a few sums, see what you'd be happy with and go in with an offer that doesn't sting too much! ...and be very specific about minimum hours etc. Taking the siblings on means you will be limiting the days you can offer to other enquirers, so you need to earn substantially from the arrangement. You don't want to offer a great deal, then Mum needs fewer hours along the line and you are offering a discount to have otherwise fillable hours clogged up.

Its hard finding a balance. Good luck