Fees

[dawnn93]

I have a parent who wishes to use my service on a sat 630pm-9pm.
Dont have a weekend rate on the contract
What would you charge my normal hourly rate is £4
Also if your available to work bank holidays and the child doesn't come do I still charge

[tulip0803]

My normal hourly rate is £3.50 and I charge £5 after 6pm and before 7am.

I charge normal hourly rate for bank hols if not required and £5ph if they want me. I have this on my contracts. on weekends and bank hols I charge £6.50 per hour before 7am and after 6pm.

Many other minders charge double rate outside of their normal hours

[hectors house]

On my contract I just put POA (Price on Application) this means I can decide if I really want to work on a Saturday or Bank holiday and charge accordingly. I would charge at least £6 an hour for the Saturday evening or offer to babysit at their house - seems late to collect a child (depending on their age). If you were available to work on the bank holiday but child didn't come then this should have been made clear on the contract and parent reminded before that they would be charged in full.

[bunyip]

I have a parent who wishes to use my service on a sat 630pm-9pm.
Dont have a weekend rate on the contract
What would you charge my normal hourly rate is £4
Also if your available to work bank holidays and the child doesn't come do I still charge

The only real advice I can give is that there isn't a 'correct' fee, other than that to which both you and the client can happily agree.

The Saturday evening fee will like as not be more a reflection of what the client can afford, than what you are worth, IYSWIM. By way of comparison, I've seen a babysitting-arranger website explain that evening babysitting costs £7-£15ph depending on age/experience/qualifications of the sitter. That's £7 for the untrained, inexperienced, 16yo, and the higher end for a proper childcarer. But there's a world of difference between what parents will pay for occasionally for a night out, and what they'll pay week-on-week in order to go to work.

I don't charge for bank holidays if I'm not needed. I charge my usual fee if I am needed. I have my reasons for this BUT, you don't have to do it my way any more than you have to follow the crowd. Do what works for you, and resist the temptation to have to justify it to every client (which all too often sounds like a CM is making excuses for something they shouldn't be doing), but be absolutely clear about it from the start. Parents get really P'ed off with childcarers who hide their 'extra' costs to look good value, only to spring those extras on them as and when they arise. Again, there isn't a 'right' or 'wrong' way - though I would say there is a 'right' and a 'wrong' way to handle it if that makes sense.

[wee_elf]

Babysitters in my area charge £15 p/h...this is why I don't go out x

[Chatterbox Childcare]

If this was at your house it would be childminding and I would charge a minimum fee for that time of £25.00.

If you can go to their house it could be babysitting.