what would you do?

[samgeordie]

I will be having a mindee from Aug for before/after school and school hols. This is my first contract and i was going to work out fees over a year - then the parents would pay the same amount every month, however im not going to be able to do this as their shifts vary from month to month and there is no set pattern.

I want to get payment in advance and I know they prefer to pay monthly.But the mums shifts are only known 4 weeks in advance so I won't know what hours they need until then so its going to be hard to get payment in advance.

She is going to e-mail me examples of how their shifts can work.

Any suggestions on how I can do this, I could just charge her at the end of each month for the hours I have done but I know most people seem to get payment in advance.

Trust me to get a confusing one to start with.

[wendywu]

Get her to give you cash weekly in advance. So on her first day she pays you for that week in cash. Which is handy then you do not have to get into the bank to put cheques in or take money out.

[HilaryT]

Hi there - I sympathise, as I have a child also on changing shift patterns - both parents work different shifts, and the child comes different hours each week - and sometimes not at all! what we agreed was a basic number of hours each week, whether the child comes or not. If those hours are exceeded, I bill the extra at the end of the month.

I do actually get paid for all my children in arrears - there are some of us out there who do that!

I hope that is helpful.

Hilary

[miffy]

I'd do the same as Hilary - agree a certain number of hours per week or per month that must be paid for and then bill for the extra hours at the month end.

You could still be paid in advance for most of the work and then have any extras in arrears

miffy xx

[Banana]

I think the best way is as has been suggested above. Agree some minimum hours to be paid monthly in advance and then the rest weekly in advance when you know what the difference is

x

[angeldelight]

Good luck

Angel xx

[disney]

hope you get it all sorted x

[christine e]

I would either do as Wendywu suggests or agree a set number of hours for each month and get paid in advance and make adjustment at end of month (but this can get messy with parents quibbling at end of month) I would not work a month in arrears (I know a couple of childminders who are owed a lot of money from parents who pay monthly in arrears). Personally I think Wendy's idea is best because they can tell you at the end of the previous week what the hours are for the next week and you can bill them for each week.

Christine