Do this sound a reasonable way to charge?

[Cazz]

I've had a possible enquiry (from another childminder) Thank you to all of you who have send good vibes after my awful week - it's obviously worked.

The enquiry is to collect a 3 year old from nursery at 12.00 and then collect his brother from school at 3.00pm and mind them both until 5.30pm. The only thing is (and the reason I'm unsure) is that the school is about 5/6 miles away and as this is Mon-Fri I would be making 10 trips there and back every week.

My normal hourly rate is £3.20 per hour but I am thinking of quoting £3.80 per hour to take into account car expenses and my time travelling. Do you think this is acceptable? It works out that I would be charging an extra 1 and a half hours fees (£4.80) per day. Does that sound too much or okay?

At the moment the youngest is on the waiting list for Tues & Thurs at nursery so he would come to me from 8.00am on those days initially and I was going to quote my normally hourly rate of £3.20 for this as mum would drop off and collect him so no travelling involved. (Older brother would still be £3.80 per hour as I would be driving to and from the school).

I almost said no outright due to restricting other work I could take on but I'm considering it now - the mum is a teacher at the son's school and she said he could stay with her for a little while if a childminder couldn't get there at 3.00pm (so I may possibly still be able to do a pick up in my town if one came along).

I am quite tempted though as it would be term-time only and the only mindee I will have soon is an after schooler 3 days a week and also doesn't come in the holidays, so if I didn't get anyone else (which wouldn't worry me too much at the moment) I would get all the school holidays off and still be earning a decent amount in term-time (I suppose I would notice it in the summer holidays but may pick something up for those few weeks?).

What is your opinion - would you do it and if so, charge this way?

[Mookins]

just wanted to say...
not sure on your prices but id certainly charge a bit more for travelling

x x x

[Twinklestars]

again not sure on prices, think you would need to make it clear to mum the reason you are charging more but glad something has turned up for you

[AnnieM]

Glad you have had an enquiry.

I do a school that is 4 miles away from me. I do one school run a day, so there and back, for 3 days and I just put a £5 charge on top of the weekly total for petrol costs, if she requires any further school runs on top of the contracted days then I charge her £3 for the fuel per run. She was more than happy with this.

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
If it was me, in your current position, and as long as the Mum realises you may take her up on the offer of keeping lo longer in case of other enquiries; then I'd go for it . Does it feel 'right' ?

I think rather than confuse things with different hourly rates, I'd just add something for the travelling explain its further than you had planned... or why not use this quiet time and all the changes, to make a fresh start and put up your hourly rates anyway, starting with new customers?!

...But obviously its your business, and your decision. Do what feels right for you

Hope it goes well

Wendy

[Zoomie]

I would charge the higher rate. I kknow a few parents might quibble, but 60p is nothing in the grand scheme of things, especially as you haven't mentioned a retainer for the holidays. Sounds like parent is getting your for a song .

Also, I would charge from when you leave your house at collection times, as effectively you are then working / caring for the LO.

[aly]

regarding the time from picking lo up and going back to picj the older one, rather than travelling back and forth what about finding a playgroup or alternative in the area of the school so in affect halfing your travelling...i know that might not be suitable but it is an option.

other than that go for it.

[miffy]

It seems to fit in well with the work you've already got so I'd say go for it. School holidays off sounds very appealing to me atm!

Miffy xx

[Cazz]

Hi ,
If it was me, in your current position, and as long as the Mum realises you may take her up on the offer of keeping lo longer in case of other enquiries; then I'd go for it . Does it feel 'right' ?

I think rather than confuse things with different hourly rates, I'd just add something for the travelling explain its further than you had planned... or why not use this quiet time and all the changes, to make a fresh start and put up your hourly rates anyway, starting with new customers?!

...But obviously its your business, and your decision. Do what feels right for you

Hope it goes well

Wendy

I had an enquiry before about a school out of my town (different one to this one unfortunately ) and I was going to put an additional charge for travelling but someone on here said you would have to register as a taxi then! I think it will just be simpler (for my accounts as well!) if I incorporate it into the hourly rate.

I can see what you're saying about a fresh start but I can't put my rates up as I only started minding in November and I'm already 20p per hour more than most of the childminders in town (including the one that has passed this to me and is a friend of the family so this may be too expensive anyway).

I was considering charging from the time I leave home but that seemed a bit cheeky to me when I'm already charging a higher hourly rate - I would have to allow 20 mins to comfortably get there in time so that would be another half an hour (£1.90 which seems a lot?).

An extra 1 and a half hours a day for travelling expenses works out at £24.00 for the 5 days - I don't think I could charge anymore than that. (Although it's going to be 110 miles a week and the bank I used to work for paid 40p per mile which would be £44.00).

Nice idea about finding a playgroup near the school but it's in a village in the middle of nowhere! The nursery and school are on the same site and there aren't any other groups on in the area.

I'm liking the idea of school holidays off as well! - although I may have a bit of work from time to time as I do holiday/emergency cover for another childminder who cares for 2 little girls and she often takes a few days off in the school holidays.

Thanks for all your comments and advice.

[youarewhatyoueat]

Thats about £100 miles, I would want at least an extra £25 a week, so divide that by how ever many hours they will be with you and add it on. I charge £4.50/£5.50 an hour to include petrol and I also charge for travelling time.