Invoicing

**Bex1** · 10-03-2009, 01:12 PM

Hello

So far I have one child starting in a few weeks whose mum is paying me by monthly standing order. I will be looking after her little one, one day a week and she will pay me monthly in arrears. So do I invoice her when payment comes through, she will be paying the 1st of each month! Also what do I put on the invoice. Do any of you have a templat I could sneek a peek at?????

Thanks

amirose · 10-03-2009, 01:19 PM

I do mine in advance but mine basically goes something like this :

Invoice for month ending ....
Parents name .......
Address .......
Child/Children's names .....
Contracted hours .... Extra hours .....
Total number of hours for the month ....

Hours @ normal rate of £4.50:
Hours @ reduced rate of £4.00:

Total for cost of childminding for month: £...

Fees of: To be paid by:

Childminders signature ......

A receipt will be provided on receipt of fees a delay in payment of fees unless previously discussed could result in contract being terminated and child care refused until payment is received. Thank you, Ami.

**manjay** · 10-03-2009, 01:19 PM

I use one from here http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/te...172551033.aspx Just amend it to suit your needs and I always print my fees policy on the back so there is no confusion

But I would never get paid in arrears, always in advance

hth xx

**christine e** · 10-03-2009, 01:20 PM

Would never work in arrears for monthly payments

Cx

**huggableshelly** · 10-03-2009, 01:21 PM

if she is paying you and sorting her own accoutns out you do not need to invoice, just make sure you hand over a reciept, you can buy the books cheap enough for this or make up on your pc

name, date,
amount rec in £
amount rec in words
sign and print your name

I have a stamper with my address and reg number on it too.

**Bex1** · 10-03-2009, 01:29 PM

Well her little girl starts beginning of April so her first payment will be beginning of May!

Do you all do it in advance? I know this particular mum so I am not to worried about it!

If I did it in advance with those I didnt know would you still issue invoice? Do you issue them at the begging on each month?

Sorry for all the questions, accounting is not a strong point for me

**Alibali** · 10-03-2009, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by manjay

I use one from here http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/te...172551033.aspx Just amend it to suit your needs and I always print my fees policy on the back so there is no confusion

But I would never get paid in arrears, always in advance

hth xx

I like that idea! Will give it a go

**manjay** · 10-03-2009, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by Bex1

Well her little girl starts beginning of April so her first payment will be beginning of May!

Do you all do it in advance? I know this particular mum so I am not to worried about it!

If I did it in advance with those I didnt know would you still issue invoice? Do you issue them at the begging on each month?

Sorry for all the questions, accounting is not a strong point for me

Yes I issue an invoice for the booked hours (usually about the middle of the month before) and any amendments are made on the next invoice. Payment has to be cleared in my account by the 1st. I would be really really wary of getting paid in arrears even if you know the family. If you read some stories on here there are lots of horror stories about working for friends

**manjay** · 10-03-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Alibali

I like that idea! Will give it a go

Can't take the credit for that idea

but it won't take you many guesses to work out who advised me

(Sarah)

My policy is quite long but I just resize the font and it fits nicely onto the back. I just think if they have a query about the invoice they are more likely to turn over and read rather than trying to hunt out all my paperwork

**Minstrel** · 10-03-2009, 01:36 PM

I will be issuing invoices about a week before payment is due say on the 24th. Will list hours contracted for and rate then total and payment due date. Then give a receipt when payment is received.

hth

**Minstrel** · 10-03-2009, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by manjay

Can't take the credit for that idea

but it won't take you many guesses to work out who advised me

(Sarah)

My policy is quite long but I just resize the font and it fits nicely onto the back. I just think if they have a query about the invoice they are more likely to turn over and read rather than trying to hunt out all my paperwork

oh i like that idea too - mind if i pinch it??

**FizzysFriends** · 10-03-2009, 01:39 PM

I invoice a week before fees are due, they are due 1st working day of the month for the month ahead.

I itemise the invoice by week, can mail you a copy of my invoice when I get home if you want, PM me your email address.

**Bex1** · 10-03-2009, 01:42 PM

Thanks everyone...i will go with advanced from now on.

Sorry but more questions. do you all get paid weekly or monthly or does it vary? I want parents to pay either standing order or cash so I would guess if they wanted to pay weekly I would issue an invoice for the forthcoming week say on a Friday for payment on a Monday morning or whatever day they were coming!

**rickysmiths** · 10-03-2009, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by Bex1

Well her little girl starts beginning of April so her first payment will be beginning of May!

Do you all do it in advance? I know this particular mum so I am not to worried about it!

If I did it in advance with those I didnt know would you still issue invoice? Do you issue them at the begging on each month?

Sorry for all the questions, accounting is not a strong point for me

Never, never in arrears!!!!

I take a 4 week fees deposit on signing the contracts so in this case on for each child and this is kept until the end of the contact and used against the notice period.

They pay me in advance on the first Monday of the month.

If they pay by vouchers, cheque the money has to be in my bank account as cleared funds on the first Monday. For my monthly payers I give them a note of the fees due the week before and when they have been paid I give a reciept and they sign my accounts book. Any change to the contracted hours is reflected in the following months fees.

I use cheque book style reciept books and each family has their own.

Most of my parents pay monthly and I prefer this. Some pay using vouchers through work so the money goes straight into my bank account. The others pay by cheque. The few weekly payers pay cash.

I personally will not give my bank account details to strangers so do not have direct debits/standing orders from the parents.

I am very strict with fee payments and as a result the majority of parents pay the correct amount on time.

**FizzysFriends** · 10-03-2009, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by Bex1

Thanks everyone...i will go with advanced from now on.

Sorry but more questions. do you all get paid weekly or monthly or does it vary? I want parents to pay either standing order or cash so I would guess if they wanted to pay weekly I would issue an invoice for the forthcoming week say on a Friday for payment on a Monday morning or whatever day they were coming!

I get paid monthly by chq. I give the parents the choice of how to pay but not how often, its monthly here!

**Bex1** · 10-03-2009, 01:53 PM

Thanks, I am new to this so its good to hear what your all doing as I am going into it all confused and panic stricken!

I have set up a bank account that is purely for my business so that is the only bank details I have given out...none of my personal or joint account ones!

I think I will go with monthly payments too!