Full time space: question about fees

[ajs]

i currently look after e three days a week totalling 29 hours mum works but lo goes to grandma the other 2 days
last month mum got a promotion at work and asked me to increase the hours to 5 days for june with a possibility of it going full time if she can afford it.

we have talked about me having e full time but mum said it may have to be a nursery as she's not sure she can afford a full time place with me, and the nursery is cheaper

i have revised the bill to 5 day a week, and what i want to know is do any of you offer a full time space discount. i will have her 49 hours a week.

hubby thinks i shouldn't as she must know what she's going to have to pay but i would like to offer the child the full time place so being generous to mum may pay off in the end
what do you lot of professionals think

[Spangles]

I do offer a discount.

My normal fee is £4.00 per hour but if the contract is 40+ hours per week I charge £3.80 per hour.

[ajs]

thanks lorri i am going to see how that discount will affect the balance

[littletreasures]

I charge £5 per hour upto 25 hours and £4.50 26+ hours.

Can you phone some nurseries near you and find out what they charge. If it is only a matter of a few pounds Mum may be willing to pay you. I know the nurseries round me charge £47 per day (8-6) so parents don't mind paying me a little extra to have the home environment. Make sure she knows what lo is getting being with you over a nursery!!

Good luck

littletreasures

[devoncm]

I charge 3.50 an hour but if i have a child 8-6 then its £30 for the day,only saving them £5 but still cheaper than nursery and even cheaper if its all day every day at £150 saving them £25 which me and oh thought was very fair to the parent as my step sons nursery costs around 400 a week.

[Lottie]

One of my charges is 30+ hours a week and over the hols it will be him and his sibling fulltime. I am charging my normal rate for each child for these hours and the parents didn't bat an eyelid.

Of course alot of it is to do with the parents I am beginning to understand.

Personally I think you should just keep your fee's as normal. If this parent is happy with you then there shouldn't be an issue. She is probably already quite aware of what she is going to be paying you anyway.

Also to make myself feel less guilty about it, because I do, I remember that I am being paid below minimum wage. And of course childminding is a huge responsibility in itself for very little money.

I am not bothered about having competitive rates with nurseries etc. I feel that if a parent wants you then they will pay for you.

[miffy]

Mandy it sounds as though you and mum have a good working relationship so I'd be frank with her from the start.

Do you know how much cheaper the nursery is than you - you could price match rather than undercut if it's not too much cheaper - that may tip the balance in your favour if mum wants to keep e with you.

miffy xx

[angeldelight]

I think you should do what you feel is right but dont undercut yourself too much - its ok doing someone a favour but you have to think of it long term and hope you dont resent it once you are doing it if you know what I mean

I would be the same though and I can understand you will not want the child to go to the nursery
Ask how much they charge - or call them yourself and ask
Then work out a price that suits yourself but is maybe a little cheaper than what they can offer her

Good luck Mandy

Angel xx

[jaja]

Hi, I dont offer discount, i did have one parent who asked for discount so i agreed a figure and then the next week she wanted more off and then again the next. Find out what your nurserys offer near you and then you could match the price of them? good luck with whatever you decide xxxx

[Banana]

Hey Mandy.

I dont offer as discount but if you didnt want to lose the work you could maybe do as above and alter it by 10 or 20p per hour? I might be tempted to do that if the situation ever occured.

x

[disney]

i suppose you need to do what is best for you . i have got a parent whos child i mind for these hours and as i charge an unsocial hour before 8am this made it more than the nursery :eek: so i told mum i would not charge for the extra for the unsocial hour this still made it the same price as the nursery .

but however i didnt offer any discount and mum still went with me as she is still better of as she does not have to pay me every time i may be sick or have any hols , but still has to pay the nursery also she does not pay me on bank hols but still pays nursery & mum really wanted a home enviroment !

she also said to me i have a few perks like i dont charge for outings or any thing they make as i put these in with the price . im sure you could sort something out if you was desperate to have the child just cut the price a little but be reasonible for yourself x

[ajs]

thanks all for the messages

i am going to talk to mum about it on tuesday though as i need to sort what she wants too
i think i'll leave the bill as it is for now she must have known what she was going to have to pay before she asked me to work the whole month anyway


i will call the nursery's too as it would be interesting to hear what they charge for the age group

[Blaze]

I agree mandy...let us know what the nursary (s) charge!:)

[miffy]

Don't forget mum has had a promotion and presumably a pay rise also - she must expect her child care costs to increase too.

Don't end up being too soft

I'd like to know what the nursery charges too

miffy xx