First enquiry :) What to charge for siblings?

[child_friendly]

I have had my first enquiry for 2 girls in the same family since registering at the beginning of March :)
The parents want their 2 girls of 2 and 1 looked after for 21 hours a week Mon- Tues 8-4 and Wed 12.30- 4.30.
I have a set hourly rate of £4 per hour, but haven't set a fee for siblings. I am newly registered so don't want to go too high, but then again i don't want to go to low. I was wondering what you charge for siblings?

[sarahjane]

I only offer a sibling discount if the hours are for a full time place and then 10% off for eldest child.
2 children = 2 places = no less work so no less fees

[Mouse]

I don't offer a reduction for siblings as they are still taking up 2 spaces.

Also, on the Wednesday you have to think about whether you could get another child for the morning, or whether they will in effect take the whole day. I wouldn't charge for the whole day, but neither would I give a sibling reduction that meant I lost out on even more money.

If you do want to give a reduction work out how much you would get for the hours if you charge it at full rate, then how much you would get if you gave say a 50p reduction for one child. Work it out over a month. Are you happy to lose that amount each month? If not, consider a 40p reduction for one child, and so on, until you find a figure you are happy with.

Good luck :thumbsup:

[kats]

I don't give a reduction for siblings either. The way i look at it is, 2 places are still being taken and 2 children need caring for. The parents i have and have had in the past have never mentioned it so it has never been an issue :)

[JCrakers]

I would give a discount for full time siblings but not part time.
I do have a family of three who I discount. My fee is £3.50 and I charge them £8.10 so they have a healthy discount of £2.40 per hour which saves them about £300 a month.

For part time places in the middle of the day I would charge full price unless you really want to discount...:D

[EmmaReed84]

Think VERY carefully before you commit to a figure... My first enquiry was for siblings 50 hours a week, with my fee structure it would have been £350 a week... when I calculated that I nearly fell off my chair, so I gave a MASSIVE discount... over £100 a week and I did a 2 for 1 on the meals, needless to say I really shot myself in the foot, I didn't take in to account the increase in my own house hold bills such as food etc...

I was faced with having to put my prices up, but luckily I took one two more schoolies which helped. I could have lost that contract... Looking back now, I would have still given a discount, but I would have really calculated it properly and nowhere near as much.

[rickysmiths]

I would say never add up the fees and think it is a lot. It will be with two children and it is not for us to subsidise parents fees. I had two full timers and their fees were over £1500 per month and £1900 on a five week month.

Two under fives take up the same space as two children and if they leave you then two leave at the same time and leave a big gap.

[Bridey]

I don't offer a discount on siblings for the reasons stated above.

[JueQ]

I used to offer a discount of 50p per hour for siblings but at the end of the week there was £30-£40 difference so no longer offer the discount. I did the same amount of work and the children were hard work!

[loocyloo]

i offer a sibling discount of 50p/hour for the eldest child IF BOTH children attend for over 25hrs a week. i know its still two places and 2 lots of work, but its also 2 filled places ;)

[ziggy]

I dont usually give discount for siblings but due to shortage of work in this area i have agreed to having 2 brothers full time for £40 per day instead of £50 i was charging other family (other family was longer day)

Having said that i wouldnt offer discount for part timers

Do you know what other minders in your area do?