What would you charge?

[Bexboo1]

I currently look after a lo one day a week hours 9.00-12.30 and I have been charging £4.00 an hour.

Mum has just informed me that his hours will change - still one day a week but could be a Friday or monday or wednesday and the hours will be 10.15 am and me take to nursery for 12.15pm and then me pick him up from nursery at 3.15pm until 4.15pm.

How would you charge for this? xxxx TIA

[tess1981]

Charging the hours only leaves you getting £12 but now you have too go to and from school twice so I would factor this in.. and do you have to keep the space open during inset days and school holidays and closure? I would probably charge £15 at least for this and then extra full day rate for full day's
Also depends how far school is. Maybe even £20 for this

[lollipop kid]

I would (and do) charge a full day for this. Also, because the mum wants flexibility of days, I wouldn't actually touch this contract unless the Mum paid for 2 days (so 1 full day, and 2 x days at my 50% retainer rate - again based on a full day). My argument for charging in this way would be that I couldn't use the full 3 days for another child as I would need to hold these for this child, so some money is better than none. And only if I could afford to take a hit on these 2 x 1/2 days! Doing it this way would leave it open for the child's mum to swap days around as needed across whichever of the 3 days each week, and would give me the certainty of a bit of money coming in (even if only 2/3rds of what I would charge for these spaces otherwise).

Hope this helps,

L

[natlou82]

Tbh I'd be thinking twice whether I actually wanted this contract. I actually have a toddler who's parents work shifts and comes one day per week (although I have to retain 3 spaces per week to cover him). This has been ok for me as I like the slightly quieter days and can afford to only charge for one day per week. But for the sake of 3 hrs it doesn't seem worth it especially as the 10:15 - 12:15 is a really awkward time. If you only charge 3 hours you are making £12 per week whereas you could potentially have a full day client 3 days a week. I think you should consider if you want this at all and if you do what is a reasonable charge for you both.

[lisbet]

I have a minimum daily charge equivalent to 5hrs fees. I explain to parents that it's just not sustainable to have one of my 3 places under-filled by more than 5hrs per day. So I would already be charging 5hrs even though the LO is attending 3.5hrs.

As for the new hours, personally I would only agree to them if the 12.15 drop off would fit in with lunchtimes for all my children, and it would still be a 5hr charge.

I would also say that the Mum may need to meet us at playgroup etc, as we won't be able to wait in and miss group activities.

[JCrakers]

That's a very tough one as he will be taking up 3 full days. If you say yes and then get an enquiry for a full Monday or Wednesday you will have to say No just in case lo comes that day, you will then be losing out on a full days pay. I feel the only person losing out in this situation is you so think carefully before agreeing to anything :)

Having a contract for 3 hrs a week (£12) but having to keep 30hrs available hardly seems worth it. I cant even come up with a figure tbh. My potential earnings over 3 days would be £105 so I wouldn't charge anything less than £60 a week? But she wont pay that will she?!?!?