How to overcome the guilt of quoting!!

[Newbie1!]

Hi guys, Im pre-reg and have so far had quite a bit of interest - I just wondered if anyone has any hints or tips on how to not feel guilty when giving quotes! For example, I have a single mum with two boys, her hours vary and so she does not want to claim CTC or WTC as she feels it will be too difficult and is worried they may overpay etc. Whilst here for a viewing she is telling me how it is now boys dad has left, shes doing it alone, having to work full time to make ends meet etc.......I then feel soooooo guilty giving her my prices as all the time Im thinking to myself, god, thats going to be about a third of her wages! I know I need to earn but how can I stop myself feeling so bad! :(

[babs]

could of been her way of making your prices cheaper... making you think she cant afford

[FussyElmo]

Hi guys, Im pre-reg and have so far had quite a bit of interest - I just wondered if anyone has any hints or tips on how to not feel guilty when giving quotes! For example, I have a single mum with two boys, her hours vary and so she does not want to claim CTC or WTC as she feels it will be too difficult and is worried they may overpay etc. Whilst here for a viewing she is telling me how it is now boys dad has left, shes doing it alone, having to work full time to make ends meet etc.......I then feel soooooo guilty giving her my prices as all the time Im thinking to myself, god, thats going to be about a third of her wages! I know I need to earn but how can I stop myself feeling so bad! :(

Its not your fault if mum doesnt want to claim. As a single parent she would probably get a sizeable chunk of her fees paid for her.

Tell yourself if you were working would you listen to your boss giving you a sob story about not paying you what you have earned. No difference!!!

[Pipsqueak]

This may be a 'third of her wages' but this is your income.
up to her if she doesn't want to claim - zillions of other varying hours working parents manage to claim TC's

so if she is requiring various hours are you only quoting her on hours she needs each week potentially or are you basing it on what space she will be taking.
For example i have a varying hours parent - 2 children - 1 week she needs me for 20hrs (sometimes more) and the 2nd week she only needs me for 10hrs.
I charge her for what hours she uses however on that second shorter week she gets charged a retainer for the hours she doesn't use. There is no way i could find someone to fill in those hours every second week.
so the rates are the same per week unless she chooses to up the hours.

[curlycathy]

I never feel guilty but maybe thats cos I'm a saucy minx!!!!!!!

Seriously - this is your business and your income so dont feel guilty. I just think they are working to provide for their children - so am I!! I earn a lot lot less than my parents do, have a lot less holidays etc etc so I am certainly not going to feel guilty about my very reasonable charges.

Its up to this mum to claim the benefits she's entitled to. If she doesnt want to thats up to her - its actually none of our business where parents get the money to pay us, as long as they do!

[Happy Bunny]

Personally never feel guilty.
I work very hard in my job.
I am worth every penny i charge, yes i do have to keep telling myself that LOL LOL LOL

Seriously you have chosen this job as your profession, why should you feel guilty.
Think of what you provide, the courses you undertake, the responsibility of looking after their child, paperwork, outlay.
Don't cut yourself short for a sob story, i did this in the past then found out exactly what parent was earning, boy was i taken for a mug.
Start as you mean to go on.

[Stormy]

Don't feel guilty, I am a single parent and when my daughter started with a childminder 12 years ago I wasn't able to claim for help (it didn't exist). I never expected a discounted rate or would ever have made my childminder feel bad she had a living to make too.
This is a very demanding and hard job and you deserve to receive the amount you have decided is fair for your circumstances.

[linda2girls]

I don't feel quilty, the rate I charge is fair (lower than most round this way) and I work hard for my money.

Linda.

[MaryMcGinty]

My childminder is a god send, I don't know how I'd cope without her, and I certainly trust her which is very important to me. If you do a good job then you have to realise you're looking after their kids, which are priceless. Everyone wants it cheaper, but that's life.

Don't feel guilty as some people want cheap prices. Why don't you tell her about the Childcare vouchers scheme and put it in a way that you're sympathising with her and you need to help her.

You need to have the attitude that you CAN'T charge any less. Work out your living costs and then realise that you have bills to pay too :)

If you want to sign up to a childcare vouchers scheme ask her if her company runs a scheme and who her provider is, and then suggest you'd be willing to accept them as payment if it would help her (normally it's free for you I think).

http://www.childcarevouchersolutions.co.u

Here's a place to sign up, but I think you need to see if her company provides them. I asked my company and they didn't but they ended up joining up with this company after they contact them, so it was a good result for me.

Try to find ways to help your clients, but don't offer to cut your prices :)

[Penny1959]

Hello,

As it is good professional practice to suggest to parents to visit other childminders (and nurseries) before deciding on where to send their child, you do not need to feel any quilt. They will soon find out that you fees are reasonable and if they come back to you and take up the place it will be because you provide the service they need and at a price that is acceptable to them.

If they think you charge to much then they are free to find childcare elsewhere. Childcare is like everything else there is choice and various quality of service and various levels of 'extra's included'.

You do not see quality shops dropping their prices to match those of the lower end of the market - or people going into Mark and Spenser or Next and giving a sob story to get the price of school uniform reduced - they just shop elsewhere.

If they can't (or won't ) pay your prices then they are not the customers for you and if they start like this trying to make you feel quilty - my guess is that you will frequently get a sob story on pay day!

[Millenium]

Agree wholheartedly with Babs - it could be a negotiating tactic! I met a prospective parent who arrived at my house on foot and implied that she was living "from hand to mouth" and every penny counted.

A couple of days later, I commented on the address to my son as it was out of town - she wanted a minder near to her work and not near to her home - his work takes him into the town where she lives! He expressed some surprise that anyone living "in a place that like" would need to go to work - LOL!!! So I took a drive over there myself only to find a big house (probably 5 bedrooms), double garage, huge garden etc. etc.

I spoke to a few minders local to me and it seems she had visited at least two of them and come out with the same story so the moral of the story is don't be taken in and feel you need to drop your rates because of someone's circumstances because you can't always judge a book by its cover!!

[miffy]

I agree about not dropping your prices if someone gives you a sob story - there is plenty of help available to parents who want to go back to work.

If you find it difficult discussing fees why not do a printed sheet with your prices on that you can give to parents - I do this and have found it works well as parents know what they will have to pay me if they decide to send their child to me and it cuts out a lot of negotiation. A bit like looking at the menu in a restaurant - you don't start asking if they will give you discount do you?

Miffy xx

[miffy]

Agree wholheartedly with Babs - it could be a negotiating tactic! I met a prospective parent who arrived at my house on foot and implied that she was living "from hand to mouth" and every penny counted.

A couple of days later, I commented on the address to my son as it was out of town - she wanted a minder near to her work and not near to her home - his work takes him into the town where she lives! He expressed some surprise that anyone living "in a place that like" would need to go to work - LOL!!! So I took a drive over there myself only to find a big house (probably 5 bedrooms), double garage, huge garden etc. etc.

I spoke to a few minders local to me and it seems she had visited at least two of them and come out with the same story so the moral of the story is don't be taken in and feel you need to drop your rates because of someone's circumstances because you can't always judge a book by its cover!!

Priceless! :laughing:

Did you put your fees up?

Miffy xx

[The Juggler]

Hi guys, Im pre-reg and have so far had quite a bit of interest - I just wondered if anyone has any hints or tips on how to not feel guilty when giving quotes! For example, I have a single mum with two boys, her hours vary and so she does not want to claim CTC or WTC as she feels it will be too difficult and is worried they may overpay etc. Whilst here for a viewing she is telling me how it is now boys dad has left, shes doing it alone, having to work full time to make ends meet etc.......I then feel soooooo guilty giving her my prices as all the time Im thinking to myself, god, thats going to be about a third of her wages! I know I need to earn but how can I stop myself feeling so bad! :(

yes but 1/3 of her wages is making up your wages hon:) if you give her a discount you are effectively giving away your wage.

[Newbie1!]

This may be a 'third of her wages' but this is your income.
up to her if she doesn't want to claim - zillions of other varying hours working parents manage to claim TC's

so if she is requiring various hours are you only quoting her on hours she needs each week potentially or are you basing it on what space she will be taking.
For example i have a varying hours parent - 2 children - 1 week she needs me for 20hrs (sometimes more) and the 2nd week she only needs me for 10hrs.
I charge her for what hours she uses however on that second shorter week she gets charged a retainer for the hours she doesn't use. There is no way i could find someone to fill in those hours every second week.
so the rates are the same per week unless she chooses to up the hours.

Hia Pip - what Ive actually quoted is for the maximum amount of hours she will need me for. Basically she has asked for me everyday but some days she only works til 4 then some days til 5 so I have basically given her a set price til 5. If she comes before then then she still pays til 5 as thats her choice but she will never pay more as I have quoted her the max - if that makes sense!! As it will vary every day and every week there is no way I could fill the place so I didnt want to cut myself short. Do you think this is along the right lines?

To everyone who has replied - thank you so much - I know your right and hopefully with time and experience I will get over it. I already undercut the minders in my village as well as our best local nurseries so am not concerned about my quotes but just having the courage to stick to it!! Miffy - thanks for that idea - do have a basic sheet but I have been varying my quotes based on hours (as in doing a set fee for 4 hours, a set after school fee etc) would you recommend against this then and just charging an hourly rate which is same across the board?xx

[manjay]

Hia Pip - what Ive actually quoted is for the maximum amount of hours she will need me for. Basically she has asked for me everyday but some days she only works til 4 then some days til 5 so I have basically given her a set price til 5. If she comes before then then she still pays til 5 as thats her choice but she will never pay more as I have quoted her the max - if that makes sense!! As it will vary every day and every week there is no way I could fill the place so I didnt want to cut myself short. Do you think this is along the right lines?

To everyone who has replied - thank you so much - I know your right and hopefully with time and experience I will get over it. I already undercut the minders in my village as well as our best local nurseries so am not concerned about my quotes but just having the courage to stick to it!! Miffy - thanks for that idea - do have a basic sheet but I have been varying my quotes based on hours (as in doing a set fee for 4 hours, a set after school fee etc) would you recommend against this then and just charging an hourly rate which is same across the board?xx

I just do a fixed hourly rate. Much easier. When parents enquire about a space with me I always point them to my website. It gives everything on there they could ever wish to know about my setting. If it's not for them or my prices are too high then they don't waste my time by coming to see me. A fee sheet is a good idea but it does have to be easy enough for the parents to understand.

I really is not your problem that she thinks claiming tax credits will be too difficult. If you are chrging her a fixed fee each week then their should be no problems with them overpaying. Or if she is worried about that then she could give them a lower figure and maybe have a bonus payout at the end of the year.

[karen m]

I had a parent come 3 weeks ago with sob story,could not afford milk so was using what lo brought home from playgroup,she is at college,dad works,she owed lot of money have her baby (6 weeks)also,so half fees when not in college,she let slip when asked about arrears she not told tc she at college but has said she is self employed and claimed for all year not term time only,so have told her i will be needing full payment all the time told me that was for having her time with lo don't think so some people have got the nerves of steel

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I hear "don't want to be overpaid so much" and to stop prices fluctuating i give a yearly price of 52 split up over 12 months. Same price each week/month and so no overpayment.

Whether she wants you until 4, 5 or 6 the price is the same.