Stuck on fees

[claire250182]

Hi girls
I registered in November but I have no mindees yet.
I put my charges as £3.50 ph and I went to my first local CM Network group yesterday and met with 5 other CMs who all charge £3.00 ph. They told me I should drop my prices inline with them. Until recently they were only charging £2.50ph and have only recently put their prices up. Should I?

I have checked childcare.co.uk and in my area there are 15 CMs. 9 of them charge £3.50ph, 1 charges £4.00ph and 5 charge £3.00 ph.

The local Surestart nursery is £3.26ph.

I dont know what to do, £3.00 ph is not a lot and I need to make some profit.
None of them include meals in their price whereas I did but they have advised me not to do meals as I won't make any money.

I am just not sure what to do really, whether it will annoy them if I don't drop my prices. They have all been minding between 9 and 25 years so I am the real newbie. I appreciated all their advice but I am just unsure xx

[EmmaReed84]

Your business, your rules, your fees.

Advice is there for you to take it or not, you made the choice on your fees and what you feel will work for you so stick to it.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Do you advertise your fees anywhere? I would say if you do take it off. Wait and get the calls and then sell your attributes like food etc. Get parents in the door first

If no then it isn't the cost that isn't getting you the calls.