OMG Where to start!

**lau** · 06-09-2011, 06:20 PM

I have been putyting my accounts off for so long now I really do need to get on top of them. I started minding in April and have done the basic bits like working out the gas/elec/water/c tax and the payments I have received, but I have no idea where to start with regards to milage, car repairs, food, entering toys etc bought before I started etc and where to include them in my NCMA accounts book.

Does anyone have any tips which might help me get my head around it all? I have my inspection due very soon and would like to know that my accounting is up to date when Mrs O comes.

**Pixie dust** · 06-09-2011, 06:29 PM

Firstly don't panic Ofsted have no interest in your accounts and don't need to look at them.

If you are claiming mileage it is my understanding you cannot claim any repair bills etc on top.

Things you bought for setting up etc go in the first month of your accounts book.

Food, either you put all your food that is exclusively for childminding through the books or work out the proportion of food used for childminding. this is always the one people have problems working out which is the best way for them.

hope that helps

**khlwomitchell** · 06-09-2011, 06:33 PM

honestly??

Oh dear, a good system will have made it all alot easier!!
Nah, just a bit of graft. My books are from April too.
Each week i have 1 page with
Oil
Elec
Water
Rent
Council Tax
Playgroup 1 fee
Playgroup 2 fee
Toys/craft/stationary
Travel
food for named kid.

My travel i do as £10 a week. i do the same miles every week and if i do more thats my problem, i wasn't prepared to stick the amount i need for minding just to get a reciept.

The costs before registration i put on my first week, i didn't date the entries just numbered the reciepts and put them all in. Week beginning monday 2nd April in my books were 3 pages long. Photo copy a page and stick it in if you need more.

I don't put car repairs through or any car costs atall apart from fuel xx

aly · 06-09-2011, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by khlwomitchell

My travel i do as £10 a week. i do the same miles every week and if i do more thats my problem, i wasn't prepared to stick the amount i need for minding just to get a reciept.

xx

What do you mean about this?..you need to do exact mileage , you don;t need a receipt unless you are claiming for the car not going the .45p route.

**karenandsmile** · 06-09-2011, 07:16 PM

i claim the 40p a mile that the tax office allows you

what i do is in a term time i do the same route every week so i record one weeks milage inculding your trip to
tescos, schools play groups, mother and toddlers ,surestart center, and anyshopping that you go out for that is for childminding and any where else you go that involves childminding , then in school holidays i register my milage every week as i do way different trips in the holidays, but if hubby jumps in your car then he needs to make note of what he is using and then take it away from your weekly total iam now lucky that i have a mini bus that i just use for childminding so the milage is totally just for childminding

**Ripeberry** · 06-09-2011, 07:18 PM

I found the best way to work out the mileage was to use Google maps for the places that I visited the most. This did NOT include the school run as my own kids have to go there anyway.

As I'm in the middle of nowhere, everything is at least 5-6 miles away so a trip there and back can be worth over £5 each time and it soon adds up.

aly · 06-09-2011, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by karenandsmile

i claim the 40p a mile that the tax office allows you

what i do is in a term time i do the same route every week so i record one weeks milage inculding your trip to
tescos, schools play groups, mother and toddlers ,surestart center, and anyshopping that you go out for that is for childminding and any where else you go that involves childminding , then in school holidays i register my milage every week as i do way different trips in the holidays, but if hubby jumps in your car then he needs to make note of what he is using and then take it away from your weekly total iam now lucky that i have a mini bus that i just use for childminding so the milage is totally just for childminding

this has now changed to .45p a mile from april just gone.

**lau** · 06-09-2011, 07:57 PM

Thank you for all of your replies, I have been printing of receipts from paypal for everything I have bought so that I can get stuck in to it and get up to date.

I think food is where I am panicing, I have 2 children of my own and two of my mindees shift patterns change every week whereas some are regular so I dont have the same amount for any one meal. I am not sure how to start working out meals as I have always just bought all of the food shopping together. If I am going to have to work out how much each meal costs to make then I think I might just not claim for food. Will I miss out on much if I do?

Sorry to sound so thick!

aly · 06-09-2011, 08:04 PM

i thought you meant receipts for petrol..sorry.

food i cant do it the way debbie does it i just claim per meal per child...ie 50p for breakfast, £1.50 per hot meal etc.....hmrc say good estimates is fine

x

**khlwomitchell** · 06-09-2011, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by aly

What do you mean about this?..you need to do exact mileage , you don;t need a receipt unless you are claiming for the car not going the .45p route.

ah, see thats where i'm messing up then, as with all other bits going in my book i keep reciepts for costs and i put in x amount of fuel each week and it seemed silly to do a seperate fill for the amount i use each week just minding journeys.

I do about 150 miles a week and 1/2 of that is minding days (rounded down) so if i'm doing it at 40p a mile thats £30 a week yet £30 gets me the full 150miles??!!

So should i just be putting 75miles x 0.40 in one row?
I was just doing the easiest way for me but down playing it. I am not near my tax limit and won't be paying it so i'm not worried about expenses to offset my income.

**Pixie dust** · 06-09-2011, 08:22 PM

So should i just be putting 75miles x 0.40 in one row?
I was just doing the easiest way for me but down playing it. I am not near my tax limit and won't be paying it so i'm not worried about expenses to offset my income.

75 miles x .45p a it went up this year

**khlwomitchell** · 06-09-2011, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by lau

Thank you for all of your replies, I have been printing of receipts from paypal for everything I have bought so that I can get stuck in to it and get up to date.

I think food is where I am panicing, I have 2 children of my own and two of my mindees shift patterns change every week whereas some are regular so I dont have the same amount for any one meal. I am not sure how to start working out meals as I have always just bought all of the food shopping together. If I am going to have to work out how much each meal costs to make then I think I might just not claim for food. Will I miss out on much if I do?

Sorry to sound so thick!

don't shoot me for being wrong but costs under £10 don't need a reciept. I average £2 every week for my one baby which covers three fromage frais half a pack wipes and some baby ricecakes.

can you do an average? say £1.25 per meal, unless lots of meat or costly ingredients. then that is each child so if they have three meals a week
child 1.... food....£3.75 the week
Child 2.....Food...£3.75 the week

that would mean no reciept necessary.
someone else may have a better idea though as i don't serve meals.

**khlwomitchell** · 06-09-2011, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by Pixie dust

75 miles x .45p a it went up this year

is that how you write it in your ncma accounts book or do you specify journeys?

**jayjay1963** · 06-09-2011, 08:34 PM

I have a list of all the regular places I visit and make a note of holiday trips. Then I add it up each week and enter it in my accounts book.

Jacqui

aly · 06-09-2011, 08:46 PM

you do not need to specify journeys in the accounts book...i times the amount of miles per month x .45p and just put under the travel the monthly amount.

i do keep all my receipts {especially under £10} just so i remember what i have bought, not for tax purposes lol.

**khlwomitchell** · 06-09-2011, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by aly

you do not need to specify journeys in the accounts book...i times the amount of miles per month x .45p and just put under the travel the monthly amount.

i do keep all my receipts {especially under £10} just so i remember what i have bought, not for tax purposes lol.

only one kid on the books so i remember everything, quite nice to start it all off slowly. Thanks for the advice.
This new month then i'm going to start the milage way then, my actual profit is going to look minscule with that in mind but in the end its all swings and roundabouts with income and outgoing.

**MrAnchovy** · 06-09-2011, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by aly

you do not need to specify journeys in the accounts book...

You DO need to have this detail recorded somewhere though - this is what HMRC say:

"You will need to keep records of your work journeys (date, mileage, details of journey) ... You will need them to substantiate your right to any mileage allowance relief ..." (full details in this HMRC leaflet - note this is written for employees: the 45p a mile Authorised Mileage Allowance Payment scheme is intended for employees using their own cars on their employer's business; self employed people with turnover less than £73,000 are allowed to use this scheme by concession, but all the legislation and guidance refers to employees).

aly · 06-09-2011, 11:06 PM

Originally Posted by MrAnchovy

You DO need to have this detail recorded somewhere though - this is what HMRC say:

"You will need to keep records of your work journeys (date, mileage, details of journey) ... You will need them to substantiate your right to any mileage allowance relief ..." (full details in this HMRC leaflet - note this is written for employees: the 45p a mile Authorised Mileage Allowance Payment scheme is intended for employees using their own cars on their employer's business; self employed people with turnover less than £73,000 are allowed to use this scheme by concession, but all the legislation and guidance refers to employees).

Yes I do...if you read hte other thread I state that I have a monthly sheet that I transfer what ive got in my car notebook onto this..but only put a total in the accounts book...there is no room to state int he accoutns book.

**khlwomitchell** · 07-09-2011, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by aly

Yes I do...if you read hte other thread I state that I have a monthly sheet that I transfer what ive got in my car notebook onto this..but only put a total in the accounts book...there is no room to state int he accoutns book.

i don't think he meant just you

, i'm thinking if i have a sheet and all the journeys i do often i can tick it and then have a week that way with room for none ones too.
Super, better get cracking, oh all the things i don't yet know to ask.
Thanks for the help Aly

**HMT81** · 07-09-2011, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by khlwomitchell

don't shoot me for being wrong but costs under £10 don't need a reciept. I average £2 every week for my one baby which covers three fromage frais half a pack wipes and some baby ricecakes.

can you do an average? say £1.25 per meal, unless lots of meat or costly ingredients. then that is each child so if they have three meals a week
child 1.... food....£3.75 the week
Child 2.....Food...£3.75 the week

that would mean no reciept necessary.
someone else may have a better idea though as i don't serve meals.

I'm sure I read somewhere that it is a legal requirement to keep all receipts for food x