What to charge for my holiday and mindees holidays

**Npg1** · 13-06-2012, 08:32 PM

I could really do with some advice please. I am pre reg process, done all my policies, worked out how much I will charge but I need some advice on holidays please. Do I offer 4 weeks holiday? 2 of which I take and 2 of which the family take? Do I charge half fees while they are away or full fees? When im on holiday do I charge? I am going on honeymoon in sept and my first mindee is meant to be starting in July, they are aware of this, what do I do? Please someone help me work it out!

**Chimps Childminding** · 13-06-2012, 08:40 PM

Everyone has their own way of doing things! My parents pay half for their holidays (upto 4 weeks - after that full) and I don't charge anything for mine. Other CM do half for parents half for theirs, or full for parents none for theirs, some CM charge for their holidays too - it is up to you at the end of the day!

**rickysmiths** · 13-06-2012, 08:53 PM

I don't care how much holiday my parents take and they pay full fee if they are away and I am working. I would go broke if I charged them half fee!

I charge half fee for the 5 weeks holiday I have and I tell the parents by the end of Jan when my main holidays are and if they choose to go away when I am away then that's great.

**Npg1** · 13-06-2012, 08:56 PM

Ok thanks. I dont want to see mean by charging half fees for my holidays or full fees for their holiday and no charge for mine (Wouldnt I not take my holiday to tie in with theirs?)

**cathtee** · 13-06-2012, 08:56 PM

Hi , I charge parents full fees for their holidays, unless they take them at the same time as me as I don't charge if I am not available, I also don't limit the amount of weeks they have as they would still have to pay me if they don't match mine.

But as others posts have said it is entirely up to you

**Chimps Childminding** · 13-06-2012, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by Npg1

Ok thanks. I dont want to see mean by charging half fees for my holidays or full fees for their holiday and no charge for mine (Wouldnt I not take my holiday to tie in with theirs?)

The problem with trying to tie your holidays in with theirs is once you get more than one set of parents it proves almost impossible!!! And surely you want your holidays when it suits you, not when it suits other parents!!

I have had most of my parents for quite a while and amongst them I have 2 lots of cousins so I have found it difficult to change my charges - however any new mindees I take on I will charge full fee for their holidays, but no fee for mine, as I work on the theory that if I'm not available to work I can't really charge (but thats just my opinion

)

**keri** · 13-06-2012, 09:45 PM

I am also having this dilemma. I was going to charge full fee for parents holiday and no fee for mine, using the principle mentioned above - if I'm available I charge and if I'm not then no charge. However speaking to the other childminders in my area they seem to charge 50% for both. I'm not sure I am comfortable charging when I am off on my holidays!!

**christine e** · 13-06-2012, 10:02 PM

I charge full for their hols and nothing for mine. If they couldn't take the same holidays as me they would quite likely have to pay someone else

Cx

Pipsqueak · 14-06-2012, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by Npg1

Ok thanks. I dont want to see mean by charging half fees for my holidays or full fees for their holiday and no charge for mine (Wouldnt I not take my holiday to tie in with theirs?)

right - you have got the wrong mindset here.
This is YOUR business, run the way YOU want. You are offering a service and clients take it up based on what you are telling them the way you run your business.
Do you think Mr Supermarket or Ms Travel Agent fees 'mean' for packaging their deals the way they do... no of course not they package the service/deals attractively, making it seem they are being wonderful and generous to their clients but all the time making money to go in their pockets. And THATis the whole crux of being in business. You need to get your business head on and stop worrying about appearing 'unfair or mean'.
Start getting clever in your presentation and marketing.

I charge FULL fee for parent/child holiday/absence and nothing for my holidays. I take my holidays as and when I want.

**bunyip** · 16-06-2012, 07:45 PM

As mentioned, you have to do what works for you, but doesn't drive your clients away.

I once chatted with some other minders at an event. They took 4 weeks holiday, fully paid, and insisted each family then took another 4 weeks, and charged full for that too. In effect, 8 weeks' paid holiday, with 4 weeks being of their own choosing. I don't think I'd have happy parents if I tried that, but hey-ho. They believed the NCMA recommended their approach. There are some notes about holidays on the NCMA contract forms, though my interpretation differs.

I don't have set fees, holidays, or times. It helps me to stay flexible.

With 2 families, they pay a regular monthly fee irrespective of holidays, etc. We have a nominal hourly/daily rate which is only used if they want additional hours for a special purpose or if I need to refund for emergency closure (eg. if I fell ill.)

Another has a strictly term-time arrangement, so I don't charge for school holidays. They can book additional time in the school holidays, but on the understanding that I don't reserve places, or offer any of the usual discounts during that time.)

I'm happy with these arrangements, and so are my clients. It makes budgeting easy for all of us.

**miffy** · 16-06-2012, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by christine e

I charge full for their hols and nothing for mine. If they couldn't take the same holidays as me they would quite likely have to pay someone else

Cx

This is what I do. I take my holidays when I want to, I don't try and tie-in with parents as I work for too many families for this to work.

Miffy xx

**Vickster** · 16-06-2012, 08:22 PM

I generally take 4 weeks hols a year but only work Tues, Weds and Thurs. I don't charge when I am on holiday and for my regular houred children I pro-rata it in so I get paid the same each month. I charge full when children are not in whether they are ill or on holiday.

**Moira Mc** · 17-06-2012, 08:14 PM

I have had the same dilema recently.

I dont charge for my holidays or Bank holidays and I was only charging half for thier holiday.
However with the last contract I have charged full for theirs, reason being I cannot fill the space while they are away.

I think on the next one I am also going to charge for Bank holidays as well as all the other childminders around here do.
I lost a lot of money at Xmas/New year and the Jubilee weekend as my busiest days are Mon, Tue.

I still havent got the guts to charge for my holidays even though the other childminders here have 6 weeks off full pay.

**lorettacritchet** · 21-06-2012, 08:18 PM

Heya, your exactly the person I want to speak -do your parents not go mad at being charged half fee for your holidays? what arguement do you use?
I am trying to charge 1/2 cost for 4 weeks of mine and full for four weeks of minded children but not entirely sure of the arguement for mine?

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

I don't care how much holiday my parents take and they pay full fee if they are away and I am working. I would go broke if I charged them half fee!

I charge half fee for the 5 weeks holiday I have and I tell the parents by the end of Jan when my main holidays are and if they choose to go away when I am away then that's great.

**rickysmiths** · 21-06-2012, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by lorettacritchet

Heya, your exactly the person I want to speak -do your parents not go mad at being charged half fee for your holidays? what arguement do you use?
I am trying to charge 1/2 cost for 4 weeks of mine and full for four weeks of minded children but not entirely sure of the arguement for mine?

Well until this year and the recession I have charged full fee for the last 8 years!!!

No complaints at all it means they get two and a half weeks a year free which is more than they would get from our local nurseries.

**lorettacritchet** · 22-06-2012, 05:50 AM

Your'e lucky. What do I say when parents ask me why I am charging though

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

Well until this year and the recession I have charged full fee for the last 8 years!!!

No complaints at all it means they get two and a half weeks a year free which is more than they would get from our local nurseries.

jumpinjen · 22-06-2012, 06:51 AM

Well they get paid for their holidays don't they from their employer? And nurserues charge for 50 weeks a year and no-one moans about that - and if they don't like your terms and conditions they can go elsewhere!

I don't do this at the moment because I operate part time and with a small number of families and don't feel the need (and i get very valuable overnight work from one family in addition that is lucrative for me) - but thios is the argument I would use if they queried it - explain politely that CM's are self-employed and we set the terms of our own business - then move on to talk about all the benefits of using you, and your USP's - I often put my parent's book into a families hands open at the fees page then go and make them a coffee whilst they read it and ask if they have any questions about it at the start then go on to talk about all the fab stuff I do!

Jen x

**rickysmiths** · 22-06-2012, 06:53 AM

Originally Posted by jumpinjen

Well they get paid for their holidays don't they from their employer? And nurserues charge for 50 weeks a year and no-one moans about that - and if they don't like your terms and conditions they can go elsewhere!

I don't do this at the moment because I operate part time and with a small number of families and don't feel the need (and i get very valuable overnight work from one family in addition that is lucrative for me) - but thios is the argument I would use if they queried it - explain politely that CM's are self-employed and we set the terms of our own business - then move on to talk about all the benefits of using you, and your USP's - I often put my parent's book into a families hands open at the fees page then go and make them a coffee whilst they read it and ask if they have any questions about it at the start then go on to talk about all the fab stuff I do!

Jen x

All the ones around us charge 52 weeks a year whether they are closed or not. So for Christmas and all BH>

**bunyip** · 22-06-2012, 07:01 AM

You could try pointing out any or all of the following:_

This is your livelihood.
You already work beyond the actual hours charged: to plan, prepare, tidy up, fill forms, train, complete learning journals, conduct reviews, see prospective clients, etc. etc.
You have annual costs, subscriptions, insurances, etc. which have to be paid irrespective of whether you even have any clients.
You have monthly running costs too.

Assuming your clients are employed, try asking the following:

Do they get holiday from their employer paid at full rate, half rate or nothing at all?
Do they get sick pay?
Do they get a pension or other benefits?
Does someone sort out their tax and National Insurance for them?
What is the local nursery charging?

HOWEVER, I strongly suspect this is one of those situations where, if the parent has to ask the question, they're probably not going to understand the answer. They either accept your rights and needs as a person, or they don't.

**izzy23** · 22-06-2012, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by lorettacritchet

Heya, your exactly the person I want to speak -do your parents not go mad at being charged half fee for your holidays? what arguement do you use?
I am trying to charge 1/2 cost for 4 weeks of mine and full for four weeks of minded children but not entirely sure of the arguement for mine?

Like a few minders, I charge half fee for my holidays up to four weeks per year, after that, if I take more, then there is no charge. No charge for between Xmas and Ney Year or for me being off sick or just off at short notice (less than four weeks notice).

I don't see why we should not charge for our holidays, even if its a percentage of full fee, half or less. We get very little else in the way of benefits as self employed. As someone said, nurseries charge 50 weeks per year and I would guess that a great deal of CM's come in cheaper for a full days care than a private day nursery. Also, if you are not full and not working full time with the kids you have, you are mostly likely working for less than minimum wage.
If I didn't take the four weeks at half fee, I'd have to work it into my fees.