does £4 ph sound reasonable?

[new to all this]

Including food and activities (at least one a week that costs)
I'm in the north (Nottingham to be precise)
I know theres a lot of nurseries around though not sure on how many childminders and while i don't want to be putting people off i also want to cook fresh. healthy and wholesome meals which obviously cost
What do you all think?

[mrs robbie williams]

I charge 3.50 an hour which includes activities and also lunch for pre schoolers/babies, i then add an additional 50p if they want me to provide breakfast and 1.00 for eve meal im from kKent so not sure about Notts, if you are a member of childcare.co.uk you can look at cm's in your area and see if you are charging along the same lines as them xx

[Toothfairy]

Try to find out what other CM's, nurseries and play groups charge in your area and base your fee's around that info.
You don't want to out price yourself and on the other hand you don't want to undercharge.

[rickysmiths]

I charge £5-6ph depending on hours.

[bunyip]

There is a case for considering the going rate in your area. I imagine the going rate in West Bridgford, Nottingham is rather different from the going rate in St Ann's, Nottingham.

There's also a case for just considering independently what you can charge for your service, considering it's quality, your expenses, the type of hours/flexibility you're ready to offer. In the end, it's a balancing act between that and the 'local' rate.

I try to be flexible. In fact, I don't have a fixed rate. I negotiate with each set of parents, cos I've never had 2 the same. They all want different hours/TTO/holiday cover, etc. etc. and they all have different means and circumstances. CMs provide a 'bespoke' sevice, so I've never understood why so many quote 'off the shelf' fees.

I have an ongoing personal gripe about how such standardised local rates only serve to drag down fees and, eventually, standards. Put rather crudely, the lowest rate is likely to be set by the barely satisfactory CM who keeps his/her costs to a minimum, and rarely does much with the lo's except sit them in front of the TV with a bag of crisps, whilst they get on with the washing/ironing, etc. That becomes the base price that parents then start to expect of the CMs who are doing a good job, and they start to having to match that low fee. Then the good CMs find they don't have the money they need to invest in new toys, trips, equipment, etc. and maybe get disheartened about all the extra work they're doing for very little return. It's a huge oversimplification, I know, but I think it goes some way to demonstrate how the low-charging, low-cost operations set a dangerous trend.

Enough of my ranting, hope it all goes well for you.

[Jules12Wed]

I charge £40 per day from 8.00 till 5.00. One parent has taken her 3 yr old out of a local nursery who charge her £36.00 per day and put her with me, I already have her one year old baby sister.

[tess1981]

I charge £40 per day from 8.00 till 5.00. One parent has taken her 3 yr old out of a local nursery who charge her £36.00 per day and put her with me, I already have her one year old baby sister.

I charge £25 per day for the same hours (n. Ireland) and include school runs and all food and drink ... and parents here think thats too dear

[Mouse]

I have an ongoing personal gripe about how such standardised local rates only serve to drag down fees and, eventually, standards. Put rather crudely, the lowest rate is likely to be set by the barely satisfactory CM who keeps his/her costs to a minimum, and rarely does much with the lo's except sit them in front of the TV with a bag of crisps, whilst they get on with the washing/ironing, etc. That becomes the base price that parents then start to expect of the CMs who are doing a good job, and they start to having to match that low fee. Then the good CMs find they don't have the money they need to invest in new toys, trips, equipment, etc. and maybe get disheartened about all the extra work they're doing for very little return. It's a huge oversimplification, I know, but I think it goes some way to demonstrate how the low-charging, low-cost operations set a dangerous trend.

Enough of my ranting, hope it all goes well for you.

I've found the opposite to be true in my area. The better cms tend to set the fee standard with the not so good ones charging slightly less. It is those charging the top fees who tend to be full and those charging the least usually struggle for work. It seems that parents in this area believe you get what you pay for
The cms who struggle for work are starting to charge less & less (one charges less for a 10hr day than I charge for a 5hr morning session), but she cannot get work. She is one of those cms like you've described, but their low fees certainly don't mean I need to lower mine.

I don't live in an affluent area and we have a lot of cms here (which you'd think would push prices down), so I guess we're very lucky that things work the way they do

[kellib]

I charge £4 an hour and that includes everything except nappies & wipes which I ask parents to provide

I'm currently full so my fees have never been a problem

[bunyip]

I've found the opposite to be true in my area. The better cms tend to set the fee standard with the not so good ones charging slightly less. It is those charging the top fees who tend to be full and those charging the least usually struggle for work. It seems that parents in this area believe you get what you pay for
The cms who struggle for work are starting to charge less & less (one charges less for a 10hr day than I charge for a 5hr morning session), but she cannot get work. She is one of those cms like you've described, but their low fees certainly don't mean I need to lower mine.

I don't live in an affluent area and we have a lot of cms here (which you'd think would push prices down), so I guess we're very lucky that things work the way they do

I only wish that happened more in my area. I get sick of mums phoning who only want to know "are you available, and what do you charge?" It's like they just want somewhere cheap to dump the lo's and as long as they get them back in 1 piece, then it's OK. I think they'd stuff them in the left luggage at the station if the lockers were a bit bigger.

Then I get the ones who visit mine and other settings, then call back saying, "I'd really love to place lo with you, cos you do so much more with them, but X is a bit cheaper. Could you match her price?"

I must remember that next time I want a big meal in a fancy restaurant: "er, yes, waiter - I'll have the 16oz rump steak and all the trimmings, and you will be charging me the price of a Mc D's burger, won't you...?"

[Mouse]

I only wish that happened more in my area. I get sick of mums phoning who only want to know "are you available, and what do you charge?" It's like they just want somewhere cheap to dump the lo's and as long as they get them back in 1 piece, then it's OK. I think they'd stuff them in the left luggage at the station if the lockers were a bit bigger.

Then I get the ones who visit mine and other settings, then call back saying, "I'd really love to place lo with you, cos you do so much more with them, but X is a bit cheaper. Could you match her price?"

I must remember that next time I want a big meal in a fancy restaurant: "er, yes, waiter - I'll have the 16oz rump steak and all the trimmings, and you will be charging me the price of a Mc D's burger, won't you...?"

I always liken it to using a self employed builder. You'd be prepared to pay more for one that had good references, used quality materials, was reliable and did a first class job. You wouldn't chose one who used inferior materials, was unreliable and left you with work that was OK, but not as good as it could have been. You wouldn't base chosing a builder purely on money, but parents seem to be happy to chose childcare on that basis. It's sad really. It's not always about what they can afford, but how little they can get away with paying

As I said, I think we are very lucky in our area that there are enough parents who are willing to pay for quality childcare

[bunyip]

Thanks Mouse.

Hope you don't mind: I just did a copy/paste of that, stored for the next revision to my parents' brochure.

Let me know if you think that's stealing and I'll delete at once.

[BucksCM]

I charge between £5 and £6. Different families on different rates. Going along with what Bunyip says...although I do have a set fee, it can be negotiated if needed.
The last family to join me in March didn't even ask me what I charge at the first meeting! Came back for a second meeting and just as they were walking out of the door said "oh, by the way, what are your charges?"!!
Emailed the next day and I started a week later!
I provide most things in my charge. Parents provide nappies(and wipes if they don't want me to use the ones I have, baby sensitive) and if I'm going on an outing that costs over £5 then I will ask them to pay(plenty of notice!)

[Mouse]

Thanks Mouse.

Hope you don't mind: I just did a copy/paste of that, stored for the next revision to my parents' brochure.

Let me know if you think that's stealing and I'll delete at once.

No problem at all

[Hayley102]

I am in Nottingham and charge £4 per hour or £32 per day. They send meals with children but I do pay for activities within the week like Notts Tots.

[new to all this]

Bunyip i couldn't agree more.

I have looked on a few sites and at nurseries etc and i don't think the price is over the odds but at the top end.
I'm feeling a bit paranoid as our house isn't the biggest but i just know that we would do so much with the children and the money we get would be put back in to them iykwim.
I just hope the parents will see this

[bunyip]

Bunyip i couldn't agree more.

I have looked on a few sites and at nurseries etc and i don't think the price is over the odds but at the top end.
I'm feeling a bit paranoid as our house isn't the biggest but i just know that we would do so much with the children and the money we get would be put back in to them iykwim.
I just hope the parents will see this

As a few posts have implied, if you can just get them to see the quality and dedication you have to offer before they start thinking £££s, then you've a far better chance.

[jaswinder bedi]

Depending on fewer hours £4 pound is decent, if its longer hour will effect and will add up, £ 30-35 per day to charge is fairly decent it think, the amount of time and hard work you Put in with children giving them home to home care and smaller setting it very decent i mean extraordinRy !!

[bunyip]

Depending on fewer hours £4 pound is decent, if its longer hour will effect and will add up, £ 30-35 per day to charge is fairly decent it think, the amount of time and hard work you Put in with children giving them home to home care and smaller setting it very decent i mean extraordinRy !!

You'd better believe it !!!

Local rates in East Midlands:-

• Unqualified, unregulated, non-CRB-ed teenaged babysitter: £7.00 ph
• Domestic cleaning agency charge: £9.50 ph
• Dog walking service: £10.00 ph
• Hairdresser: £15.00 - £20.00 ph
• Plumber (call-out and first hour's work) = £85.00
• Childminder = er, £3.60 be alright???

Nice to know society's got its priorities in order, eh?

[greenfields]

£4 p/h sounds reasonable to me.
Before setting my fees, I looked at what the local childcare provider offered. I didn't attempt to match it but it gave me an idea of prices for this area.

My original prices were cheaper. And thought no, I have no children of my own and I need to buy all equipment in. I want to offer an excellent service as well as earn a living so I increased me fees (before any mindees started) and I think my charges are fair.

I've only been childminding since April and I'm nearly full.

Someone here told me me to stick to my plan and I will attract the right people, and I have.