Can I be cheeky and ask what everyone charges?

[**poppet**]

Hi there!

I'm new to the forum and basically came along as I'm in a bit of a fix!

I've recently returned to childminding after nearly a year of maternity leave. I've started back charging the new parents what I was charging before I went on ML, but now it seems I'm charging at least £1 less an hour and some local childminders aren't happy about it!

I'm charging £30 a day, but most are charging £40 (8am - 6pm) I'm in Devon.

Can I be cheeky and ask what you charge and what area you are in?

Thanks in advance!

[Helcatt]

I charge £60 - but I am in london and there are some that charge much much more

When I first started out, I was charging £45 - but it was mates rates and I hadn't had a grading inspection at that point either

HX

[Merry-Minder]

Im from the South of Birmingham and I charge £4.00 per hour.

I think you can move it around depending on how much work you are getting, maybe try the higher rate, and then bring it down if your not signing anyone up - do you go to a cm group where you can ask some local cms??

[catswhiskers]

For the past 6 months I've been charging £45 per day (8-6). Before that was £40 per day.

I'm in South East London by the way and know there are some that charge less and some that charge up to £65-£75.

I couldn't do that as I would just end up paying lots more tax!

It really is 'swings and roundabouts' and depends what you are offering really i.e. nappies, food, wipes, paying for toddler groups etc.

[westbrom44]

I charge £3.50 per hour and live in Worcestershire.

[shenton18]

i charge 4 part time and 3.50 full time in hampshire

[michellethegooner]

i charge £50 a day i'm in london, lots of others do charge more than me

[Penny1959]

My rates are based on £3 per hour - I live in Worcestershire

As others have said it varies from area to area - even within districts of same town.

A look at job vacancies in your area will give you an idea as to how much people in your area can earn (in Worcestershire many struggle to earn more than national minimun wage and lots earn less than £8 per hour).

I would not worry too much about charging more or less than other childminders in your area - it does depend on what you offer parents and in my opinion it is no different than anything else - the customer decides and there are parents who will pay more and parents who can not. A bit like supermarkets really - in every town you can choose to buy from budget supermarkets or from more exclusive shops - and both find customers.

The main thing about what you charge is that your business is finacially sustainable AND you are happy with what you earn.


Penny

[Goatgirl]

Hi ,
I'm in Swindon, wiltshire and charge £3.75 an hour.
I think most CM's in my area of town charge less, but my fee includes pretty much everything: food, bus fares, entrance fees etc for outings and day trips... and I don't charge for my holidays, sickness or time off, but do charge for parents/childs.
I have minimum hours charges too, for under 8's

Hope this helps: basically its up to you not them. Its your business. Maybe you could meet them half way and charge £35 a day?!

hope it works out the best it can for you,
Wendy

[Katiecate]

I charge 27.50 a day from 8am-6pm, £17.50 half day, £5 before school & £9 after. Think I need to move to London!!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I am in Swindon and I charge session rates and not hourly rates. School hours £25, full day £40, before school from £5.00 - £7.50, afater school £14.00. All include snacks and drinks and I charge £.50p for breakfast and £2.50 for lunch/dinner/tea

In addition I charge £5 per week for soft play and in the hols £10 per week for activities with anything over this absorbed by myself unless it is a "one off" outing when I ask the parents if they are prepared to pay for it

[HomefromHome]

northampton - £3.50 for 21 hrs a week or more, £4 for 20 or less. that's it - no daily or sessional rate. kept it simple and the reason i charge for the 20 or less is sometimes they can take a whole under 5 space (say 5 mornings a week) and it canbe hard to fill in the gaps

[Ripeberry]

I charge £3.50 an hour and that includes all food,snacks, outings. From January I'm uping my rates for new people to £3.70an hour to be more in line with other CMs in my area.

[WibbleWobble]

i charge £3.50 per hour for pre schoolers

£4.00 per hour for schoolies term time

£3.50 per hour for schoolies holidays.

Dont charge for my hols and or sickness. Charge for theirs.

I do have a term time only 10 year old but as he is a real sweetie and i would have him for free i dont charge a retainer for hols. Just charge for the after school.

i am in cheshire (crewe....so not footballers and WAGS area!)

mandy xxx

[singingcactus]

I'm in North Yorks and charge £3 per hour or £24 for a full day (10 hours). The going rate here is a bit higher than my hourly rate, but I have chosen to charge a lower rate and have parents provide food and any extras and from where I live there are no activities to take the children to so that brings down my costs too. Works out cheaper for parents and less work for me. So part of your charge is what you provide for that charge.

[Minstrel]

Berkshire- £4.50 and like you I am one of the cheaper ones but the minders near me all have massive houses and mine is tiny.

[funemnx]

I charge £3.00 an hour but going up to £3.25 in April and £3.50 the following year (other villages near me are charging £3.75 so trying to catch up without giving parents a heart attack!)

[Newbie1!]

I am in Swindon and I charge session rates and not hourly rates. School hours £25, full day £40, before school from £5.00 - £7.50, afater school £14.00. All include snacks and drinks and I charge £.50p for breakfast and £2.50 for lunch/dinner/tea

In addition I charge £5 per week for soft play and in the hols £10 per week for activities with anything over this absorbed by myself unless it is a "one off" outing when I ask the parents if they are prepared to pay for it

Debbie you really are an inspiration to me!! I pay for softplay etc out of my own pocket - think I'll be taking a leaf out of your book and adding it on to my parents expenses - I think Ive made a rod for my own back now tho as I dont think any of my parents would be prepared to pay for outings etc - do you include this within your policies and have it as a standard for each child or does it depend on times and days you have them etc. I really need to grow a pair! Im at this horrible stage where Im that desperate for work that I am pretty much having them for free and then end up regretting it afterwards (Ive got one at the mo who I offered a discount to and having worked it out it turns out Ive given her about a £40 a week discount )

[Newbie1!]

Sorry - just totally charged in on your thread there!! I "officially" charge £3.50 per hour but not one of my parents actually pays this (more fool me!) I was supposed to charge £7.50 for after schoolies but no later than 6pm. Havent had any full day or before school enquiries so havent a clue what Id charge for that - but one thing I do know is that I will be putting my foot down with any new ones in future! There are CM's in my area who charge between £2.80 and £4 so Im about in the middle - Id urge you to do whats right for you though and stick to it - I was too keen to impress everyone and offer discounts and be competative but it isnt getting me very far! xx

[PixiePetal]

£4.50/hr in East Sussex - includes food, just gone up to this with a view to another increase in a year so as not to scare off parents

because I am worth it - no negotiations