Term time only - how do you work it?

[little chickee]

Sorry i know this has been asked plenty before but i can't seem to figure out what to do.
I am about to start a 15 month old for TTO. What do you do for the holidays? Charge a retainer? Charge a higher hourly rate and then no pay in holidays.
I don't want to be just charging my normal hourly rate and then have no income during the holidays.

I don't want to do the averaging it out over the year thing because i find it too complicated if they leave before a whole year is up.

[EmmaReed84]

I have two kinds of TTO contracts.

If a parent absolutely will not need care at all in the holidays then I charge £4.25 an hour and no retainer... But I also like to annulise the fee so I get paid every month and parent can spread the cost of childcare.

If the parent does not need the holiday space, but wants it to be available then I charge £4.00 an hour and 50% retainer for the holidays.

[Miss freckles]

I give them two options for term time only

Parents can pay my normal hourly rate all year round which gives them the option to send the child in the holidays if they wish.

Or they pay a higher rate which is a pound extra per hr then what I normally charge, and don't have to pay anything in the holidays

Both options actually work out both the same in regards to the amount parents pay per year. Hope this helps a little it took me a while to figure out what I was charging, it just happens that all my children so far are term time only.

[adedwards68]

I charge the same rate for TTO but do average out the monthly cost, it's not too difficult even if they leave part way through year. I then have a school holiday care vacancy if I should need to use it.

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[karen m]

I have TTO and holiday only so lucky in that respect , I don't charge retainer as I know
parents will never use me mum only works TT .

[SJ35]

I would charge a 50% retainer in the holidays to keep the space open. I like having quieter holiday times so a half fee retainer would suit me. Then I would just do any odd days that the parent might need me to at full fees.
X

[miffy]

I charge a retainer for the holidays and fees are paid monthly in advance like everyone else - the only exception is July/August which are both paid at the beginning of July for TTO.

Miffy xx

[little chickee]

So you just charge your normal hourly rate plus a 50 % retainer for the holidays?
So i'm still losing money then really. Normally i charge full fee for parents holidays so i'm losing half the fee?
Because I don't have any holiday only mindees.

[Samijanec]

If a parent absolutely will not need care at all in the holidays then I charge an hour and no retainer... But I also like to annulise the fee so I get paid every month and parent can spread the cost of childcare.

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This is what I do as well..