How do those of you manage when you lose a child when you really rely on your income?

[yummymummy]

Have just received 2 weeks notice from one mindees mum's college as she has not been attending! and just lost 1 other as dad is changing working hours so they can manage childcare themselves. Obviously income right down but luckily I have never had to rely on my earnings to survive, it pays for luxuries only. I have found that in the last 3 years or so that children don't seem to come to me until they go to school it always seems to be a stop gap of 1 to 2 years so I just cannot rely on my income at all. Looking at what I will be earning until I can replace the children, which is not easy in my area I would not be able to pay a mortgage, bills etc. It made me wonder how others survive in this situation.

[Mouse]

I'm in the same position as you & don't rely on my income for mortgage etc. It pays for the little extras!

When I have a lot of work on I do save money up, so I have something to fall back on in the quieter times. I'm also lucky that children do tend to come to me as babies & stay till they go to school, so I know that if all goes to plan I'll have work for a while.

[nannymcflea]

Until recently we have used my earnings to pay extra off the mortgage, since hubby has been self employed his earnings have not been guaranteed and for 2 months i earned more than him, we are savers anyway so had a bit extra but if you rely on the income as the main or sole earnings it must be extremely difficult sometimes.

[mum2two]

Panic at first...!! As me & hubby do it together it is our only income. We have lost quite a lot over the last few months, due to recession.

We gave notice to one family, as it was difficult, and we filled up. Since then, I've lost one 3 day a week, 2 after schoolies, and another part timer just given notice today!

Hubby was doing a cleaning job, which was a bonus, and helped, and we got a call end of June to say they'd lost the contract, so that's that gone too...!!!

I used to panic loads, but now, there is nothing I can do about it! I know it will sort itself out eventually - it always does. Luckily we rent, so can get help with housing benefit etc, which is a pain, as I have to call them every time a child leaves or starts, but it all helps!

xx

[CCJD]

I have always needed to earn a full time wage in order to meet household bills- I gave up full time employment on which my husband and I had built our lives around and I couldn't therefore suddenley loose half our household income.
I am therefore very careful about what I charge. It is vital that I do earn a certain amount each month and I therefore price myself at the very lowest end of the market round here. The result is that I tend to attract full time children who stay with me as long as they can and in 10 years I have never had a vacant space .
Some childminders round here think I am undervaluing myself (recently graded outstanding) and charging a good £1 an hour less than other outstandings however if I look long term at our incomes they are probably comparable because I don't have odd days unfilled by part timers or spaces waiting to be filled.
So the answer for me is to work how much I really NEED to earn each month and price myself accordingly and price myself so that I get the continuous enquiries through the door.

[helenlc]

My money used to be a "little extra" when I only had part timers. But then I got a full timer and then OH lost his job before Xmas so mine was the only wage.

Now he is working again, we are doing okay.

I have one extra in the holidays plus I am having the twins I used to nanny for for 2 weeks starting next week. I will put the money I get from them in my bank as a "fall back" fund.

I only have one full time mindee and his brother in school holidays. If they were to stop then we would struggle. But we get Tax Credits and also rent so its not as bad as if we had a mortgage.

A cm friend of mine had one little girl 5 days a week and another girl 3 days a week. In the space of one week, the 5 day a week left because mum got kicked out of college for non-attendance and the 3 day a week went down to 1 day a week as mum went on maternity leave. She went from over £300 a week to just £38!!

[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]

We rely on my wages to pay some of the bills and I worry all the time as I have just lost one little girl she left me about 20 minutes and now all I have is one little boy 3 days a week and that is it. We will be already until October fingers crossed but after that I do not know what we will do as we do have a mortgage and bills to pay.

I used to worry all the time but I try not to now as it is not worth it and I was making myself ill all the time.

[singlewiththree]

I'm a single mum so this is my only wage. My ex's maintenance pays the mortgage and then tax credits pay the bills so if I'm not earning we can't afford to clothe and feed us. We live out the cupboards on bad months (which is lately) and I have to give in to pride and ask ex for money to help with uniforms etc. I always try and stay positive as it won't last forever. I have a full timer starting in Oct ontop of my other part timer. My youngest DD starts school next Sept 2010 so then I can have 3 under 5's and should be financially stable until the youngest get old enough for preschool as I know they are going to wrap around ones and leaving me.

[Sarahbelle]

I price myself competitively. Not the cheapest, but not the dearest either. I rely on my income as what hubby earns won't cover all the bills! It is at an all time low here. I have virtually no work as of next month so am doing a major advertising drive in the hopes that I might pick something up. If not, PANIC! My NVQ Assessor won't be happy either if I don't pick up some more work!

Aah well, it will all work out all right in the end. It ususally does. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[FizzysFriends]

I have an office job part time and between that and tax credits that pays the mrtgage and bills so minding money goes towards work on the house.

[The Juggler]

hubby and I need to earn half the household income each. I knew this when I started. I've been really lucky so far. Had a quiet summer one year and relied on some savings. I wish I could afford to do it just for extras but its a full time job.

having siad that I now don't work until 3pm on Thurs and only work 2-3 days in the holidays but I have to work extra hard on the days I work to make ends meet. However, am studying and was not prepared to kill myself at weekends so those 5 1/2 hours on Thursday make all the difference.

[fionamal]

Any money I make is used for our holidays and lets us have a fortnight in the summer in the Uk and a week abroad in October. It lets us have little luxuries and helps to restore our 2 classic minis.

Luckily hubby has a good job and we just hope it stays that way but this day and age who knows whats going to happen.

[HomefromHome]

I'm a single mum so this is my only wage. My ex's maintenance pays the mortgage and then tax credits pay the bills so if I'm not earning we can't afford to clothe and feed us. We live out the cupboards on bad months (which is lately) and I have to give in to pride and ask ex for money to help with uniforms etc. I always try and stay positive as it won't last forever. I have a full timer starting in Oct ontop of my other part timer. My youngest DD starts school next Sept 2010 so then I can have 3 under 5's and should be financially stable until the youngest get old enough for preschool as I know they are going to wrap around ones and leaving me.

i'm on my own too - luckily at the mo (touchin wood) i have 2 full timers (dd is 3.5) and hopefully a 2 dayer, termtime only one startin insept (on getting variation!) which i will use as rainy day money. with full tax credits now (as under £20k a yr) we cope. if i lost one/both then i would have to join an agency - background is care with adults wi learning/physical disabilites, so will always have somat to fall back on. you have to do what you have to do and quite frankly if that meant doin cleaning for a few weeks then i would. i own my own house and i'm not gonna lose it now just cos i on my own (bought it my own, but lovely ex added a fair wack to the mortgage thru his debts). something always works out and if it means living meagrely (which i have done/am doin) then so be it. i wouldnt have half the stuff i have if it wasnt for friends support and family (and freecycle!!!!! ).