busy bees!

**charliegee** · 11-09-2009, 10:48 PM

Hello everyone

(phew it's the weekend!!)

I hope I don't annoy anyone by asking a busy bees question as I know they get asked a fair bit...but you all are so helpful I hope you don't mind...

have a little one starting 5 days a week in October and parent has asked me to register with Busy bees which I've done online and just have to send copy of my reg certificate which I'm going to do tomorrow

However, I ask that I get paid monthly in advance - Just to check - will Busy bees get all set up in time (I have two and a bit weeks till LO starts!) and will they (busy bees) pay me in advance (ie pay for October?) or will I have to wait till the end of the month?

Sorry to be a pest with my questions but honestly - this forum is just so helpful!

xxx

**sue m** · 12-09-2009, 06:14 AM

Well I'm glad you asked, I've got a baby starting on Monday week and the parents have asked me to take the vouchers too. I've been minding since 1987 and have never had vouchers before so it's all new to me too.

**christine e** · 12-09-2009, 06:41 AM

I too get paid by Busy Bees with 2 sets of parents. When they asked if I would accept monthly payments I said yes provided they pay in advance. Both parents deal with the payment so that it goes direct into my bank account (I do not get a voucher). One parent sets the payment up on 28th of each month as the amount she pays is the same each month, the payment normally goes into my account around the last day of the month or the first couple of days. In August it took til the 10th to appear, when I checked my account early in August and noticed it was not there I got in touch with parent who checekd it out and the problem had been with her work, as soon as she got on to it payment came in a few days later. She is a very well organised parent and reliable but I am so glad that I asked for the money in advance as these problems due seem to happen from time to time. The other parent pays a variable amount so I tell her at the end of the month what her payment is and she arranged the payment, it is normally a few days later when it appears in my account. If for any reason I do not work and I need to refund her then we carry the refund over to the next month as you cannot refund from your own funds. In answer to your question will Busy Bees pay you in advance well it is the parent that sets up the payment so it is something you need to sort out with parent, they might try and get you to wait until they get paid but Busy Bees will pay you whenever the parent tells them to. Hope this is all making sense to you. Feel free to ask questions.

Christine

**charliegee** · 12-09-2009, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by christine e

I too get paid by Busy Bees with 2 sets of parents. When they asked if I would accept monthly payments I said yes provided they pay in advance. Both parents deal with the payment so that it goes direct into my bank account (I do not get a voucher). One parent sets the payment up on 28th of each month as the amount she pays is the same each month, the payment normally goes into my account around the last day of the month or the first couple of days. In August it took til the 10th to appear, when I checked my account early in August and noticed it was not there I got in touch with parent who checekd it out and the problem had been with her work, as soon as she got on to it payment came in a few days later. She is a very well organised parent and reliable but I am so glad that I asked for the money in advance as these problems due seem to happen from time to time. The other parent pays a variable amount so I tell her at the end of the month what her payment is and she arranged the payment, it is normally a few days later when it appears in my account. If for any reason I do not work and I need to refund her then we carry the refund over to the next month as you cannot refund from your own funds. In answer to your question will Busy Bees pay you in advance well it is the parent that sets up the payment so it is something you need to sort out with parent, they might try and get you to wait until they get paid but Busy Bees will pay you whenever the parent tells them to. Hope this is all making sense to you. Feel free to ask questions.

Christine

Thanks Sue and Christine

My parent will have a variable amout (ie owe me differnt monies each month I anticipate...) so we were going to do it that I invoice her for the month ahead on the 19th of the month for cleared funds to be received by me by the 1st of the month

Christine - does this sound okay RE busy bees?

I've emailed parent to say that I'm happy with Busy bees as long as all funds are cleared on the 1st and suggested they contact Busy Bees to confirm this

(ie they pay me on the 1st of the month to cover them for the forthcoming month?)

Sorry to be so confused about it all. I tried to phone BB this morning but they are closed till monday and sorry to be typing it all out like this - just helps me get it straight in my own brain!!

thanks everyone xxx

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 12-09-2009, 08:18 AM

It depends on when the parent get paid and they tell BB to release the money.

**green puppy** · 12-09-2009, 01:58 PM

It also takes 3-5 days for payment to be made to you once parents have authorised it.

**clorogue** · 12-09-2009, 02:21 PM

I must admit I didn't have the best of experiences setting it all up and it wasn't for the lack of both myself and the parenttrying and communicating with them - we were told one thing and then when ringing up told another and this went on and on. They are OK once it has all been sorted, but if you have a query - they are not the easiest to deal with.
Register yourself first, and DEFINITELY ask for a month in advance from the parents. I made that mistake and ending up a few weeks without money because they couldn't tally up the parents names with myself for quite some time. Next time I would ask for in advance. Good luck and hope all goes well for you.

**bibi571** · 12-09-2009, 03:30 PM

My mum sent funds on the 29th and the funds didn't get to me until the 10th either! What do they do with the money. My other parent who has a salary sacrifice every month has the money go in within 3-5 days. What's the difference? It's the same voucher company but a difference of nearly 10 days in transfer?

One has to vary the amount every month and send them manually but the other is automatic and seems to go like clock work and when i used to hear everyone moan about busy bees i used to think - och i'm don't know what all the fuss is about! But i do now, the last few months have been torture.

It's over £500, so nothing to sneeze about.

Barbara

**charliegee** · 12-09-2009, 04:41 PM

oh gosh I'm worried now....I've been on busy bees website again and really don't understand it at all....

...sorry for being silly but could you just check for me that I'm thinking right...

vouchers come from a proportion of parents money (up to £243?) which is saved before tax and can go to pay childcare like us?

when the parent gets paid they then tell busy bees to pay us which can take 3 -5 days (hopefully!)

...so we are relying on 1 - parents getting in touch with Busy Bees and 2 - funds arriving in time?

I'm being really thick I know but I basically want to ensure that (however it's paid) I get paid monthly in advance.....and really don't understand how this can work with busy bees?

would it be best to invoice monthly or calender monthly (oh so confused!)

I'm not happy with working any days without being paid first....but how does this work with busy bees if there is a delay in payment...sounds like a nightmare!

sorry, I'm so confused now!

x

**FussyElmo** · 12-09-2009, 05:47 PM

Must admit I had a nightmare for the first month I set it up - payment was 9 days late but think that was a general busy bees fault.

My parent gets paid on the 27th - she has organised with busybees that the payment is sent to me on the 27th so I get it by the 3oth/31st the 1st at the latest.

Apart from the first month it has worked perfectly and I have recommended to another cm this form of parent.

I suppose the only problem you have is different amounts every month so they will have to ring busybees to tell them the amount.

**bibi571** · 12-09-2009, 07:29 PM

They can do it on-line as well. My mindee's parents get vouchers from his mums work and his dads work (both busy bees) max of £243 each his fees are £500 a month which means that they send £286 in vouchers and cash for £14 to make up the £500.

Another whos fees change each month just go on-line and alter the fees and click to authorise and send the amount, and it goes through ok.

Barbara

**christine e** · 12-09-2009, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by charliegee

Thanks Sue and Christine

My parent will have a variable amout (ie owe me differnt monies each month I anticipate...) so we were going to do it that I invoice her for the month ahead on the 19th of the month for cleared funds to be received by me by the 1st of the month

Christine - does this sound okay RE busy bees?

I've emailed parent to say that I'm happy with Busy bees as long as all funds are cleared on the 1st and suggested they contact Busy Bees to confirm this

(ie they pay me on the 1st of the month to cover them for the forthcoming month?)

Sorry to be so confused about it all. I tried to phone BB this morning but they are closed till monday and sorry to be typing it all out like this - just helps me get it straight in my own brain!!

thanks everyone xxx

Hi

Sorry for not responding sooner (been out all day),

This sounds fine. Once things get going you will be able to see how long it all takes and adjust the date if need be but I am sure if parent sets up payment for 19th you should have no problem receiving it by 1st of month. Most months things run smoothly but every now and again it just seems to take that bit longer. As someone else mentioned parents can only pay you £243 per month by this method.

Christine