Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Childminder Club: URGENT - PAYMENT FROM PARENTS???

28 replies

HellyBelly · 23/06/2005 07:34

Hi guys

I'm a newly registered childminder and need some help.

I have my first parent coming round to sign contracts this morning but there's one thing I'm not sure about. Do childminders normally ask for a months/weeks money up front before they start minding?

I've been told by some local childminders that you ask up front as you have costs to cover but recently, a couple of people (friends) have questioned me on this so now I'm unsure what to do??

These parents have already had 2 childminders and so are used to how this all works. I just don't want to seem rude asking for money up front.

What do you do???

Thanks

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Original poster
HellyBelly · 24/06/2005 09:42

Right, I will have a good old think about what I have in my contracts in the future. Thanks for the advice

OP posts:
alibubbles · 24/06/2005 09:37

Message withdrawn

Original poster
HellyBelly · 24/06/2005 08:26

Alibubbles - I know this is going to sound really thick but what would the deposit bit be for? Is it in case they do a runner without giving notice?

Pindy - thanks about my website!

OP posts:
pindy · 24/06/2005 07:45

Great website - well done

alibubbles · 24/06/2005 07:39

Message withdrawn

Original poster
HellyBelly · 24/06/2005 07:01

Thanks SoftFroggie!

OP posts:
SoftFroggie · 23/06/2005 21:54

You're too far away or you could have my two, but it would be a 5 hour round trip, so doesn't really fit in with my working day

Original poster
HellyBelly · 23/06/2005 18:53

Sorry, got carried away - YEP, feeling good!!

Could just do with one more - ANYONE???? check out my website !!

OP posts:
KatyMac · 23/06/2005 18:45

Signing a parent makes you feel good - doesn't it?

Original poster
HellyBelly · 23/06/2005 15:09

Thanks guys. All sorted, she's used to paying for a month in advance so that what we've agreed!

Will keep all your comments in mind for all future contracts.

Thanks

Helen

OP posts:
feelingold · 23/06/2005 12:52

I do not charge up front purely because 2 of my 3 mums work shifts and often do extra hours (and sometimes require me to supply main meals) so it would be so complicated.
1 pays weekly every friday and I too have the invoice ready when she drops off in a morning and the receipt ready for when she pays me when she picks up.
The other 2 pay monthly and I invoice them on a friday and they pay me on monday.
In their contracts I state that they will be charged £5 per day they are late paying and I always state the date payment is due on my invoice. Haven't had any probs yet, but I do get on really well with my 3 mums.

Good luck.

KatyMac · 23/06/2005 12:46

And for the school holiday only children I ask for 25% (of all 6 weeks) up front - when they book

crunchie · 23/06/2005 12:33

I pay ours monthly in advance usually. Our CM does the invoices on or around the 1st of teh month, but she does it for whole weeks IYKWIM - so some months are 5 week months!! However we usually get teh invoice on the monday to be paid by the friday

bigdonna · 23/06/2005 12:29

i only look after 1 child by choice i get paid weekly on a friday.

ssd · 23/06/2005 10:43

I get paid a month in advance, that way is easier as you know where you are. This is advised on my SCMA contracts.

HTH ssd xxx

Original poster
HellyBelly · 23/06/2005 10:30

Brilliant, thanks for that! Let's see what they say when they get here!

Thanks again everyone!

OP posts:
kcemum · 23/06/2005 10:28

Also I ask for payment around parents paydays, I find this gives me a steady flow of income through the month.

kcemum · 23/06/2005 10:26

Sure Hellybelly, I charge £10.00 per week that it's late. I am a fair soft touch though with things like parent illness and such like. I have only used the threat of late payment fine once on a family who were refusing to pay their notice period, it was also conbined with the threat of legal action.

Original poster
HellyBelly · 23/06/2005 10:18

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this. I really need to ask for something up front to be able to afford the extra food and activities. I will try for the month up front because I think that makes things easier for everyone but am happy to take a week at a time.

Kcmum - do you mind be asking what your fine is?

Thanks!

OP posts:
kcemum · 23/06/2005 10:12

All my mindees parents pay a month up front, this helps me to budget for the month ahead and any money owed either by myself or the parents are added/ deducted the following month. I also charge a "late payment" fine and have found this threat works wonders!!

Good luck

badgerhead · 23/06/2005 09:40

Most of my childminding fees are paid to me at the beginning of the week. I have 2 who pay me monthly (1 monthly in advance and 1 on mums pay day) I would definitely ask for fees at the beginning of each week or month depending on when they pay you. As otherwise they might do a riunner & leave you out of pocket & also you can justify it by saying I need it to cover food and activity costs for their child.Sometimes minders will say that the up front money is a deposit against any notice fees should they go.

lunavix · 23/06/2005 09:26

The way I do it is they pay on the first day of the week that I mind their kids, `for the wole of that week.

I have my mindees mon, tues and thurs, so the mum pays me for those three days first thing on the monday.

vickiyumyum · 23/06/2005 09:24

i would always ask for cash up front, as have had experience when childminding of people owing me considerable amounts for a month fees looking after 2 kids full time and not paying up!
once bitten, twice shy, so probably am a bit biased. my childminder i use now asks for fees up front, but weekly, even though i get paid monthly. which is fine, just means i have to budget carefully!

goosey · 23/06/2005 09:11

I always request either cash or cheque on a Friday for weekly mindees, or after any ocasional one-day minding. I have never yet had any problems but wouldn't hesitate to ask for payment up front if ever I did. I get my invoice book out on a Friday pick-up and have my receipt all ready for them. So far so good - and the most I could lose is a week's money, but I prefer to show some trust, after all they are trusting me with their children. If you are expecting payment monthly however, a month's money is a bit more of a risk to lose I suppose.

Original poster
HellyBelly · 23/06/2005 08:12

Thanks KatyMac, just wanted to be justified in asking for it up front. I'd heard some stories where parents used a month's service and then disappeared with the childminder out of pocket. These parents were lovely and I very much doubt they'd do anything like this but I need to have consistancy in what I do!

Thanks again!

OP posts: