Childminders can I ask how much you earn?

[stnikkilarse1978]

Sorry a bit cheeky but I am trying to get an average of what you can earn as a childminder each month (after all your costs). Obviously I understand it depends on how many mindees you have, where you are etc.

Thank you!

Our CM charges £3.25, we're in north Cambs.

Sorry, misread earns for charges.

I work at average 25-30 hours p/w & in 10 years I've never earned enough (after expenses) to pax tax...deliberately

I work 55 hours a week min (depends if doing overnight stays) working with 6 children a day, 4 toddlers during school hours (oh sorry, one of those is ds2 so not paid ) and have only once had to pay tax so my annual earnings are very low for what I do. But some of this is allowable expenses which I'd have if I was at home anyway.

So the chances of earning more than say £900 a month are quite low then?

I'm in SE and with my rate at £4.30ph, I get over £2k per month (but this is because although I have my own under 5 year old, I have 3 full day mindees still - variation - it depends how old your own children are if you have any) - obviously expenses need to comes off (food, groups etc)

I am in the SE and charge £5.50 per hour, my children are full time (term time only) and their bills average circa £950 a month and I have 3 of them :) I do pay tax but then I earn a good wage. I don't do before and after school children only work with EYFS (through choice)

A childminder I know has a turnover of over £2000 a month. Is that what you mean by earning though?

We can all earn quite 'alot' but by the time you take off everything, from food and drink, any toys you may have bought, equipment, arts and crafts materials, trips, play group/toddlers fees, gas and elec portion, rent(if applicable) portion, council tax portion, bus fares or petrol and wear and tear. By the time you add all these up in can work out that you havent actually 'earned' alot, hence why no childminder (well any that i know) pay tax!!! I guess it all depends on what everyone puts thru as expenses!!!

That's so good that you can put electrical and gas expenses, rent, council tax...etc as expenses! I didn't know this, but it's a good thing as it gives a nice amount to save from paying a lot of tax.

Yes StarExpat you can put some thru. But ony a portion, not the whole thing!!! lol

I thkn each week i get something like £5 for g&e, £35 for rent and £12 for council tax or something similar to put thru as expenses!

I should add it depends on how many hours you childmind for as to much big a portion you can claim as expenses

HMRC: Childminders Expenses

Hi stnikkilarse1978 - sorry I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but I was going to post the exact same thing!

I currently work full time and bring home (after tax) £1100 per month. Out of this I pay £600 for childcare and travel costs to and from work. (I do get child benefit - but don't qualify for working tax credits or the like)

So what I end up with to live on is actually £500 per month. I would like to know if it's realistic to think that if i start CMing I might have at least this left over after expenses as I would need at least this amount per month to live on?

Anyone else think this is do-able?

I think it would be very hard to say... as there are numerous factors that will affect your earnings. For example, how many children you could care for and how old they are - babies/toddlers may need full-time care, whereas older children may only need part-time care. If there is enough demand in your area, also what parents in your area are prepared to pay. Also you need to consider that it isn't regular income... some months you may not earn as much as other months. Initially it may take many months for you to get any work.

It is certainly do-able for some... I know childminders who have income (after expenses) of over £1500 a month. However they are very busy, care for a lot of children, employ an assistant and have been minding for many years.

Like any business it is a risk. You can't go into business expecting to be earning a lot from day 1. Things build up over time. Therefore if it is something you want to do, save money so that you have something to fall back on.

You can also bump your income up with overnight stays (if their are people requiring and willing to pay). I charge £70 per night, reduced to £50 for current mindees in a good night time routine with me.

Your 'earnings' will be dependent on:

• The area you live in (look at local CMs/nurseries and see what they charge - you can charge a little more if you're much higher quality, but not that much more)
• How many of your own children you have (which will impact on how many children you can mind)
• How hard you want to work (as obv more children = more money, but also = harder work)
• What demand there is for CMs in your area
• How many start up/other costs you have

It is possible to earn a good salary, but its very much dependent on the above points.

As others have said you can take some of the expenses you'd have anyway (council tax, rent - not mortgage, water rates) off your earnings, so you don't pay tax on that portion, but some of your running costs will rise - as e.g. you'd have higher heating/lighting bills than if you were out at work all day.

I'm in London, charged 55 pounds a day and work four days a week, I earn between 1700 and 2200 a month before tax.

you must remember you are SE so money is not guateeted, before summer i lost 7 children to school, and pre-school etc but to me that was ok as i have 14 children on my books all doing part time so a loss of a child isnt a great dent in my wage

Im in the south east,
I charged £4 ph, but only have after schoolers so earn under Under £900 per month.