Some advice please (cm) - Need to look on how I running my business

[MUM2BLESS]

I have been looking at the way I am running my cm business. I am looking to do some changes and would love some advice please..

What would be your minimum hours?

How does you price for before and afterschool compare to your full times? or part timers?

What you do charge for bank hols? if you work them. I was due to work one not too long ago but it did not happen, need to put something in place to cover last min cancellation? (what are your terms for working them?)

What do you charge for emergency or adhoc cm?

Does your price include snacks or do you have a set price then extras for food etc.

Thank you for your time and help in this matter

7.30-5.30 Monday to Friday (one day it will be term time only) don't work BH but charge. Same hourly rate for everyone regardless of how much or how little hours (min of two hours per day) don't do b4 and after school. Full fee if child in Pre school. Fee includes everything (food snacks nappies wipes etc) half fee for my hols (4 weeks per year) plus closed 1 week Xmas full fee (inca BH). Parents holiday full fee.

I work from 6:45-5:30 not every day though. I have a flat rate for fees of £3 per hour includes snacks. I charge extra for meals.....3 meals =£2.50 per day
I have 4 weeks holiday per year unpaid but parents pay if they do not use sessions and I am available. Bank holidays charged @£3.50 ph and need to be booked in advance. No refund if not used.

What would be your minimum hours? They can do any hours they like, but I charge a daily rate, so they pay the same for 1hr or 10hrs. I prefer not to have people coming and going in the middle of the day, so we can go out for the day.

How does you price for before and afterschool compare to your full times? or part timers? I only have school children in the holidays because I don't want to be tied to school runs.

What you do charge for bank hols? I don't work bank holidays and don't charge.

What do you charge for emergency or adhoc cm? Same as everyone else. Daily rate between 8-6 mon-fri. Double time or night rate outside that time.

Does your price include snacks or do you have a set price then extras for food etc. Daily rate includes snacks, drinks, meals, nappies, etc.

What would be your minimum hours? My charges say a minimum of 8 hours care at my full time rate (£4.50) and 4 hours care at my part time rate (£6 something, can't remember offhand). Having said that, I am currently wanting part time hours so have changed this for September to be the same rate for whatever hours but a minimum charge of £18 per day.

How does you price for before and afterschool compare to your full times? I charge my standard hourly rate, min booking of 1 hour before and 2 hours after school. I have another 7 years of needing to do school runs but once both are at secondary school, I may rethink this like HSMM. I am thinking about possibly doing fixed breakfast club rate from September though. I work from 7.15am - 6pm at the moment and my core hours are 8-6 so that first 45 mins is charged at my higher rate of £5.25ph)

What you do charge for bank hols? I don't work them so don't charge but if I did as they were desperate, it would be double my hourly rate.

What do you charge for emergency or adhoc cm? Same rates.

Does your price include snacks or do you have a set price then extras for food etc. My fees include include snacks, drinks, breakfast and lunch (I charge £2 per evening meal - a sort of put off and it worked! :)), nappies, wipes, outings etc.

Lovely thanks everyone.

I may look at 1 hour min before school and 2 hours after. I have been kinna stuck in doors waiting for collection within a short time of arrival. Good idea.

I will be looking at my bank holiday charges carefully, most likely asking for a non refundable deposit if cancelled.

I only do fulltime days at £50 for a ten hour day. I don't charge for bank holidays as I don't work them. If a parent wants one then it's £60. Overnights are £70
My price includes daytime meals but not breakfast or supper.

My minimum is one hour. If someone wants an hour, and it suits me, they can have an hour. I work between 7.30am and 5.45pm but would consider revising these hours if necessary.

I have a blanket charge of £3 ph for childminding including adhoc/emergency care but charge £4.50 for bank holidays, and I only work those by prior agreement in unusual circumstances. I'd want cash either before or on arrival for those.

I include food and snacks but not nappies.

I charge £4 per hour for everyone. I will do one hour or 10 hours if I can fit it in.

Mindees are all (except one) before/after school and included in the price are drinks and a cooked 2 course dinner for everyone.

Thanks everyone.

Do most cm do hourly or daily rates?

I find hourly rates easier, what do you think?

When my youngest goes to senior school I MAY consider only doing full timers and not before and after school.

Any one doing only full time, only before and after school or both? why did you choose it that way.

Thanks again

I have an hourly rate, and things are so quiet ATM that I'll take what I can get!

Only do an hourly rate and don't do before or after school

Thanks for that

Those who do bank holidays.

Can you help me with the wording of this.

I do a newsletter for parents. I will put my charges down but I need to also mention a deposit which is needed up front and is non refundable if cancellation is less tha 24 hours before. How much deposit? I am thinking about charging time and a half, still not sure what to charge.

I charge in advance, so if they cancel they pay.

I charge an hourly rate, don't work bank holidays, am paid in advance, and do before school, nursery runs, school runs and after school care.
I expect parents to sign up to a fixed term contract - generally Sept to Aug unless they come part way through the year and then it's whenever to Aug as I calculate their costs for the period and divide by the months/weeks. I have a lot of parents that claim ctc so it's easier for us all to know exactly what is coming in and going out without huge fluctuations.

SquishyCinnamonSwirls you sound very organised.

How long have you been cm? sounds like you have so much experience. Tell me more

Thanks but I'm really not very organised at all. I've been cm now for 2 years, although it's flown by.
I've just applied the principles I wanted when I used to work full-time and use a cm myself. I was a single parent and had to claim ctc and wtc to make ends meet and my cm then wouldn't average my bills over the year. I had to save the extra that ctc paid me until I had the big summer holiday bills and found it quite hard to do. I've tried to avoid everything that annoyed me then. :)

Some of my parents are my friends so I have to have the contracts and terms nailed down really tight as I don't want any misunderstandings to crop up that might intrude on our friendship. I get all the paperwork sorted out right from the beginning so that there's no confusion.

With regard to your bank holiday charges I'm not sure what to say. If you invoice in advance and your parents are aware that you're open on bank hols then isn't it already taken into account? And I think time and a half is reasonable.

Thanks SquishyCinnamonSwirls