Nanny kitty

[Dingdingdong]

I know this is a bit how long is a piece of string question but was just interested in how much people have in their nanny kitty a week.

I have two kids ( one at school but obviously not now!), London based and my nanny is spending about £50 a week. This doesn't include food ( we do a shopping list) although obviously sometimes top ups are needed and I am happy for her to get herself a coffee/snack etc my youngest has 3 pre paid class activities a week which don't come out of it.

Ideally I'd like to reduce it even a little bit, but want them to be able to have fun and know things are expensive so don't want my nanny to feel conscious of money all the time. I guess before I mention anything just want to check what other people do.

Does the £50 include paying for classes?

It really depends on what she is paying for. My charge has (had, starts nursery in September) 3 pre pay classes that my boss pays, all three are around £7:50. We also go swimming once a week £3 so that's £25:50. With the odd bit of shopping thrown in and a coffee, it's quite easy to spend £50. If your children's classes are pre paid then it's quite a lot.

You'd hate me though! My kitty is usually somewhere around £300-500 for the month! It does include clothes and shoe shopping for my charge, last month included paint and other DIY items, craft stuff for various birthday cards/presents, paying for tradesmen if not a huge bill (call out charge for washing machine, fixing a broken window, both around £50)

I only charge for coffee/lunch if I have to be there as part of my role, meeting MB friends that she arranges, between classes when we don't have the time to go home, going into the city at MB request (rare, but does happen and she usually will join us for lunch and pay). If I'm in town with my charge and fancy a coffee then I pay for it (and anything my charge wants, usually a croissant) myself as we could just go straight home and get a coffee there! Or if I arrange with friends to meet for lunch, I'd pay.

I would set a budget of £2.50-£3 per day per child. So £25-30 per week. See how they manage on that - they need to be finding low cost activities & places to go.

Does the amount include spending on travel?

I work 2 days a week for one family and 3 for another (no crossover)

3 day a week family give me money as and when I need it...£40 this week BUT that includes food shopping for the toddler and bits that they need for their cooking and any activities...if I need more I ask

2 day a week family always have £20 in the kitty...last week we didn't use a penny, this week we used it all...this sometimes includes food but they have a much fuller pantry/fridge then my other family so it's rare to use it for food shopping. This is for activities and misc things like a haircut etc. If I need more I just ask

If we go out for lunch I always pay (tho both families always tell me to use the kitty but as far as I'm concerned, I should pay as its my choice to not eat at home)

I occasionally use it for a coffee is the child falls asleep in the pram and I need somewhere to sit for an hour!

£50 sounds a lot in term time with one child at school

Thanks - no the three activities are paid for and no other extras like clothes etc. And a travel card already topped up. I may have a quick chat to her, I don't mind at all her having a coffee or ice cream or food when out and about, I wonder if it is partly because I don't give a set amount each week but just too up the purse as/when.

cailard I wouldn't hate you if you did all those extra tasks . I hate clothes and shoe shopping!

Do you have a kitty receipt book so you can see where it all goes? Has she been with you long?

Most of my nanny friends have a set weekly budget, if they want to do a more expensive trip (Chessington/Lego land/Zoo) they do more free things in the preceding weeks so stock up on kitty to be able to go. I think a weekly budget is the way to go, will stop her having cake with the coffee or 3 coffees in one week or buying a fancy loaf instead of a standard one. I'm very lucky that I don't have a budget but I really don't take this piss! If I want to spend more than I normally would (i.e., extra craft supplies for Christmas/our homemade calendar or a paddling pool or storage boxes) I would run it by MB before buying.

I'm also lucky that MB and I have the same (mainly!!) taste in his clothes which mainly come from Asda or Gap sale. I have time to buy these things, MB is so busy at work that it's easier this way. She does buy some items if she sees something she likes.

I think £50 a week sounds a lot too, there are so many free things to do in London. I've also found that a season ticket to a particularly visited attraction makes sense, or a child membership card for a discount at the local soft play. The council ones in north london are very reasonable.

I've never paid for a nannies coffee or cake during the day, so removing that would reduce your outgoings.

Sit down with her and explain that you can't afford £50/week spending money (its over £2,500 over the year) and decide together how you can manage spending.

Sounds a lot to me. I give my nanny £80 at a time and she asks for more when she runs out. I haven't checked but I don't think she asks me more often than every 6-8 weeks. To be fair I just have 1 DD age 2, and this doesn't include any travel (she also has an Oyster that I top up automatically) or any clothes/shoes, and food goes on an online supermarket order that we pay for separately. But it does cover 2-3 classes a week (about £10-15 a week in term time), an occasional birthday present for a little friend, and I think an occasional lunch or coffee (but clearly not very often or she would be spending more).

I am a nanny in London,3 children (3,6,8)
And i have a kitty of £100 a week,of which I have never spent the whole thing in 1 week.
I spend more during holidays obviously but term time I might spend £20-30 this includes food for childrens meals, 1x ice cream a week if its nice weather and 1x a coffee shop with 2 of the children whilst the oldest is at Kumon (if nice weather we sit outside with colouring instead)
Loads of free stuff to do in London! I very rarely pay for activities.
The £100 is more for an emergency than a target to spend each week.

I'm very aware that if I spend too much it will impact on my employers and it may be too costly to employ me.

I think that is a lot (I'm a cm not a nanny though). I imagine your nanny could cut down considerably if she wanted to. Callairds example is completly different as she is paying for household stuff out of the nanny kitty which the op is not. You wouldn't expect fixing a window to be paid for out of a nanny kitty normally so extra money has been given specifically for this task.

Ops nanny is not paying for a food shop, clothes, shoes or any of the other things mentioned. It seems to be for activities, small food top up shops and the nannies refreshments. id be asking her to find a couple of cheaper/free activities to do on the days where there isn't a pre paid class and to cut down the coffee shop visits.

I know that nannying is different (I used to be one) but day four of the holidays here and as yet I haven't spent any money for my cm children for outings, we go on walks, go to the park, to the forest, to the field with a ball, the library. Do crafts and activities at home (not expensive). We will have the odd paid for day out, but they don't have to be the only thing to do to get through the holidays. (This is the same for a lot of SAHM I know, they can't afford to do expensive stuff every day). Maybe it's easier for a nanny when it isn't her money she is spending.

I would ask her to write down what she spends each week £50 seems a lot of classes already paid

What does diary say what they did daily?

Thanks everyone.

Diary doesn't seem to indicate anything extravagent. In addition to activities we also have membership of several local attractions and a soft play ( although most of the paid activities do stop in summer so I do expect some extra spending).

It isn't that I think my nanny is being dishonest or deliberately care free with my money. My suspicion, having looked through the receipts, is a lot is food extras which are expensive, so croissants, brioches, ice creams etc, stuff bought to take to others houses on play dates as snacks etc. Again I don't mind some extras or a nanny getting herself a coffee and lunch etc but I think I may speak to her as we do already do a big shop on the basis of her shopping list.

If your nanny does regular play dates then no need to take food round to other houses as will be your turn to 'host' and the you will supply the goodies

Tho also no need to lots of cakes etc

Maybe say to nanny that if she wants anything extra to put on shopping list and save kitty money for activities etc

I too would suggest focusing on a budget of £35 a week, or any amount you objectively think is enough.