CM Club: Please cheer me up! I am feeling miserable today :(

[nally]

I lost my full-time mindee in December and we have been struggling along since then, with me asking everyone I come into contact with if they know of anyone who needs a childminder.
Thing is, the money has run out this week. I am not sure what we are going to do. I am about to go and see if I can get a job at a supermarket, but what if there are no vacancies and I can only do night work anyway!?
The car is havng its MOT tomorrow, there is no getting out of that.. dh doesn't get paid until 28th of the month.
I did have the promise of two full-time mindees for September, with the mum wanting to pay me the retainer now, but her dh has decided they should wait until nearer the time. I found this out today at 8.15am and having been feeling like shit ever since...

Sorry you're feeling so bad Nally. We had a difficult year financially and it is a real worry isn't it? But at least you are trying to think ahead and doing something in case you don't find any mindees in the near future.

I know it's easy to say but try not to worry - these things usually work themselves out if you can just hang on there.

Nine

Sympathy - how much do you use the car, can you not use it until you have the money for the MOT?

Suggest you go all out for advertising childminding vacancies whilst investigating evening work other than shelf stacking - office cleaning, telesales, barwork?

Oh Nally I do know how you feel. I had permission to have 4 under 5's 3 days a week so could take siblings baby sister, should have been getting near $1700 a month from last month but just before baby started with me, got notice for full time mindee had since I started, resulting in drop of $690 a month. So, instead of being on $1700ish, baby became 3rd under 5 (as variation obviously not for new business) for 3 days a week, giving me $1000 a month but with 2 days a week that are very hard to fill on there own (Mon & Fri) THEN, hours are reduced slightly for 2 sisters midweek so now it's $888 a month I'm getting, still leaving me with 4 vacancies that are hard to fill (2 x the 2 days). This amount is a lot less than we need to survive. Got a small rainy day fund but this won't last forever.

I know you feel crap (as I do) BUT, I'm sure it will turn itself around. Last year was an awful start for me. I only had 1 mindee from Oct 05 - Feb 06 and on xmas eve 05, dh lost his job. So, we were living off approx $500 a month, a massive struggle but then in Feb 06, 3 mindees all started at once pretty much.

Fingers crossed we'll be hearing success stories from you soon! xx

thanks. am trying to sort a website out, but am doing badly. they want credit card details and i don't have a credit card and refuse to get one as i have got into trouble like that a few years ago...

at least the sun is shining!

Hi. What do you need credit card details for? Is it the domain name? Just checking as I also run website business (mainly for childminders) and just wondered if I could help you sort whatever the problem is.

Email at: [email protected] if you want any advice

Nally - was in a similar position to you 12 months ago, so you have my sincere sympathy.

Do you belong to any networks? If so, ask if they offer sustainability grants.

We can claim £2 per hour for a full time place for 10 weeks. we have to prove that we have lost a paying mindie, but this is easily done if you keep your register up to date.

Do ask, as it's woth a lot of money and you could be entitled to it.

Hugs..

Sally xx

well i lost a full time mindee 5 weeks ago, mum paid last part of notice fee last week and this week i got one new (albeit partime) mindee and got another part timer signed up to start next week....am not gloating by any means, just saying although it is good you are keeping your options open, things just sometime come up when you get to the eleventh hour..fingers crossed for you
have you tried advertising locally or on netmums.com as a babysitter?, i have a family who i will start sitting for in a weeks time through advertising on that site?...ask around at school, some parents will jump at the chnace if they hear!

definatly get the website up and running but not with the ones who want cc details....sounds dodgy. my business went from strength to strength when i got mine. people love it. good luck, ive been where you are and its awful. just pay the important stuff and leave the rest, you have to.