As a childminder, are you happy with the money you are earning ?

[Summerfruitfullofscaryworms]

I'm just wondering...as I'm about to try to become one!!! For the moment I'm praying everything is going to be alright and that I'm going to make it but I'm just curious !

without jinxing myself, i worked out my wages last night and my p.a figure is far more than i have ever earned(and i used to be a amanager in a retail store), so i am very happy..it does however depend on how many/who you get?, i have all part timers bar one full timer (one all week, 2 one day each, 1 before and after school and 2 more just after schooly's)
am very comfortable now, but in past have been scraping along on one full timer and not doing well...its very hit and miss, but its worth a try

I'm ok at the moment, I'm expecting a phonecall today that will let me know if Im going to be doing what i consider to be well or just stick with being ok. In the holidays I do well but there have been times I have been down to £50 a week and for the first 6mths i had to do 2 jobs (so was working 65hrs a week) just to make ends meet or try to get them close to meeting!! So its swings and roundabouts. My top tips are keep advertising constantly for the first 6mths at least, go to every parent and toddler group to get the word spread, talk to anyone who will listen and give out business cards at every opportunity. Get a website if you can. Good luck!

Oh thank you for your answers !! I would love to have just 2 kids (plus my 2) and only working 4 days !! Ireally dont what kind of salary to expect !!!!

At the moment im working from 7.45am to 6pm for £191 per week 5 days. But it depends on how much you charge and what you get in the way of enquiries.

I'm going to charge between 40-45 pounds a day (the rates in my aera are between 50 and 60 pounds).

what do you mean by "what you get in the way of enquiries"?

How much tax to take off your net earning ?

I know already a lot of childminders and my dd has been to one for 3 years and told me she will help me (hopefully by giving my contact details to people) !!

on't undercharge yourself otherwise you will never/find it hard to catch up with the going rate. This is what I did and I cannot catch up with the going rate in my area with out giving my parents heart attacks about their bills.

In the wqay of enquiries i mean it depends on what you get asked for and how much you need the money. Just before christmas i was starting work at 7am and finishing at 6pm because thats what was asked of me, of course i could have said no BUT i couldn't afford to turn people away, you cant always choose your own hours and earnings if you rely on the money iyswim?

Really ? but I feel too bad to charge that much...some of them never cook frsh food to their mindees !

ok lovemygirls I get it ...I hope people will be interested in me !! I dont have a garden and I just have 2 bedroom house, that 's the reason I dont want to charge as much as the others...but in a other hands, my mindees are going to be in a complete environnement if the parents fancy it !

Ah, but by being cheaper won't make you lesser minder although parents may be put off wondering if because you are cheaper your care won't be as good.

As for the lack of garden you could turn that around to your advantage by saying that children in your care wont just be thrown into the garden to play (not that minders on here do that), but that you go out into society and therefor the children experience a wide variety of situations/people etc. (hope this all makes sence...)

Thanks penni, that's a good idea to say that about the garden thing and I do go out a lot to playgroup etc to make up for that !

I would suggest not being too picky about the days and hours you work to start with. You may have to take what you can get. Thing is a mindee is only ever going to be with you for 4 years maximum, full time, then they're off to nursery or school, so become part time. Good luck.

I earn enough btw!

Cheers Maureen, I wont be picky, I can garantee you, I'm desperate to start and I have a lots of idea of entertainement..etc..

It sounds like you're perfect for a job in minding then! How old are your lo's?

5 months old and 3 years old ! dd1 goes to preschool every morning !

I dont know if I'm perfect for the job but I'll give it my best shot !!

Well you've got expirence of children up to the age of 3, you know about whats right and wrong about weaning etc atm, you know what the rules are for putting baby to sleep, safe temparatures etc. Loads more I should think, but its all experience you can pass onto a first time parent. And if you don't know or can't remember, do what the rest of us do, get in the Staff Room and ask!

Have you started the process yet or are you just thinking about it?

I have called the early years yesterday and I'm now waiting for the childminding pack !

I gave my resignation at work today !!
If I would gone back there the childcare would have cost me 1500 pounds per month for my 2 dds and for them to go to 2 different childminders..mad !

I'm just a bit scared of how long it's going to take to get registered...

It may take some time I'm afraid. Not at all sure how long, since I've been registered for years. Start another thread asking how long it takes these days, someone, probably Nannynick, will be able to tell you.

I have made a bad living, okay living and now a really good living, the bad living was when I lived in a tiny village with out transport, the OK when i was in civvie street and sometimes had spaces, the really good living, now back on a Army camp and have never had a space, have 3 full times ad 3 before/after school, so some of it is where you live.

I'm leaving in London so I'm not too worried, there are a lots of kids here (and a lot of rich parents as well)!! So fingers crossed ! I know it can take up to a year to get registered, I hope I'll be lucky and be registered in 4-5 months maybe..I'm in maternity leave so I'm ok at the moment !