Advice from other CM's on raising your hourly rate......

[Love2bake]

I have two families that have been with me for over a year, and I want to increase my hourly rate from 3.50 to 4.00 per hour. Mainly because of increasing costs, also because 3.50 is quite low for my area.

How do others go about this. Do you just tell the parents or write a letter etc.

I find the whole money side of things really awkward and feel really nervous about just telling them.

Advise please

I wouldn't put the bit about being in ine with other CM's. It would have no relevance to me if you were my CM.

I know Molly, I was just frustrated at what OFSTED continually make us do for very little. It may seem alot but we have to do a darn sight more and will be charged more with the new registers coming into force. Where and how are we to pay for these if you only look after 1 or 2 children? My wages now go towards running my car, new toys to replace broken ones, various day to day expenses - snacks and drinks and in hols, trips out to parks and museums.

I tried working but could not afford my cm friend's prices, I did not ask her to make any reductions just because she is my friend. My family is not local so I had no help and my dh's parents are no longer with us.

Thankfully now, I have 6 children to mind, (that includes my own 6 yr old ds) one of them is only 1 day a week and in hols 2 days.

In September the youngest will be starting school so his price during the week will be reducing.

i put up my prices in January from £3 p/h up to £3.20 p/h - i wanted to put it up to £3.50 but it seemed to high a jump so i will raise it again next January.
i definately do not make a living out of childminding - i'm lucky that my dp has a fairly good wage and we aren't excessive in our spending, i'm purely doing it so i can stay at home with my kids - once ds is at school i'll re-think. But i will still work with little kids as i love pre-schoolers best of all!

hiya, im a single parent and a CM, i currently do not make minimum wage as i have 2 mindees and my own ds all under 5, all schools in area provide after school so thats covered.

Im planning to give up as i dont earn enough!
my son starts school in autumn and id earn more working than taking on another mindee