spending too much money

[bmz]

is anyone else finding the same - that you are spending our too much money on childminding in this i mean on getting resources for them i find my aren't satisfied with all the toys i have mind you they are 7 and 8 but i'm finding my having to pay out alot.

Have you got a local toy library. Failing that .... take them out and use someone else's resources? I find I run up big expenses for my mindees too and I am really having to cut back a bit, whilst still making it an interesting environment for them.

try to get some 2nd hand

My friend is a childminder her mindees are 5 and 7 and she had the exact same problem.

I'm trying to think of the things she does, off te top of my head,

Nature hunt- Draw up a few sheets and get them to find leaves, stones, sticks, shells whatever is available. Then get them to paint with them.

Baking- Banana bread, fairy cakes whatever.

Park- Always good.

Board Games- Again whatever you have or Ebay.

Sorry can't think of anything else will ask.

HTH a bit.

I'm having similar issues but my mindees are much smaller - I am spending a fortune on cups and plates and beakers as well as toys and seperate towels etc.....can anyone recommend cheap places to stock up? I used to hit ikea and kiddicare.com regularly but even they seem to have got expensive...

Am I reading the Ofsted guidance to literally with regard individual items for all mindees etc?

Yes I am trying to reign in my spending in all areas, I am such a softy always buying toys for ds and mindees, new equipment, etc.

I am trying to focus on using up what resources I have (ie craft stuff and baking ingredients), and only buying stuff I really need (surprisingly little) from charity shops/car boots.

I still spend the same on transport, groupos and soft play though as I don't want my expenses amount to go too low.

When the weather is better it will be much easier to entertain without spending money on activities and toys - roll on summer!

yep me too and I only have 1 mindee atm I try to ask myself, am I just wanting to buy this because I have read the latest EYFS guidance as to what i have to have? if so, doe sthe child suffer for me not having it? does the parent expect to see it? I think in theory the new eyfs guidlines are great but not every cm can have evrything, that being said I am gettng a local auth grant too which is nice

thanks for all your replies glad to hear its just not me.

carboot sales
books are 10p-25p
musical piano mat was £2 (group I go to paid £45) for same item
large bead frame £1
wormery 50p
bags of Lego £3-£10
wellies 25p
beakers 10p

Ours is on everyweek and covers 2 fields and takes 2 hours to get round.

You probably have one but just incase I said I would say it anyway.... I got a double easle board from IKEA £12.99 it is a chalk board on one side and a white board on the other and it also feeds a roll of paper through for painting, my kids and all their friends and any kids I am minding que up to use this (all ages from 1 1/2 to 14), most times both sides are being used at once. It really was one of my best investments...

maggi - ace advice I'mm off to find out when my next one is :-)

What about local charity shops? I've had loads of excellent quality toys, books, puzzles etc from ours - infact I go in so much they tell me when they've had a new batch in! Also the Netmums nearly new site can be good for nargains - you can also advertise 'wanted' on there.

Bargains !!

I love charity shops. I recently bought a chunky plastic easel. Chalkboard on one side and other side for painting/drawing. £3.00. Today I bought a post office set all packed up in a red postbox. Retails at about £15-20, I got mine for £2. Only had a few stamps missing. A doughcraft set (still in wrapper) for £1, bargains or what.

I have also bought hundreds of books at about 10p each and even bought loads for £1 at my local library when they had a clearout.

You really dont have to spend a lot of money on resources if you keep your eyes open.

Yes, I spend too much too. Charity shops round here are just as (sometimes more) expensive than buying new, in the sales or on offer.

I find as I only CM after school, we are limited to things that take a MAX of 20mins ish, from start to finish, so can only "cook" things like rice krispie cakes etc that don't actually need to be cooked.

And same for toy liberary. Would be great resource if I was doing it full time but is about 50p per toy for 2 weeks, it would only be used once or twice in that time because we don't have many hours so not worth it, and can't take mindee to choose toys as it is in school time.

Have loads of books - I joined Usborne books at home so get freebies and discounts from there so not to worried on that front.

We have a good car boot here in the summer, but only when it is dry so will go round again in the summer, although will have new baby by then so will be a bit harder.

I didn't get any type of start up grant either.

Anybody use freecycle? I have had a load of great stuff, and as long as you collect it is free (although you do have to get in pretty qucik with your emails)

I have had 2 highchairs and a hop and pop from freecycle in the last 2 weeks, all as new

Oh yes I use freecycle a lot. Forgot to add that one. I love it and got loads for my DD there too - I offer stuff as well though

lol, I offer stuff too chloemegjess

I am not a CM but have 5 sc so have to buy lots of extras I got 8 plastic cups from the 99p store and some of those little snack storers to,it is also good for paper and art stuff.

Do you have a scrap store nearby? I have one near us and it is great you can buy massive cardboard boxes afor a small amount they also have art supplies ,old material a bit of everything really ours hire toys out aswell .

HTH.

Went to my local Tesco Extra and they are selling plastic plates cups and beakers for £1 to £2 and they all feature the Mr Men and Little Miss characters!
So i've stocked up on some of them and they are dishwasher safe but no microwaves!

Word games - the parents will love you and the permutations are endless. Get a really good child-friendly English dictionary too.