where to pitch your price

[debratina]

Hi
Over the past few months I have become friendly with a lot of childminders where i live. Now some of you know that I have only been childminding for just coming up to 4 months and I have 6 1/2 children on my books. (1/2 a child because I am the backup childminder.) Some of the childminders i know haven't got any children or just one child on their books. Now me being curious wonders why? I charge £2.50 per hour and where i live its roughly around that price. When i went on to the children's information service website the childminders with none or one child are charging £3.00 per hour. Parents looking for childcare mostly look on the internet and you can see what every childminder in that area is charging and i bet 9 times out of 10 the parents will go for the cheapest childminders. So its worth considering at what price do you want. 1 child at £3.00 per hour or 2 or more at £2.50, £2.60 per hour. Hope i have made some sense.
Debra

[angeldelight]

I charge £3 an hour but never advertise it on my website or children's information service website but I always get lots of calls

Some people round here charge £2.50 and some charge £4 an hour

I always try not to say when I get a phone call, I always say it would be best to come and see me because we can work out how many hours they require and how many meals so we will need to work it out together.

I have 14 children on my books so it has never stopped me getting the children to mind

There will always be the people that expect something for nothing so if they do not like my price well they do not have to come back do they

I do a good job and would never really undercut myself , why should I ?

I have a baby who's parents are doctors they travel an hour to get to me yet they have childminders in their area that are charging £2.50 an hour but it did not stop them coming to me

I think if parents really value what you do they will see it as a fair and well earned price

I know that a friend of mine was going to lower her prices but she did not in the end and now she has 4 children but it did take a year to get them

Sometimes childminding is very slow to get going , I think Debra is very lucky and you must be in a good area it is not very often you hear of someone getting that many children in a few months

I do not think it is so much the price you are charging Debra but the job you are doing and the way you are coming across to people, you must be impressing them.

I for one think a parent that goes for the cheapest and not the best is not really worth knowing not where childcare is concerned anyhow.
I think only the best would be good enough if it was my child someone was minding !

Maybe if you continue to do so well you should put your fees up for new parents

Angel xx

[debratina]

the area where i live is what is called deprived.
also its a dog eat dog. nearly every street has at least a childminder live on it and we then have to contend with 5 private nurseries.
i know that the 2 vacancy coordinators in my area haven't had phone calls since the summer.
i just hope that things are going to pick up in my area for those minders who are struggling to make ends meet.

[angeldelight]

I know just what you mean Debra it is the same here

I just do not think you can put a price on whom minds your children

We are the same though there are lots of childminders and more and more nurseries popping up over the place

You seem to be doing ok though so you must be doing something right I meant it as a compliment when I say it must be you the way you present yourself rather than your cheap prices?!

Even though a lot of parents round here are poor, they get help in the form of the tax credits so they get a lot of it paid for them whatever we charge

Mind you tax credits do not always help do they , I have had problems with people of late with payments and they are in receipt of them

I really feel for the childminders everywhere that are not getting the work though , I don't think anyone is doing anything wrong or charging wrong it is just the way it seems to have gone now and they can get so much childcare somewhere else now days

When I first started out there really was no competition

I did read the other day that they think in a few years time childminders will be a thing of the past
I certainly hope not !!!

I strongly think that us childminders do a good job and that our pay is not that good as it is.


I also hope that the jobs pick up and I hope you continue to do well

Angel x

[angeldelight]

I know just what you meant by your comments Debra

I was thinking how unfair it is that childminders have to drop their prices to get work

Can you imagine what people would say if they went out for a job interview and they were offered £2. 50 an hour ? You just would not work for that would you

Childminding is very under rated I think

Thanks for the message Debra x

Angel xx

[Pauline]

I think that's a good idea not to state your prices straight away, it's something I have never done.

I just give a general idea saying like you, that the price will vary depending on what meals are needed with a possible discount for full time etc.

Otherwise parents see your prices, work out a weekly fee and then start asking for 3 full meals a day, with an early start and late collection and expect it at the same price!