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Post by bubbly on Oct 30, 2007 17:20:32 GMT
I don't want to alienate parents who want to provide their child with a daily packed lunch by stating that my weekly fee includes all meals. It seems unfair that a parent providing their own food should pay the same hourly rate as a parent who wants meals provided by myself. How to I get around this? Is it best to charge a separate meal fee on top of what the parent pays for weekly care? i.e. Total weekly childcare cost = £xxx plus £xx if I provide meals. Or would it be better to set a higher hourly rate for those parents who want meals providing and keep this rate the same whether the child has 1, 2 or 3 meals? HELP, I'm confused!!!
Also, what if a parent wants me to provide ONLY lunch or ONLY an evening meal? Should I charge individually for the meals I provide? i.e. breakfast and lunch = £xx but an evening meal is £xxx.
Next question (sorry for asking so many!): If a parent pays me a weekly meal fee, am I allowed to put the cost of food through my expenses? I would imagine the answer is 'no' as logically I'm incurring no personal expense to myself.
I really need to get this sorted as soon as possible. I know I can set my own rules but I don't want to make things unnecessarily complicated and end up in a pickle doing my sums. I really don't understand how this meals thing works.
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Post by tasha on Oct 30, 2007 17:36:23 GMT
Personally I charge for meals & I put the ingredients through as expenses as i will be taxed on the amount paid for the meals! I charge £1.50 per meal & £1 per snack...parents may provide their own meals to be stored chilled & then reheated when applicable or a packed lunch if they prefer. Tasha
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Post by vik3000 on Oct 30, 2007 18:26:27 GMT
I have my hourly rate which includes snacks and drinks and then set prices for lunch and dinner, that way it gives the option to the parents.
I stipulate what time meal times will be and that I am quite happy for the parent to provide own foods.
The costs go through my expenses - just lurrrrrve working out individual fish finger prices, portions of xxxx etc. ;D
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Post by loum on Oct 30, 2007 19:44:08 GMT
Hubby says - ( Accountant!) - It all counts towards your income, and will be shown as income ( what the parents pay extra for meals) on your paperwork anyway - so yes claim for it.
I'll be charging per hour, and then give parents option of providing a packed lunch, or paying £1 a day for hot dinner and 65p a day for a light meal at teatime.
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Post by bubbly on Oct 30, 2007 20:03:38 GMT
Thanks so much. It's all becoming clearer and I feel more in control now. I was beginning to panic thinking I'd never be able to cope with all this planning and price setting. I'd more or less reached the conclusion that the only fair way was to set an extra fee if meals are provided by myself. I just needed confirmation I wasn't about to do something I shouldn't. And it's encouraging to hear I can put food costs through my expenses - please thank your accountant hubby for me
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Post by cheryl1 on Oct 30, 2007 21:02:34 GMT
Hi
I just charge one set hourly rate whether parents want me to provide meals or not - although I havent come across a parent yet who had refused my offer of providing meals.
I just claim the cost against my expenses.
Cheryl xx
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Post by deeb66 on Oct 31, 2007 8:37:53 GMT
I do not charge for meals as it is all in my hourly rate.
I do not encourage parents to provide their own meals as I could have several children sitting as the table eating different things which in my experience can quite often cause problems and prefer that everyone is eating the same sort of thing.
Having said all that if a parent was insistent on providing their own food I would not stop them
Dee
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Post by angeldelight on Oct 31, 2007 8:42:42 GMT
I also encourage parents to let children eat with us
I charge a £1 per meal
Our hourly rate here is lower than some areas at £3 so charging extra for food bumps the money up slightly
Good luck with whatever you decide to do
Angel xx
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Post by fionamal on Oct 31, 2007 15:46:37 GMT
Hi, I found it easier to charge a set rate which included snacks and Lunch. If the parents wants me to give then child dinner then that would be an extra charge.
In our area I am the only childminder supplying a hot lunch in the price, which is probably why I am constantly turning people away.
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Post by mel on Oct 31, 2007 18:59:34 GMT
I charge £1 for lunch and £1.50 for dinner and give the parents the option of providing their own should they so wish.
Mel x
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Post by buildingblocks on Nov 1, 2007 20:49:59 GMT
Personally if the parent wants to provide food that is up to them but do not give a reduction in fees (it is their choice to do this).
I include a snack type lunch e.g. sandwiches, soup, fajitas, etc with fruit, yioghurt, jelly and all snacks and drinks in fees. Breakfast is extra if required before 8pm and cooked tea is extra only if a child is there until 6pm (can you tell I am hoping this puts them off lol).
All food for the children is put through my books when i buy it as I buy it for the children and it is kept separate form ours. If like tomorrow Gary and I will be eating with the children I put half hte amount through eg highlight cost of chicken on receipt but put half the amount in the books.
hope that is of some help
lov eKate
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Post by smartimartie on Nov 1, 2007 21:13:59 GMT
I go out at the beginning of every financial year and buy to a menu for a week. I then divide the cost of this meal between the number of children (or portions) and then average the cost of this over the week. This is the amount I then take off my books each time a child has a meal. Inland Revenue say: a 'reasonable amount'. I do this because I feed a large amount of people each day, some are mindees, some my own, some friends and Hubby and me. Inland Revenue didn't quibble last year when I deducted £2.50 for an evening meal which includes dessert. Of course the menu plan used only organic high quality produce !?!
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Post by bubbly on Nov 1, 2007 21:47:43 GMT
Inland Revenue didn't quibble last year when I deducted £2.50 for an evening meal which includes dessert. Of course the menu plan used only organic high quality produce !?! I'm was looking at charging £2.00 - £2.50 for an evening meal incl. dessert so your post has reassured me I'm somewhere within the correct pricing bracket. I think I'm going to stick with £2.00 as I'm no Nigella where cooking is converned ;D. Many thanks.
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Post by manjay on Nov 1, 2007 21:57:49 GMT
I was looking at the childrens ready meals today for an idea of prices. Have never used them but have to admit that some of them look much better than they did last time I looked. For the "natural organic" ones you are looking at between £2.00 - £2.50 and that is just for a realy small main course. So I don't think you are too far off with that price.
Amanda xx
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Post by bubbly on Nov 1, 2007 22:07:51 GMT
I try to think what I'd be prepared to pay for my child's meal if I was the parent. I don't want to undercut myself but on the other hand I need to keep prices in line with what other childminders are charging. Plus, I don't want to fall out with the taxman ;D.
It's great to come here and discuss these things with people in the same situation. Those around me don't have any concept of the importance of getting it right.
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Post by rasharoon on Nov 2, 2007 10:55:22 GMT
I'm going through this dilemma at the moment. I've been childminding since September and have been charging £1 per child for dinner. I've staggered myself at how much I'm undercutting myself as I'm cooking food from scratch (most of the time) using fresh ingredients and have been known to serve salmon and prawns. I've told the parent I'm going to increase on my food charges and she is OK with this yet I'm struggling as to how much. From £1 to £2.50 is such a jump that I feel mean for asking. Am I being unreasonable as I feed her two girls four nights a week? Thanks
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Post by loum on Nov 2, 2007 12:11:46 GMT
I dunno that sounds like a pretty large leap, unless you are Delia and cooking cordon bleu food LOL!!
I set it at £1 for my first year as I felt this was a fiar price, I enjoy cooking, and with all fresh inrgedients, it's much cheaper than buying processed food ( not that we should ideally use that anyway)
A typical School meal is a max of what £1.60? so I don't think many parents would take you up on it if it were too pricey
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Post by manjay on Nov 2, 2007 12:38:58 GMT
Where we live the cost of a school lunch is £1.80 so I have set my prices at £1.50 for a hot lunch and £1.00 for a light tea. I will see how it goes at that price and if I am not covering my costs I will review. Although I use all fresh ingredients and organic meat I am sure by serving some of the veg options I have on my menu the cost will even itself out.
Amanda xx
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Post by sarsar3nch on Nov 3, 2007 17:24:45 GMT
School lunches are £2 round my way I feel like I am being fleeced!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by rasharoon on Nov 5, 2007 14:03:11 GMT
I've looked at the price of a packed lunch which would be provided by Scolacrest to my Son's school and this works out at anywhere between £1.30 to £1.65 per day (the more you order the less it is). My Son's school doesn't have a canteen so this would only be a cold lunch (sarnie, drink, fruit, treat). As I'd be doing a hot dinner and all meals are from scratch, would £2.25 sound more reasonable. I've looked at my weekly shopping lists and where I've deducted food for my mindees, I'm averaging an extra £20+ per week. I'd be providing a hot cooked dinner, juice and pudding. Thanks
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Post by sarsar3nch on Nov 5, 2007 14:15:37 GMT
i THINK THAT SOUNDS VERY FAIR, AS i SAY SCHOOLS ROUND MY WAY ARE GOING TO CHARGE £2 FOR A HOT LUNCH (2 COURSES AND DRINK) FROM AN OUTSIDE CATERER AND WE DON'T BUY IN BULK LIKE THEY CAN
sARAH X
Sorry about caps lock, only just noticed!!
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Post by banana on Nov 5, 2007 14:18:10 GMT
Hi rasharoon.
I charge £3.50 an hour and meals are included in that price.
I think given that you set your prices at £1 a meal, to then want to take such a large jump to £2.25 personally from a childminder and parents point of view I think its asking a bit much... but this is my opinion and others may agree with you.
The problem is you set your prices in september (2 months ago), a parent signing contracts with you has signed up to what she agreed in september and you are going to be changing it after just 8 weeks. My concern would be that you could end up loosing the contract over such a steep increase.
Would it not be better maybe to not serve the children prawns and salmon? And maybe go for something like casseroles and pasta dishes which you can make for your family at the same time and then just make extra for when you have mindees?
Sorry if I am coming across as telling you you cant do that with your prices, all im trying to say is that if it were me and my childminder decided to add and extra £1.25 to meal costs in such a short space of time I wouldn't be happy. I'd have expected the childminder to have correct prices set at the time I signed contracts
xxxxx
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Post by rasharoon on Nov 5, 2007 14:25:26 GMT
Thank you for your replies. I have previously raised the issue with the parent by stating that I was undercutting myself regarding food so did warn her about an increase. She did agree that by me charging £1 per day was cheap as she knows she couldn't feed her girls so well for so little so at least she is aware. I'm not trying to make money, just trying to cover my costs. I think £2 per day sounds fair and I'll not have to be so adventorous in the kitchen. Thanks
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Post by banana on Nov 5, 2007 14:37:32 GMT
As long as the parent is happy then im sure it will work fine then xx
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Post by miffy on Nov 6, 2007 19:44:23 GMT
You seem to have already sorted this out with the parent so go ahead
At least then you have a more realistic rate in place if you get any more mindees
Miffy
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Post by thesmarts on Nov 21, 2007 23:38:00 GMT
Hi - Im a newbie,and it seems a shame that Im making my introduction by picking a fight. Never the less!! Im going to!
As a professional chilminder I sit down and work out my fees. I dont pull some random number out of the air. I work out what it costs me. I work out tax. Water. Equipment. Trips. Electricity. Activities. Travel. Etc. You know what you have on your accounts book! One of those things include "Food and Drink". Then I divide it by this much and that much and tug it that way and that, taking into consideration my competition,and how much my potential/existing clients are willing or able to pay. I also am aware that I have a duty to provide the children I care for with a nutritionally balanced meal/s. All of this minute detail goes into the very careful planning of how much I charge my clients. This is reviewed once a year. If I get it wrong then frankly - tough titty. My parents sign a contract with me expecting to pay a certain amount. If I change this before the allotted time scale then my parents would be outraged - and rightly so.
Im MY area you WOULD alientate clients. And actually, I would say that excluding children from activities (including mealtimes) just because their parents wont/cant pay is quite despicable. Of course you are a business and want to make a profit. But then it is up to you to make the rules and get them right. Everyone makes mistakes when they first start out.
Lastly - salmon and prawns?? Oh lardy dah! You can get 6 fillets of salmon from Sainsburies for £3 and Asda does a bag of Smartprice prawns for 99p, so if you're out to impress with your gourmet cooking - dont bother.
TheSmarts
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Post by theresa on Nov 22, 2007 6:44:26 GMT
Hi - Im a newbie,and it seems a shame that Im making my introduction by picking a fight. Never the less!! Im going to! As a professional chilminder I sit down and work out my fees. I dont pull some random number out of the air. I work out what it costs me. I work out tax. Water. Equipment. Trips. Electricity. Activities. Travel. Etc. You know what you have on your accounts book! One of those things include "Food and Drink". Then I divide it by this much and that much and tug it that way and that, taking into consideration my competition,and how much my potential/existing clients are willing or able to pay. I also am aware that I have a duty to provide the children I care for with a nutritionally balanced meal/s. All of this minute detail goes into the very careful planning of how much I charge my clients. This is reviewed once a year. If I get it wrong then frankly - tough titty. My parents sign a contract with me expecting to pay a certain amount. If I change this before the allotted time scale then my parents would be outraged - and rightly so. Im MY area you WOULD alientate clients. And actually, I would say that excluding children from activities (including mealtimes) just because their parents wont/cant pay is quite despicable. Of course you are a business and want to make a profit. But then it is up to you to make the rules and get them right. Everyone makes mistakes when they first start out. Lastly - salmon and prawns?? Oh lardy dah! You can get 6 fillets of salmon from Sainsburies for £3 and Asda does a bag of Smartprice prawns for 99p, so if you're out to impress with your gourmet cooking - dont bother. TheSmarts This is a friendly forum, please note that there is no need to be sarcastic!! xx
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Post by hazel2 on Nov 22, 2007 6:53:08 GMT
tochee!
hazelx
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Post by susan on Nov 22, 2007 7:42:31 GMT
Hi - Im a newbie,and it seems a shame that Im making my introduction by picking a fight. Never the less!! Im going to! As a professional chilminder I sit down and work out my fees. I dont pull some random number out of the air. I work out what it costs me. I work out tax. Water. Equipment. Trips. Electricity. Activities. Travel. Etc. You know what you have on your accounts book! One of those things include "Food and Drink". Then I divide it by this much and that much and tug it that way and that, taking into consideration my competition,and how much my potential/existing clients are willing or able to pay. I also am aware that I have a duty to provide the children I care for with a nutritionally balanced meal/s. All of this minute detail goes into the very careful planning of how much I charge my clients. This is reviewed once a year. If I get it wrong then frankly - tough titty. My parents sign a contract with me expecting to pay a certain amount. If I change this before the allotted time scale then my parents would be outraged - and rightly so. Im MY area you WOULD alientate clients. And actually, I would say that excluding children from activities (including mealtimes) just because their parents wont/cant pay is quite despicable. Of course you are a business and want to make a profit. But then it is up to you to make the rules and get them right. Everyone makes mistakes when they first start out. Lastly - salmon and prawns?? Oh lardy dah! You can get 6 fillets of salmon from Sainsburies for £3 and Asda does a bag of Smartprice prawns for 99p, so if you're out to impress with your gourmet cooking - dont bother. TheSmarts This is a friendly forum, please note that there is no need to be sarcastic!! xx agreed, we are a friendly forum and although we do not always agree with each other we respect each other and their opinions, there is no need to make comments aimed at others like that
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Post by thesmarts on Nov 22, 2007 14:11:45 GMT
tochee! hazelx Heh! ;D Rasharoon said she "was even known to serve salmon and prawns" like it was some big thing. Im pointing out that actually these days they can both be bought dirt cheap so its hardly the basis for charging your parents high rates. Anyway - I love the posts telling me not to be sarcastic. How about if I try really hard not to be sarcastic, you could try really hard not to be patronising. Hows that for a deal?
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