Hoooow much?!

CG77

I absolutely understand why we have to pay for nursery if our little one isn't there for any reason, but the thing I can never quite get my head round is that with our childminder, we pay if we're on holiday (fair enough), but we also still pay full price if she goes away, and it can be up to 5 weeks a year, meaning in theory we could have to pay for alternative childcare for 5 weeks a year while still paying our childminder while she's lying on a beach!!

Am I missing something or is that as ridiculous as it seems to me??

CG. x

Oldernotwiser

CG77 wrote: »

I absolutely understand why we have to pay for nursery if our little one isn't there for any reason, but the thing I can never quite get my head round is that with our childminder, we pay if we're on holiday (fair enough), but we also still pay full price if she goes away, and it can be up to 5 weeks a year, meaning in theory we could have to pay for alternative childcare for 5 weeks a year while still paying our childminder while she's lying on a beach!!

Am I missing something or is that as ridiculous as it seems to me??

CG. x

Don't you get paid holidays?

Debt_Free_Chick

I think it's just the way they express the daily charge. Either, a flat per day rate spread over the whole year, including the days when the child doesn't attend. Or, a higher rate spread over the days the child does attend. With fewer days in the latter option, the day rate would be higher and the payments more "sporadic".

The former rate makes budgetting easier - for you and the nursery.

CG77

I do oldernotwiser, and understand your point, but somehow this just doesn't feel right. I mean, we're paying for a service we're not getting. Would we expect to pay our window cleaner to not clean our windows for 5 weeks or the milk man to not deliver our milk for 5 weeks while they were away? The distiction is that I'm an employee while the childminder is self employed. I do pay it because she's a good childminder and am open to see why she does this, but up to now am struggling to justify it.

CG. x

Debt_Free_Chick

CG77 wrote: »

I absolutely understand why we have to pay for nursery if our little one isn't there for any reason, but the thing I can never quite get my head round is that with our childminder, we pay if we're on holiday (fair enough), but we also still pay full price if she goes away, and it can be up to 5 weeks a year, meaning in theory we could have to pay for alternative childcare for 5 weeks a year while still paying our childminder while she's lying on a beach!!

Am I missing something or is that as ridiculous as it seems to me??

CG. x

You're effectively paying her an annual rate, spread over the whole year. It's like interest free credit

CG77

Thanks for your reply DFC. I'm probably just being really dim (maths isn't my strong point!) but how does that work? We pay her per hour based on the number of hours she has my little one each month. He's only with her part time, so we just pay her the hours he's there (or not when she's on holiday as she is at the moment!).

I'm genuinely open to understanding this, but maybe my brain's not working?

CG. x

addictedtolush

Where abouts in Hampshire are you? You can PM me if you don't want to say on here. I live in Southampton and I put my Golden Retriever is kennels in Ringwood, depending where you live it might be an option, although if you are Portsmouth way it will be too far. Our kennels charge us £13 a day which is not a lot less but all her food is included in the price. They stock all kinds including burns etc. If its too far let me know as I know some others that come highly recommended in the area.

matimage

Don't you get paid holidays?

Nope. Self employed.

matimage

Where abouts in Hampshire are you? You can PM me if you don't want to say on here. I live in Southampton and I put my Golden Retriever is kennels in Ringwood, depending where you live it might be an option, although if you are Portsmouth way it will be too far. Our kennels charge us £13 a day which is not a lot less but all her food is included in the price. They stock all kinds including burns etc. If its too far let me know as I know some others that come highly recommended in the area.

I am Waterlooville way. The last one we used was in Basingstoke which is a hec of a drive but if you pick dog up before 12 you don't get charged that day. Which I think is very fair. Even if I might be using more than that in petrol its the principal

kelloggs36

CG77 wrote: »

I do oldernotwiser, and understand your point, but somehow this just doesn't feel right. I mean, we're paying for a service we're not getting. Would we expect to pay our window cleaner to not clean our windows for 5 weeks or the milk man to not deliver our milk for 5 weeks while they were away? The distiction is that I'm an employee while the childminder is self employed. I do pay it because she's a good childminder and am open to see why she does this, but up to now am struggling to justify it.

CG. x

But you are getting the service - you have chosen not to use it but it is being kept open for you. The nursery won't be able to offer a 5 week per year place to another child will they?