Cutting childminder's wages - how do I broach it?

rayday2

It is the term after they turn 3 I believe so September you should get the childcare paid for I did it with my middle daughter so rules could have changed.

jo1972

Thanks Ray/BA, I will look into that for next year

I'm hoping to be called back for an interview for a school job in the next week or two which would mean far less money but I'd leave an hour later in the morning and get home 2 - 21/2 hours earlier in the evening, plus I'd get the school holidays. Just gotta pull the reins in to be able to afford to get the job if, please god, it's offered to me.

blackangeluk

jo1972 wrote: »

Thanks BA, unfortunately I live in London and childcare prices are quite high. I previously had them both in full time private nursery and was paying £1,200 a month :eek:

My previous (registered) CM would charge £866 a month for one child (and that's quite reasonable round my way. At the moment I'm paying £671 a month, although obviously she is not registered. I'll have to work out the difference with the tax credits.

All I can say is :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: I live near Manchester and I moan about my childcare bill - you poor thing!!

I work full time and DH has a new job which although is based at home he is away 3 out of 5 nights at the moment. I am calling in all sorts of favours for DD after school and poor DS is in nursery 9 - 5 and then they are exhausted and ready for bed when they get home! Hardly what I had in mind when we planned children :rolleyes:

It is very difficult being a working parent and being in debt - my desire to be debt free is centred around the fact that I could work part time when I am debt free and spend more time with them. Feel I am being punished now for my old spend thrift ways - if only I had known!!!

Good luck x

jo1972

Yeah BA, but I expect the salaries are higher down here in relation to what things cost etc. etc. I also feel like I'm being punished for my over-spending past, but nowt we can do now unfortunately, would just like to spend a bit of quality time with my kids. Thanks for the luck wish

Seaxwyn

Hi Jo

i haven't read all the replies so you might have had lots of good advice - but I just wanted to say a word of warning.

I have used two different childminders (one registered, one not) and they both charged a flat hourly fee regardless of the number of children. So I paid the same for when she just had one toddler as when she had all three. I assumed this was standard practice.

jo1972

Really?? I didn't know this. I've obviously got some googling to do at lunchtime! Thanks very much indeed Sea, I'll look into it.

rog2

Does your neighbour ONLY look after your children, or are there others as well?
If so, could you ask the other parents what they pay?

Delilah

i would just come out with it, no sense in worrying about it - thats one thing i had with my childminder is that we both said whatever we wanted no hard feelings and no arguments. But i will say that my DD had an accident at the childminders and ended up in plaster and had it of been worse that at least she would of been insured. If your child has an accident and has a long term disability from it then you wont get anything for their future if the childminder is not registered and insured.
i know its expensive but it really is worth it. Good luck.

jo1972

Rog, they are the only children that she looks after. She started doing it to help me out after my ex (registered) childminder told me she was stopping CM'ing and I only had 4 days to try and find someone to take two kids under 4. The arrangement is far less stressful for me and so it just seemed to continue and she loves doing it.

Delilah, thanks for the advice, this does cross my mind at times. I just wished that I had used her purely as a 'stepping stone' (and I don't mean that in a bad way at all), as was intended whilst I was looking for other childcare options, then I wouldn't be in this situation. Never mix business and pleasure - it's very true! Thanks again

floss2

Just wanted to ask if your neighbour has considered becoming registered? And do you claim tax credits for childcare...I always understood you had to have a registration number to be able to?