Boost Your Income Challenge – Day 14
Welcome back to another day in this 30 day money-making crash course!
How are you finding it? Hopefully you’re well on your way to making lots of extra cash this month!
Today, I want to talk to you about childminding.
Now, I know that this won’t suit everyone – but that’s what this course is about, finding ways to make money that suit you as an individual. So, if this isn’t for you then please feel free to skip it and I’ll be back in touch with you tomorrow!
I set up my own childminding business when my daughter was a teeny tiny baby. She’s 9 now so that’s how long ago it was! I built the business up and it brought us a fantastic income over the 5 years that I did it.
You might be thinking that you don’t have time to childmind, but you’d be surprised! Initially, I only had one child for one afternoon every week. So this is something you can do and fit it around your other commitments.
You can also think about offering just before and after school care. I know a childminder who works 9-3 in a nursery and childminds before and after school – it works really well for her!
Eventually, I built my childminding into a full-time business. I had 12 children on my books at my highest (not all attending at the same time). It was a very busy time but it was very profitable. It also meant that I was at home for my own children.
You might be wondering why I gave it up when it was going so well.
I decided when we had our third child that I couldn’t cope with three of our own plus other people’s children too. I’d built the business up so that I was working 12 hours days some days and it was just too much at the time with a newborn baby.
Things to think about
If you do want to find out more about being a childminder, then your best port of call is your local council. They will be able to tell you the requirements in your area – they do vary slightly from county to county.
You’ll need to be Ofsted registered as a childminder. This is nothing to worry about though. They’ll just want to visit you and make sure you can provide a safe and nurturing environment for any children you care for.
Think about your fees before you start to advertise – it’s worth finding out what others are charging in your area. London childminders can charge a lot more than other areas so you don’t want to under or overcharge.