DiegoDiego Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 3 hours ago, strichener said: What I know for a fact is the my wife does not earn enough as a Childminder to pay tax after her job expenses such as food for the kids, heat, power, wear and tear, toys, excursions etc. etc. have been taken into account. Not trying (but probably succeeding) to be a p***k here, but if that's the case, why not just get a minimum wage job and pocket the £22kpa? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strichener Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 1 hour ago, DiegoDiego said: Not trying (but probably succeeding) to be a p***k here, but if that's the case, why not just get a minimum wage job and pocket the £22kpa? If all the childminders did that then those in work would struggle to get childcare (which is likely to happen in the next few years anyway as private providers and childminders find that they can't survive on the funding levels available from councils whilst at the same time councils have different rules for funding their own settings). From the minders perspective, you are your own boss and there is a level of flexibility around hours, days etc. The majority don't do it for the money. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strichener Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 (edited) 3 hours ago, velo army said: Do neither of these women (Mrs Strichener and the lady in question) have skills or qualifications that can earn them more than the babysitting gig? I'm not trying to be facetious here, but I think if you're someone with childcare qualifications then you could be a classroom assistant for £18k and earn the extra £4k doing some sessional care work. That's £333 per month, or 30 hours over the month doing care work (1.5 shifts per week) which is significantly lower than the 50 hours quoted. I know that childminders are in a bind as they love their work and aren't unionised so couldn't just agree to all ask for a higher rate without one undercutting the other, so I get why the wages have stayed shite. All childminders that want to provide funded spaces in Aberdeenshire need to be qualified. The reality is that people are willing to pay more for someone to walk their dog than look after their sprogs. I don't want to pull this thread away from it's topic but the people that moan that they need to pay 20% of their earnings on childcare are the problem. Why shouldn't they? Edited February 29 by strichener 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheese Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 State sponsored French au pairs are the way forward. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peil Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 13 hours ago, strichener said: All childminders that want to provide funded spaces in Aberdeenshire need to be qualified. The reality is that people are willing to pay more for someone to walk their dog than look after their sprogs. I don't want to pull this thread away from it's topic but the people that moan that they need to pay 20% of their earnings on childcare are the problem. Why shouldn't they? I think the real issue is folk on lower wages who end up paying significantly higher percentages, in some cases you have people working full time for very little reward at the end. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miguel Sanchez Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 On 29/02/2024 at 11:34, Miguel Sanchez said: I'm due a check-up at the dentist. Earliest appointment was the 1st of May. Phoned the doctor today and got an appointment for Thursday morning, it's not all bad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 38 minutes ago, Miguel Sanchez said: Phoned the doctor today and got an appointment for Thursday morning, it's not all bad. I'd let the doctor be a judge of that. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 First in line for the Leven Rail Link A "dull" Scottish train fan made an 18-hour journey to England just to ride a six-minute shuttle. On February 27, Neil Hughes, 62, travelled by plane, train, and car all the way from his home on the west coast of Scotland to Stourbridge in the West Midlands so that he could ride the Parry People Mover on Europe's shortest branch line. Just 0.8 miles long and taking three minutes each way, the line connects Stourbridge Junction to the town centre. Hughes travelled approximately 1,127 miles just to ride the tiny train and return home on the same day. Commenting on his adventure, he said: "I didn't really have high expectations, I just wanted to do it and now I have. It was a fun thing to do and I'm glad I did it. My only regret is that I didn't meet the station cat called George but maybe next time I will." Hughes, a retired air traffic controller, has had a fascination with trains and airplanes all throughout his life. He learned about the Stourbridge Shuttle in a magazine and decided he had to go see it. He explained: "It's reportedly the shortest branch line in Europe and the Parry People Mover shuttle is run on flywheel technology. That part of it stirred my curiosity and I just wanted to see it and ride on it myself. "It was a comfortable ride and I filmed the entire journey. I also filmed the shuttle coming in so I missed the first one but I caught the next one." According to Hughes, he spent around £90 on travel that started with an early-morning car ride from Troon to Glasgow Airport. He then flew 27 minutes from Glasgow to Belfast, before a three-hour wait to board the next plane to Birmingham International Airport. From there, he had a 30-minute train trip to Stourbridge Junction before the short three-minute single to the town. Hughes then travelled all the way back, finally getting home at around 11pm after catching a direct flight from Birmingham to Glasgow. He added: "Some people may find it a dull thing to do but I had to do it. I'm certainly glad I did it because it is unique. "I'd been wanting to do it for a number of years and I finally got my chance. I like oddities and strange things — I'll travel places to go up funicular railways and things like that." The Stourbridge Shuttle's route is the shortest branch line in Britain and is also thought to be the shortest in Europe, according to Network Rail. It was originally built in 1879 to connect Stourbridge's canal basin and the mainline rail network at Stourbridge Junction. Hughes is already planning his next adventure, a train trip to Paris with Elaine, his wife of 38 years, to see an airplane museum before flying back. Elaine, 61, commented: "To most people an 18-hour trip to travel on something for just six minutes sounds barmy but that's an average day out for Neil." Here's what Neil's day out looked like: He started at 5am by driving from Troon to Glasgow Airport, which is 53 miles. Then he flew from Glasgow to Belfast at 7am, covering 132 miles. At 10.40am, he took another flight from Belfast to Birmingham, adding 347 miles to his journey. From Birmingham International Airport, he caught a train at 11.34am to Stourbridge Junction, travelling 30 miles. At 12.10pm, he hopped on the Shuttle from Stourbridge Junction to Stourbridge, which is just 0.8 miles. And at 12.13pm, he went back the same way on the Shuttle from Stourbridge to Stourbridge Junction, another 0.8 miles. In total, he travelled 1,127.2 miles for a return trip (that's 563.6 miles each way). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velo army Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 minutes ago, GNU_Linux said: First in line for the Leven Rail Link I honestly love lads like that. People who get seriously geeky about niche things and who love holding court chatting about them. I once spent a tremendous night out with a really shy fella who it turns out was really into battle re-enactments. Outstanding chat. Mon the geeks. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross. Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 32 minutes ago, velo army said: I honestly love lads like that. People who get seriously geeky about niche things and who love holding court chatting about them. I once spent a tremendous night out with a really shy fella who it turns out was really into battle re-enactments. Outstanding chat. Mon the geeks. When I was younger I’d have slagged the c**t rotten but fair fucks to the guy, he is out doing what he enjoys. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmic Joe Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 44 minutes ago, GNU_Linux said: First in line for the Leven Rail Link "Decided he had to go see it" Grrrr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
velo army Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 minute ago, Cosmic Joe said: He was delighted he had gotten to see it. There. That's better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molotov Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 54 minutes ago, velo army said: I once spent a tremendous night out with a really shy fella who it turns out was really into battle re-enactments. Outstanding chat. Blue or Green or Police? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazzyStar Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 2 hours ago, GNU_Linux said: First in line for the Leven Rail Link Retired at 62! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant Wilson Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 7 hours ago, MazzyStar said: Retired at 62! Your point being? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottsdad Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 I plan to stop working at 50. About 15 years before I retire. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MazzyStar Posted March 8 Share Posted March 8 1 hour ago, Sergeant Wilson said: Your point being? He’s lucky he can afford that. In about 20 years time there won’t be such a thing as pensions. You’ll just work until you die. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgecutter Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 (edited) On 29/02/2024 at 21:23, strichener said: From the minders perspective, you are your own boss and there is a level of flexibility around hours, days etc. The majority don't do it for the money. On 29/02/2024 at 21:26, strichener said: All childminders that want to provide funded spaces in Aberdeenshire need to be qualified. FWIW, my mum was a childminder for about a decade and got fed up with it, persevering mainly for the flexibility and ability to work from home and not require a childminder herself. The final straw for her was them wanting qualifications to carry on. She essentially told them that if they prefer to have youngsters with a certificate over a mum of three then they could stick it. She promptly moved into the candle selling business instead, selling overpriced lumps of wax to those probably complaining about the cost of childcare. I strongly suspect that worked out better for her financially. Edited March 9 by Hedgecutter 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melanius Mullarkey Posted March 9 Share Posted March 9 I retired in 2019 although I haven’t technically told the work yet. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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