Buying resources

[JacksonBrowne]

Im curious to know where do you all draw the line at buying things for your centre???????????? We were recently asked (told?) to go out shopping and buy a range of things to 'make the centre more presentable' ... I asked if we would be reimbursed (the trainee hasn't been reimbursed from purchases made 2 months ago) and the response ... well yes, but you do know you can claim it on your tax!!!!!!! I most certainly do not mind buying nice things that I see and intend to keep and use for myself (ie if I move centres Ill take these with me) but I don't think that staff should be subsiding the set up of a centre and at best spending their weekends driving around 'shopping'. Im interested to hear your opinions?

[fchaudari76]

I buy certain resources for my room if I come across something, but yes they leave with me when I move centres.
Centres should not expect staff to do any major buying of resources (in my opinion) ... my last centre we had $50/mnth to get bits and pieces but the major spending was done directly through the centre.
I think we have enough to do without having to spend weekends in shops and driving around finding things for the centre!!

[haveachat]

Being asked to purchase items for centres out of your own money is totally unaceptable. We don't get paid anywhere near enough to be spending money on items that the owners should be purchasing. If you do purchase items make sure you take them with you when you leave as they belong to you.

[LindyT]

You should consult your Accountant as you should be able to claim "Work Related" expenses.
I'd think things you buy for your Center/Service would be Tax deductible.

[smith76]

Thats pretty rude to be asked to buy resources for your centre without being reimbursed. I bought display books for my child profiles that are going to be given to the parents at the end of the year i asked the parents for a donation 1.50 for the folders. Most of the stuff i buy for my room stays with me and will leave with me. Anything i buy including cooking stuff for work i claim as work expenses.

[hotpies2006]

i have spent heaps of money over the years buying resources and claim it all back on tax BUT you never get it all back around 10 percent which is not much or maybe i need a better accountant, i do take all the things i have bought with me,

[JacksonBrowne]

Thanks for your responses everyone ... I know that the trainee purchased items around 8 weeks ago and gave the receipts to the Director and was never given a reimbursment form. I asked for one the first day back at work after the weekend and wasn't given one, by chance the accounts manager rang and I asked her what I should do, she emailed me the form, I completed it, it is sitting on the Directors desk!!! ... Im not sure if it has been emailed/faxed thru to head office yet so Ill wait to see if I get reimbursed this pay, its around $200 worth ..... I completely understand that we can claim our own purchases on our tax. I objected to the idea that the centre is poorly resourced and a person from head office told us that we should purchase things for the centre in order to make the centre look better .... Im talking about paint, paper, chalkboards, paint easels, wind chimes, sleeptime music things we could expect as standard inclusions ... Im not talking about extras that you might like to purchase that you might not ordinarily find in a child care centre..... I find it odd.

[shmollie_hollie]

That is very rude of them to just expect you to pay for it. For me i find i end up buying the kids things or stuff for my room when im really happy at work, cos i feel like treating myself and the children, so this stuff I do pay for out of my pocket and dont ask for money from work, and it most definitly goes with me when i leave. But if they ever asked me to purchase anything I would insist on having access to a company credit card or to be reimbursed straight away. I bought a change table for my room a week ago which im still waiting to be reimbursed on, so hopefully that happens soon. I think you should talk to your director/centre manager about your concerns. Tax is a tricky situation, ive had tax accountants that have refused to give me money back on every reciept i took in because they didnt believe they were for work, so i personally wouldnt rely on getting the money back from tax. Good luck!

[Butters]

I am completely baffled that so many carer's and centre's believe/expect that we should purchase resources. I have accepted a job as a room leader in a pre-school room of a centre that is licensed to have 102 children and is part of a larger company. While doing a few casual shifts before my official start date I have found out that basics such as cardboard, pencils and glue are as scarce as hens teeth and reciepts have not been reimbursed when proffered (plus EYLF is non-existant). Do I bite the bullet for 3 month probation period and purchase resources? Or try and point out that they are not meeting regulations by being very under resourced making it very difficult to carry out an education program?

[Lorina]

Do I bite the bullet for 3 month probation period and purchase resources? Or try and point out that they are not meeting regulations by being very under resourced making it very difficult to carry out an education program?

Honestly speaking, if the centre you wish to work at doesn't have sufficient resources in order to run a program maybe you should consider finding somewhere else. You only work there casually and already you are noticing problems and on top of that no implementation of EYLF... Doesn't sound too good to me... It's not your responsibility to buy resources for a centre,it's the owners!!

[Miss_Annette]

So should we as workers not be spending money on resources? its so hard to carry out an exciting and involved program when there is lack of resources.
my partner gets so frustrated with me that i spend so much money on work cos i feel like i have no choice but your right we dont get paid half as much as what some of us spend and its just not easy doing both

also - Do you guys get sent home unpaid for the remainder of the day if there's low numbers?

[Misse84]

Our director said she does not put much money in her center because if it closes , she loses the money . So she gets everything from thrift stores or off the streets .

We spend our own money to get craft materials and print out photos , observations for our portfolios .

I think it is unacceptable because if you have a business and become an owner , you should be willing to spend the money on your business . If not , then do not become an owner

[kerry_h1]

Over the years I would not like to add up what I have spent on resources (if my husband knew he would be VERY upset). While I have claimed it on tax I am also one of the crazy people who does not always take my resources when I leave a centre, I feel like I am taking it from the children who enjoy what I have provided. I think that as educators we should be able to let our employers know that we need the basics at least to be able to provide the children with exciting resources to encourage their learning. After all that is what is supposed to be provided to the children who come to the centre we are not a baby sitting service but an educational institution for the younger children. I wish I had a fail proof answer on how to get employers to open up the purse stringsd a little more but alas I am an educator and not a magician LOL!!!

[dulciean]

hi- can someone tell me how we claim our resources through our income tax? is it simply 'other work expenses' ? what is the limit? in the past i have been a big spender also!