Tracking your income and expenses

Log funding and expenses and watch your Net Income update as each one is saved.

Written byDaniel Broadhurst (Founder)|Published: 18 June 2026|
Ofsted Aligned

ℹ️Who this is for

Childminders who want to see their profit as they go. Needs the Standard plan or a free trial. It takes about three minutes.

Video Walkthrough

The Finance tab shows your Net Income for the month: the money that came in, minus the money that went out. It updates each time you log something.

1. Check your Net Income

Open the Finance tab. Net Income is at the top, with Est. annual tax underneath. If you spent more than you earned, the figure turns red.

Tap + to log something. The menu has New Invoice, Log Income, Log Mileage and Log Expense.

2. Log money that isn't from an invoice

Tap +, then Log Income. Enter the Amount (£) and choose a Category:

  • Local Authority Funding
  • Government Grant
  • Retainer Fee
  • Tax-Free Childcare Top-up
  • Other Income

Add a note under Reference / Description, then tap Save Income. Your Net Income goes up straight away.

3. Log an expense

Tap +, then Log Expense. Add a description and the amount. The category starts on Food & Consumables; change it if you need to.

Attach a photo of the receipt, then tap Save Expense. Your Net Income comes down to match.

4. Find what you logged

Both entries appear under Recent Transactions. Tap one to open it and make changes.

⚠️When a receipt is required

A receipt is required for any expense over £10 that isn't food, and for every expense once you're enrolled for Making Tax Digital. KinderStart won't save the expense without one.

Why KinderStart does it this way

Logging each payment and cost when it happens keeps your profit figure honest all year. Nothing has to be added up from a spreadsheet at the end.

What to do next

💰
Dreading the bookkeeping?
KinderStart's finance manager tracks every expense and generates your tax figures in one tap.

Next guide

Logging expenses and mileage

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KinderStart strives for accuracy. Competitor features and pricing comparisons are based on publicly available information as of May 2026. Details are subject to change by respective providers.

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