What to charge for babysitting?

[hsteward90]

Okay, so since I only have classes 3 days a week and my lifeguarding job got cut back to 2 days a week I just happened to stumble upon a babysitting night job. Which I'm interested in. Here's the times:

Kid is 7 yrs old.
Tuesday- 3-5
Thursday: 330pm-1030pm
Friday: 330pm-130am
Saturday: 430pm-200am
Some Sundays 530pm-1030pm

I really don't know what I should tell her I charge. Any ideas?

[FFC]

I was asked to babysit my cousin's kids a few months back. She asked me what I wanted to charge her and I couldn't for the life of me figure it out - specially since she had assistance and was paid to pay me. (something neither one of us ever followed through with :doh: ) I hope you get it figured out!

[firespirit]

I don't remember the website, but there is one out there that has the going rate for babysitters in different areas.

[hsteward90]

Well, I ended up telling her $5/hr and she told me she couldn't afford that. She said she found someone that could do it for $75 a week. :/ oh well.

[firespirit]

Wow, umm that's like 2 dollars an hour. I guess the kid is sleeping during a lot of that, but still... I used to change that like 20 years ago when I babysat...

[gwenshack]

:yeah_that:

Five dollars an hour was the going rate when I was in high school!

I would have quoted her at least eight, but probably ten.

[Smurfette]

Wow. I pay my babysitters $10/hr. They work 25 hrs a week and they're college students. $75 a week for 32 hrs of work is slavery and that's a labor issue. She could fined big time, domestic help or not.

[SkippyNXC]

all of the babysitters i interviewed wanted 15-20/hr to watch alex

[Smurfette]

all of the babysitters i interviewed wanted 15-20/hr to watch alex
They might want it but they're not going to get it. It's entry level work. My CNAs currently make between $10-13.75/hr - skilled labor. That's the current market in CA. I can't afford to pay them anymore because they're not worth it. My LVN/LPNs average about $20/hr - a rate set by the insurance companies. Why on earth would I pay an unskilled person $15/hr to watch my child?

If babysitters/domestic help want more per hourly wage then they need to find a new career. I love how nannies and baby sitters think they're so valuable. Nope. Not in my house. I put an ad on Craigslist - "HELP WITH TWIN INFANTS, $10/hr, 25 hrs PER WEEK." You wouldn't believe the amount of people that responded. All my applicants must pass a live scan, have CPR/1st Aid certification and negative TB. No cash wages, they're paid with a regular old paycheck. If they don't like it, well they are welcomed to look elsewhere.

[SkippyNXC]

not gonna lie anyone that was willing to take 10/hr was umm trashy... or at least thats the vibe they give off.

if someones gonna be raising my son, i want to know they're WORTH that of a skilled person... also we hired someone and negoiated her down to 12/hr. 2 days later she called and quit b/c she found someone to pay her 17/hr for 3 full time days to our 12/hr for 1day

[ChristineLS]

Heather, if it makes you feel better...The going rate for babysitters in Seattle is $20/hour, according to the grad students that moonlight doing childcare.

I'm kind of shocked that the woman found someone willing to do it $75 a week! Sounds like you're better off without the gig.

[KMS]

This sort of thing is very very different depending on area. In the rural area I grew up in, I watched 3 kids, yes 3!, for about $20 a day over the summer for a full work day. I also watched one child before and after school for $50 week. This was only 5 years ago. I was also CPR certified and had many Red Cross certifications in baby care, emergency care, etc. So, again, I think that it's something that's regional, city vs rural, etc.

[gwenshack]

I do think it's regional. That's a great point. ;)

I think that parents need to do what's best for their kids and determine what they personally feel comfortable with. What works for one won't work for all.

[WebLady]

I remember when I was younger and did some baby sitting for family friends and such I was lucky if I got $5 an hour.

I think it is far different what you might pay a kid or young person "on the side" and what you would pay a professional sitter/nanny. I am sure it is regional too.

Good luck you guys :)

[Smurfette]

Well thank goodness I live in California, I thought our cost of living was high. $10/hr doesn't buy trashy in my area. Here in SoCal, our job market dictates that daycare workers make minimum wage so $10/hr is a great start. And because I have them on the payroll, they get four paid holidays and are eligible for vacation. I can't afford to offer them medical benefits but if two drop off and one goes full time, I'd definitely put it on the table.

I wish college students didn't get such a bad rap. Especially the girls. Not all of them are girls gone wild. Nannies are a dime a dozen around here. Some nannies replied to the ad wanting upwards of $150/day. Sorry. Not here. I can't afford to pay you what the school district pays me for being a substitute teacher and I have a degree and credentials? Yeah, no.

Besides my sitters are only home watching the kids when I'm home. I need five dedicated hours per day during the work week to keep my business running. 8AM-3PM, Monday thru Friday and I'm working around their class schedules. Their main duty is to attend to my children while I meet with patients and make my phone calls. They have access to my car, my food and my cable. Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald's aren't offering that.

[firespirit]

So it really does vary greatly region to region. Plus if we are talking a 12 year old, a high schooler, a college student, a nanny, a part timer, a full timer, etc.

I don't believe the woman can get fined for hiring a 12 year old for 75 a week or whatever she will accept, I made less than minimum at that age and yes I even watched infants (man those parents had to be crazy or desperate, I had no idea what to do to take care of a baby at 12). If this woman is a single mother and earns minimum wage herself, then she likely realistically cannot afford to pay $5 an hour. It happens.

$10 an hour is really pretty good for that many hours that are consistent andif you give them paid holidays and use of your car, then those are added bonuses. Plus, it appears they are mother's helpers, not really babysitters. $15-20 an hour isn't a stretch for something that's only a few hours a week.

[Smurfette]

$10 an hour is really pretty good for that many hours that are consistent andif you give them paid holidays and use of your car, then those are added bonuses. Plus, it appears they are mother's helpers, not really babysitters. $15-20 an hour isn't a stretch for something that's only a few hours a week.

They only have access to my car because my car is insured and I might need them to pick up my high schooler as I get farther along. I won't let anyone besides family drive the twins. I have this irrational paranoia that the twins will cry and the driver will turn around to placate them and end up crashing. I can't shake it the feeling so I don't allow it.

[ChibiAiChan]

I AM a babysitter/nanny for a living. I charge $12.00 an hour. I have an associate in child development so I find it pretty fair. I start watching most of my little friends at 3 months. Seriously the best job EVER. :peace:

[dearmissie]

not gonna lie anyone that was willing to take 10/hr was umm trashy... or at least thats the vibe they give off.

if someones gonna be raising my son, i want to know they're WORTH that of a skilled person... also we hired someone and negoiated her down to 12/hr. 2 days later she called and quit b/c she found someone to pay her 17/hr for 3 full time days to our 12/hr for 1day

I agree. Over here in San Francisco, if you want a good person they're starting at $15 and can go up to $25+. Especially if they have ECD background.

[scarymary48]

Good grief. Further evidence that I need to pack up and move over there. Where I live, the minimum rate is $20 per hour. They all have a working with children card, so they have been police checked and almost all of them have experience in early childcare etc, but jeez.

If you had told me $5 per hour Heather, I would have hired you on the spot and thrown you a parade. I can't believe someone is doing it for less then that!

[Smurfette]

I agree. Over here in San Francisco, if you want a good person they're starting at $15 and can go up to $25+. Especially if they have ECD background.

Well I guess I got lucky. Two of my sitters started training today. One surprised me with her fluency in Italian :whoohoo: and the other is a certified cheer coach and dance instructor. I don't think she'll last because I told her my daughter's high school is in dire need of a cheer coach and her eyes lit up. And right on cue the cheer advisor stopped by my house and dropped off the cheer equipment for tomorrow's game.

I'm October's "cheer Mom" ... wee.

[CarlyG]

We pay about £15 (GBP) an hour, just outside london, which is about $23 USD / hour.

That's to family members so we can easily get away with paying less, but our baby is difficult so we take that into account. (pain-in-the-a*$ premium)

... But then again we have paid a LOT less in the past.

[ChristineLS]

Presuming that your goal was to make some extra money and not provide perfect free-market driven baby-sitting rates, I still think you're better off without the job. If you have to take time away from your studies and your husband, you might as well be fairly compensated for it. $75 might have been what she could afford, but it may not be worth your time. You didn't do anything wrong in asking for what you did!