I need some feedback on this one.
How much do I pay a babysitter? I know when I was a kid I would be ecstatic if someone paid me $3 and hour. Mainly I was just happy to have any cash at all. I babysat constantly and wasn't paid for it a lot of the time (one of those things that comes with 5 younger siblings). Oh, I should probably correct myself. My mom would say I was paid with treasures in Heaven, which is true. With the amount of babysitting I used to do, I've got a huge stock-pile waiting for me after this life. Of course, in our house, babysitting was just another chore. We had the hat we drew our chores out of and babysitting was one of them. Somebody had to distract the little destroyers (read: Jill, Hannah, Lia--I knew you girls would love me to put that in there:)) while everyone else cleaned the house.
I digress.
My question is, what do you pay babysitters these days? Should I be paying $10/hour? I think $5 is pretty good, but I don't want to underpay, and I don't want to overpay. In business, I think both can send the wrong signal. I want my babysitter to feel appreciated, but I don't want the money to come too easily.
what's a good price to have someone sit on my babies!?!? (yes, you read that right)
10 comments:
I think it depends on the age of the babysitter. I pay $5/hr, but I don't have a baby. Mine pretty much take care of themselves. But, remember that if a teen goes out and gets a job, it will most likely pay $7/hr or so and taxes will be taken out. So, I'd say $5 or $6 is ample- not too stingy, but not too expensive either. Remember that if a kid is in daycare, parents pay about $5/hr in many places or $200/wk.
I pay more for older girls who can drive themselves to and from, and who could make $7-8 working somewhere. Younger girls (under 15) can't get a job and we usually have to pick up and or take home, so I pay them $5 or $6.
Haha. I don't really have any helpful numbers, but I had to laugh when I read this. In college, I was always happy to take what was given, which was usually anywhere from $30-$50 per night depending on how late the night was (for two boys/no diapers) and in another case, 3 girls/no diapers). This came out to around $6 to $8/hr and I was a responsible Centre College girl. (I'm sure the townsfolk of Provo depend on BYU students like that, also). It also depended on if the kids already had dinner/baths or if I had to take care of that. BUT the hilarious thing is a couple of years ago, while working on my M. Ed., I worked in an after-school program with some college sophomores/juniors (whom had cornered the market on babysitting) whom I overheard one day saying that if the babysitting job didn't pay at least $10/hour they had other things to do and didn't even consider it. I WAS APPALLED!! and I'm sure I made some big snorting sound unconsciously. We didn't make that much at the after-school job, and I was also working part-time at Panera at that time for a humble (I have my bachelor's degree and still work in food-service) wage of $7.50/hr. I can almost guarantee that their services weren't THAT great, but their self-entitled attitudes left me reeling.
Having more recently graduated from high school, I remember the babysitting days well. I say somewhere around $8 per hour is sufficient. I liked how some people paid me...they would give me a certain amount per hour per child (because the number of kids makes a HUGE difference).
okay, okay, everyone. let the expert tell ya. i have often been asked what i charge when i am asked to babysit. honestly, it changes everytime i am asked(depending on who it is). however, my rate that i charge is usually $6-$7/hr for 1 kid; $8-$9/hr for 2 and $10/hr for 3(i've never babysat for more than 3 kids, so i'm not sure what will happen when that time comes). but with your two kids, i would charge $8-$10. that will leave the babysitter very satisfied. perhaps lower for a younger kid; higher if they drive(gas and what not). and there you go. that is"the going rate"
Wow, the 8-10 rate shocks me, but guess inflation is to blame? I always thought I paid decent but I guess I'm cheap! I always paid $5 and hour when we just had J (Adam says that J is/was such an angel that people should've paid US to watch him, HA!:). Now I pay 6/hr w/2 kids...but then I DO always get the younger girls to watch my kids, mainly because they aren't burned out of sitting...that and the fact that they're easier to nail down so I can get 'em to come over! Oh, one other thing--it depends on what part of the country you're in too as far as wage is concerned...My sis in IL ALWAYS gets more than 10/hr for 2 kids, in CA it's different too. I've also been told by sitters that I pay too much so I guess I'm still stumped as to what I SHOULD be paying! Hmm.
I say it is all about age. The older I got the higher my rate became (initiated solely by the people i babysat for). So if they are young def. under $10. But if your getting an older responsible girl who is 17/18 I'd start off at $10, and go from there. If it is someone you use a lot you need to pay more! I would change all my plans to always be able to babysit for this one lady, because she treated me so well!!
I think it depends on if her name is Lia. If it is Lia you should pay $40 an hour. But if it is someone normal, you should pay $7-$10 an hour
That last one was supposed to be from me!
Wow, I am cheap. We don't get babysitters often but when I have I just pay them a flat rate which tends to be around $5 an hour. Teenagers can't really get jobs that pay $10 an hour can they? Maybe I am just getting old and haven't checked in a while.
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