What is a Fair Price?

[libranbutterfly]

I answered a help wanted ad in the paper for a babysitter for 2 school aged kids for the summer. What would you charge?

[Tigerchild]

I'd probably charge $12. I wouldn't work for less than $10, but if I was bringing my own kids along, I wouldn't feel right charging the same amount I did pre-kids ($15/hr). I don't have the time to keep up all my certifications now, and the kids in my care wouldn't have my undivided attention.

I was always on the high end of compensation though, even for part time work. If you don't have the kind of experience that parents like (I've got a bachelors in Family and Child Development, and have many years of ECE teaching and nannydom under my belt, complete with certification and proof of the continuing ed classes I'd taken) then I'd say $10ish is more realistic. If they're expecting you to drive the children to activities, then I'd find out if they will give you gas money/mileage, and if not, you should boost your pay a little more to compensate, since it's very expensive right now.

[Ducky5306]

Originally Posted by libranbutterfly

I answered a help wanted ad in the paper for a babysitter for 2 school aged kids for the summer. What would you charge?

depends on the going rate in your area/state it veries so much state to state

[lilyka]

Would they be at your house or theirs? would your kids be tagging along?

I would charge more for at their house, more to use my car and let Iwouldn't do it if they weren't).

depending on how much ofmy day would be driving them around to activities and lessons i would charge $10 per hour t their house and $8 at mine. plus more (like $5-$10 an hour more) if I was a slave to their schedule.

[LoveOhm]

It depends the going rate in my area is $10 - $12 and $15 for a professional nanny from an agency. I pay my sitter $10 per hour but she is in college and has little experience and I plan to give her a raise in 6 months to $11 per hour

[phathui5]

That would depend where you were watching them and how much driving it would involve.

[cutekid]

I would figure how much I am driving. I trade with another mom to keep my DS in the afternoon. I keep her son in the morning from 8-11:30. I normally charge $4 per child/hour and $3 per meal.

She takes my son from 1-4 everyday. She drives him around, and gets him lunch.

Denise

[McMandy]

Ha! I would NOT hire a sitter that charged me $15 an hour.

I have several friends who sit for me, and we usually keep it to $5-7 per hour.

When I was babysitting, I charged the same, but if it was a full day, I charged a flat fee ($40).

If you plan on sitting out of your own home, I'd recomment about 7 an hour. Minimum wage here is $7.25 (just recently upped.. GAH! Not good for us who own our own businesses!). You may just want to charge minimum wage!

As someone pointed out, you'll want to find out what they expect. If you're suppose to take them places, that should be extra.

[escher]

$15-20 an hour. But I do live in an expensive area.

[Dragonfly]

I live in the same area as escher12 and the only sitters I could get for less than $10/hour would probably be a junior high schol kid who I probably wouldn't want sitting for my kid.

Ds' dad is a high school teacher and I've had a few of his students who are responsible and who I trust stay with ds on occasion and paid them $10/hour. When I sat for 3 children plus my own, I was paid $12/hour and, in retrospect, it wasn't enough. $15-20/hour is the norm around here for qualified adults.

[StephandOwen]

$15-20/hour

[Dragonfly]

Yeah, that would be why I never go anywhere without ds unless he's with his dad or my mom.

[libranbutterfly]

child care is MUCH cheaper around here. I used to work in a daycare that was 100/week, and there was one in town that was $75/week, but I heard it wasn't very good. I watched one of their kids for 6 hours last week, for $25 (and for 4 hours before that, older bro and dad hung out at the house and played, it was pretty fun) They said they paid their regular babysitter $25 a day, so that is what I got friday. If I do watch them, I will make it $25 per day per kid, I think. I'm also applying at a couple day cares, if I can stand the way things are run at them (I am very picky about my kids) B/c I really need money, and I want my kids either with me or DH (preferably me).

[Alkenny]

It does depend on where you live. $10 or more per hour? People working full-time jobs don't make that much around here!

[*Karen*]

Originally Posted by libranbutterfly

child care is MUCH cheaper around here. I used to work in a daycare that was 100/week, and there was one in town that was $75/week, but I heard it wasn't very good. I watched one of their kids for 6 hours last week, for $25 (and for 4 hours before that, older bro and dad hung out at the house and played, it was pretty fun) They said they paid their regular babysitter $25 a day, so that is what I got friday. If I do watch them, I will make it $25 per day per kid, I think. I'm also applying at a couple day cares, if I can stand the way things are run at them (I am very picky about my kids) B/c I really need money, and I want my kids either with me or DH (preferably me).

Sounds reasonable. I think a daily pay makes more sense. I cannot imagine paying a sitter $10-$15 and hour. Geez. Unless it is a certified nanny or something. I'd say $25-$35 for a full day is about right in KY.

[libranbutterfly]

Originally Posted by Dylan'sMommy

Sounds reasonable. I think a daily pay makes more sense. I cannot imagine paying a sitter $10-$15 and hour. Geez. Unless it is a certified nanny or something. I'd say $25-$35 for a full day is about right in KY.

Thanks! Sometimes I wish I lived in some of those areas people get $10-15 an hour. I was getting worried there for a minute, b/c I know there is no way I could get that much, but I FEEL well qualified. :

[laralou]

We don't use sitters, but I do sit for kids. If I do it hourly, I would charge at least $10/hour if I have to drive. Gas is $3 a gallon. But I usually do a day rate if it is in my house. People pay it. The only way to get someone for less than $10 here is to get a teenager.

[Parker'smommy]

I would charge by the day/week. Around here it is around $125 a week. Lots of dcp provide a discount for siblings so you could say $125 for one, $100 for the second so $225 a week for two.

i would ask what she was paying before hiring you and ask for at least that.

[frgsonmysox]

When I nannied, in SC, I got paid 10$ an hour for two kids. And I thought that was high!

[bwylde]

Originally Posted by Alkenny

It does depend on where you live. $10 or more per hour? People working full-time jobs don't make that much around here!

Ditto!