How much do you pay babysitters?

[Tigger113]

Hi all! My daughter is 15 she will be 16 very soon and has had a lot of experience babysitting. She dosen't have a set amount of $ per hour and she was wondering if you could help her figure out a price. She usually does activites and crafts with them and she loves kids so much.
Please let us know how much you pay and how many kids you have, if you would.
Thanks!

 

[clh2]

Babysitting charges are a very regional thing, and are really subject to the laws of supply and demand.

My DD, who is 12, has started babysitting, and has very little experience, she is getting $5-$7/hour. She is the only one in our area who babysits who is not in high school. So if there is a school function - DD is the only one who can babysit.

 

[TigerCheer2009]

Your daughter's abilities sound a lot like mine. I charge $3-4 an hour for my area.

Best of luck!

 

[Tigger113]

Your daughter's abilities sound a lot like mine. I charge $3-4 an hour for my area.

Best of luck!

We live in GA and the going rate she seems to be getting is $8-10 per hour for 2 kids. $3-4 is not enough in my opinion for all the work they do!

 

[ZuZugal]

So many factors go into the amount charged. I would think at least $5 per hour.

For my case: I pay $5 per hour, I get a pizza or meal for the sitter, if we come home "on the half hour" I pay up to a full hour, and if they drive to/from my house I pay more to cover their gas & time.

 

[Kath2003]

I'm 21 and have been babysitting since I was 16. I charge £10 for the first four hours ($18) and then £5 an hour after ($8). So if I arrive at half past 7 and leave at midnight, it's $22, or an average of $5 an hour. I expect unlimited use of tea and coffee and to use a wireless network if they have one so I can study. I don't like ripping people off - parents don't get a lot of time off so they shouldn't have to pay me an awful lot. Luckily I only babysit for reasonably well-behaved kids anyway.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My kids get up to $10/hr. Like others have said, it's really a regional thing. I would ask friends what they pay and other sitters how much they charge.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We generally give 5 for the first few times and then increase the amount over time if our kids like them or not.