How much per hour should I pay the babysitter?

[Darth Cupcake]

We have a high school girl (daughter of one of my DH's co-workers) who baby-sits our two girls. Our girls are 6 and 3 years old. I'm interested in knowing how much I should be paying the babysitter. We have recently had quite different amounts suggested to us by friends.

Thank you so much!

 

[N.Bailey]

I think the "RIGHT" answer will be different depending on where you live. In my area, I'd say $2.00 an hour for the 1st child, and $1.00 for each additional child, so $3.00 per hour around here.

 

[pearlieq]

Around here, $5 per hour is the absolute bare minimum, with averages ranging between $7 - $9 per hour depending on the age of the sitter (older w/own car can command more) and the number and ages of the kids.

 

[Sherri]

My sister give my daughter $10.00 an hour to watch her three kids when she needs a babysitter.
But then again, my neighbor pays my daughter $30.00 a day to watch two children from 7am-4:00pm when they have an inservice day (my neighbor is a teacher).
I think it depends on if its an everyday thing or a sometimes thing.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

How much have friends suggested? Do you need a regular sitter or just an occasional night out? I would have an idea of the fair market rate in your area and either suggest an amount to the babysitter and ask if that's ok or you can ask her what she charges.

My teen who babysit have had both happen. Some neighbors say an amount, bust most people ask what they charge.

The going rate in our area is between $7-10/for 2 children. Our neighbors pay my teens $10/hour to sit for their two kids (and the same amount if only one child is home), but they do like to call for a sitter at the last moment and I think they want to make sure that the teens will say yes. Therefore, they pay a premium for that convenience.

 

[DVCLiz]

DD usually gets 8 to 10 dollars an hour. She drives her own car, which is a convenience. She has good clients who pay her well and tip, so she usually tries to make herself available for them.

 

[golfgal]

Around here $1/hour/child is pretty normal but most do a minimum of $3/hour, the better jobs will earn $5/hour. This is something that is VERY regional and hard to ask on a board like this. The best thing to do is ask a few people in your area and take an average of that.

 

[megan4777]

Holy crap!! I was charging $6-7/hr when I was babysitting *cough*15* cough*yrs ago* cough*. I was wayyyyy ahead of my time, apparently
I would ask her what she would like and take it from there.

 

[RadioNate]

We pay between $7-8 an hour for 1 child (college aged sitter) and I can't hold on to my sitters so I guess we aren't worth their while.

Our friends pay at least $10 for their 2 children.

I'm waiting for several calls back from 'new' sitters so I'll see what they charge.

I wouldn't dream of paying less than $5 a hour for 1 child. And that would only be for a sitter who was under 16. Once they are old enough to have a job, I wouldn't pay anything less than minimum wage for the area.

 

[zurgswife]

Philly area here it's about $8-10 per hour.

 

[Darth Cupcake]

We use her for babysitting once in awhile when we take a break and go out --not on a daily basis.

We have asked and her reply was "whatever you pay me is fine." She will not give me a rate. Her father is a friend and co-worker of my DH.

One of DH's coworkers is a friend of ours and he has a new girlfriend. Well her job is being a daytime part time nanny to several families. We were all out to dinner and she said I should pay $8 for the first child and $5 for the second for a total of $13 / hour. I thought that was too much and it was more than what we had been paying. I told another friend of mine and she said that was too much. She pays $8/hr but for 3 kids. I don't know. That is too low in my opinion. So Saturday, I paid $12/hr - gone 3.5 hours and paid the babysitter $45. But I'm having second thoughts.

Thank you so much for all of your input. I want to be fair but not go overboard.

 

[Hannathy]

I would say at least $5. per hour and then round up. My DD watched 2 girls 8 and 10 last Sat eve. from 6:30 -12 and got $30. with pizza for dinner and the Mom apologized for not giving her more and she'll make up for it next time (she will I know her) and these girls both fell asleep about 10 and my DD read.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Seems for your area, from what your friend with the 3 kids pays, I'd pay 8-10/hour. Of course you paid more than that the first time and now she might expect it, but I'll bet that she'll drop everything to babysit for you again. There is a positive to paying a lot. Maybe try asking her what other people pay her and she'll give you an amount.

 

[Forevryoung]

I babysit a fair amount (all through high school and I still do) and as a college student I will not babysit for less than $12 an hour (I have my own car, I'm an EMT/Firefighter, I actually play with the kids...)

After babysitting for many many families over the years, it's not always the money but how good are the kids?? Be honest with yourself. If you know that they will probably give the babysitter a hard time with anything, if the siblings bicker constantly, if they fight, if they will lock themselves in the bathroom, scream and cry for two hours after you leave etc. PLEASE increase the rate per hour.

Another suggestion is pay more for when the kids are awake and then drop the rate a little- I babysit for a 2 and 6 year old and the parents stay out VERY (like 2-3am) late. While the (great) kids are awake I get $12, after they go to sleep at 9pm I get $10. Just another suggestion.

 

[Stephanie218]

I babysit 3 - 4 times a week while at school (I'm a sophmore in college) and get $10 an hour for picking up a 12 year old girl for school and staying with her at her house for around 1.5 hours.

It's a pretty awesome job for me, since I get around 75 - 100 a week for not many hours, and the mom doesn't have to worry about her child getting a ride home.

I also babysit at home sometimes, as I did Saturday, and also got $10 an hour then. I think you paid fairly

 

[binny]

I think the "RIGHT" answer will be different depending on where you live. In my area, I'd say $2.00 an hour for the 1st child, and $1.00 for each additional child, so $3.00 per hour around here.

thats my base too.


I say Base because if they have done nothing but "been a body" here and not cleaned up after themselves and pretty much left the kids to their devices then that is what they get. If on the other hand they are active with the kids and clean up, or are older, I usually pay $6 or $7.


fair warning this always starts the " They are taking care of your children for gosh sakes" argument.


Flame if you must but its happened with every babysitting cost thread Ive seen here.

 

[KarenAylwood]

$3/hr?!?!?! Holy CRAP! I would have said that would be nothing 10 years ago! I mean, I know "everything's regional" but are you living in Mexico??

I'd say no less than $6/hr- the federal minimum wage is $5.15/hr and I'd feel that even though this isn't something that's federally regulated, it could be a guideline.

Everyone I know expects $10/hr (this is in Upstate NY and Virginia- no, not northern VA) but I'd say that's for two or three kids. For one- $6, two-$8-10 but it also depends on if you want them to serve the kids food, clean up, etc. Also depends on kids ages and behaviors (ie- tack on more for 2 or 3 and under, more for a baby, more if you know your kids are terrors).

I guess there really are different ideas when it comes to stuff like this!!

 

[kimmikayb]

HOLY COW! Some areas are really paying good babysitting money. That's better wages then most adults make around here.

In our area (rural Iowa) we pay $5 an hour plus we tip. Depending on what the babysitter did. We'll also give her gas money if she drives over (usually another $5, she is only a few miles away).

Of course....one night I was extremely tipsy (ok, drunk but in my defense it's the first time in like 8 years and it won't happen again!) and I paid her really, really well!!!!!!!! LOL! I bet she wishes I'd go out and drink more!

I am considering paying her more because a good babysitter is hard to find!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Of course....one night I was extremely tipsy (ok, drunk but in my defense it's the first time in like 8 years and it won't happen again!) and I paid her really, really well!!!!!!!! LOL! I bet she wishes I'd go out and drink more!

Maybe you were so drunk you thought you were living in Maryland and paid accordingly.

 

[twinkletoesmom]

we are lucky and usually have family watch our kids but we have had a girl down the road and when I asked her she said $20 a night not bad I guess.

But do people really pay $10-13 an hour even if the sitter comes just before bed time? I'm mean come on paying a teenager $12 an hour to sit in the phone eat your food and watch T.V. Thats crazy!!!