How Much to Charge for this?

[Rora]

I have no clue how to determine how much pay is fair in this situation:

I will be petsitting 2 of my mom's coworker's cats for 4 days. The lady has asked me to spend the night at her house because "the cats need someone to be with them at all times" (okay..).

She is also having her regular pet sitter come in twice a day, even when I'm there, to administer the cat's anxiety pills and "perform a routine that takes about an hour". So, basically I'm just there to keep the cats company and possibly give them food/medicine.

Although she wants me to spend the night there she told me that I'm free to come and go during the day. She is the nicest lady and I'm happy to be helping her out. She told me to start thinking about my pay but I have no idea how much to charge.

I don't want to be unfair to her in terms of cost but considering she wants me to spend 3 nights with her cats, I want to make sure that this is worth my while. Again, she is a wonderful lady and I'm happy to be doing this but I'm at a loss for how much is fair to be paid.

Thoughts?

 

[My sister's princess]

I paid my friend $20 for 4 nights, but she lived in the dorm and was just thrilled to have a place to stay other than the dorm. She didn't expect anything ( just excited not to be in the dorm ) I also told her to eat or use anything she wanted.
I didn't want Bruce to be alone, this was before we got our second kitty, so it was a win win for both of us, the kitty wasn't alone, and she had a whole apartment to herself

 

[monkeybug]

We just paid someone $200 and a box of chocolate to watch two dogs and a cat for a week.

 

[Rora]

Thanks for responding-- do you mean $20 per night or $20 total? Just want to clarify!

Again, I don't want to recommend a very steep price but do want to be paid for my time (I will still be teaching, have to leave my DH at home, etc).

 

[happygirl]

IF it was me and I really liked the person I was house sitting for. I would do it for free.

 

[MerMom60_94]

My DD took care of my neighbor's cat for a week. It simply involved running across the street once a day and feeding the kitty and cleaning out the litter box. There was no overnight stay involved and she paid her $50. My daughter didn't set a rate, this is what my neighbor put in an envelope with the key.

 

[Rora]

IF it was me and I really liked the person I was house sitting for. I would do it for free.

I would too but I've met this woman twice. She's not a family friend, just a coworker of my mom's who's been nice to me the two times I've met her.

Again, I'm really not trying to cheat her or anything of the like, just trying to get paid for my time.

 

[AshleyW]

We take our two cats to a pet resort when we go on vacation (yes, they're spoiled ) and it's $18 per day for two cats to stay there. So, it'd be $64 for four days.. if I were you, I'd ask for $50-$60.

 

[R and C's momma]

The place we take our dogs charges $15 each/day (a woman who has many acres) for boarding.

Since you are staying - even though you can come/go at will, I'd say $10-12 per day is a good range to consider. It would most likely cost her that at minimum to do boarding elsewhere (and possibly in a cage/kennel all day).

~R and C's momma

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think 50 bucks is fair. Not too much but not too little.

 

[kirstenb1]

I'd say easily $20 per day. I'm paying a neighbor's kid $15 per day, to feed the cat, water outdoor plants, and bring in the mail/paper.

I have no experience with what's fair for housesitting, but it should be more than just running over to take care of the pets.

 

[krcit]

Wow. I must be mean b/c I wouldn't do it for less than $100. Be away from my DH for 3 nights....hmmmmm...wait I changed my mind! I'd do it for free No, seriously? I would want at least 100 for the inconvenience.

 

[Meriweather]

I pay a neighbor boy $10 to just come in and clean our 1 cat's box and feed him. Takes all of about 15 minutes.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd say $25 a day, but I hate sleeping in strange beds (and I'm highly allergic to cats - I did it a few times for my SIL, before I married DH).

 

[Pumbaa_]

I paid my petsitter $15 a night. Similar type setup - wanted someone in the house overnight. She had a dog and 3 cats to watch. Worth every penny!

 

[bicker]

We pay $16 per day ($18 on weekends) for a bonded pet sitter. I would assume (hope?) that someone who's not bonded would charge substantially less.

 

[KJ Luvs Pluto]

We pay $120-$150 a week plus we stock the house with groceries for the pet sitters who stay. It gives us peace of mind knowing that there is someone staying with them so they are in a familiar setting, plus the house isn't sitting empty. Totally worth it. Plus we usually bring back a souvie for them. When we go camping up in the mountains the vacation costs about the same as the pet sitting .

 

[mjkacmom]

We pay $16 per day ($18 on weekends) for a bonded pet sitter. I would assume (hope?) that someone who's not bonded would charge substantially less.

Wow, I just googled overnight pet sitting in my area, and it averages $60 a night!

 

[bicker]

I just don't see the advantage of overnight pet sitting, I guess.

 

[Syrreal]

We give our pet sitter $10 a day to feed/water/clean our catboxes for our five cats (2 boxes) but she doesn't spend the night. When I used to housesit for a professor of mine and take care of his dog and 2 cats, I usually got $25 for the weekend.