how much to pay babysitter??

[mjkacmom]

Would an older lady do that for that amount of money? Yes, and I know lots of people that would probably do it for free. They would probably love to come over and spend all day with a baby. I'm sure she's not in it for the money. OP if you can afford to pay $10/hour go for it. I"m just saying that would never happen around here...unless you were somebody rich.

Well, judging from all of the other posts, paying $10+ an hour happens almost everywhere else.

 

[KKB]

So if she watches your child every day 8-5, she gets $90/day...$450/week...$1800/month--WHAT? WHO can afford that??!!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Our sitter is $12/hr too. Worth it b/c she has a college degree and I feel safe leaving my kids with her.

I wouldn't pay a teenager that much, but then again, I wouldn't have a teen watch my kids unless I waited until bedtime to leave.

 

[RMAMom]

It is a problem. Around here a neighbor wanted to go back to work, but she is making min. wage. The babysitters were between 8 and $10 per hours, so it cost her to work.

Sounds like she should work at home watching someone elses child. The bonus is that she could be with her own as well!

 

[torinsmom]

Sounds like she should work at home watching someone elses child. The bonus is that she could be with her own as well!

I did this. I called people who had placed ads looking for a nanny and offered to bring my son to their house and take care of both kids at once for 1/2 what they were planning to pay a nanny. Some almost hung up on me, but it didn't take long before I found someone who was willing to try it out. I kept that child from when she was 2 months old until she was 2 1/2 and they added another baby when she was 2. Would have kept doing it too, if they didn't have to move. It was great deal for them and for me, and my son(who was 7 months older than their daughter) had a playmate during the week. We ended up working it where I would start at their house and then after lunch, we would go to my house and they'd pick her up there.

Marsha

 

[Mom_Rides]

Our babysitter charges $3 an hour. She is raising her rates to $4 an hour next month. We are still a bit in shock over the price increase and are contemplating biting the bullet and sending our DD to preschool (about $30 cheaper per week at this point for a top notch school in our area).

I can tell you that if I called someone and they told me (or anyone I know for that matter) that they charged $8/$10/$12 an hour to babysit, they wouldn't have a job. Not in this area, in this economy. We live in NW Ohio.

And there is no way on earth that I would pay a teenager $10 an hour to babysit! Absolutely no way! I would not nor have I ever paid a teenager more then I pay my regular babysitter.

 

[AZMermaid]

So if she watches your child every day 8-5, she gets $90/day...$450/week...$1800/month--WHAT? WHO can afford that??!!

This is basically what my friend was paying- hence why she stays home now! Between her and her cousin, the nanny made $150 a day/ $600 a week (4 days). Once my friend had her second baby, she was paying $115 a day (so the nanny was now making $190 a day). She couldn't afford it and didn't want to do daycare, so she stopped working.

I am a teacher and it would cost me half my salary to send my baby (due in Sept) to daycare and we could never afford a nanny- even a share. I got laid off due to budget cuts so I am staying home this year. Next year, I will probably go back and we will be doing daycare ($250ish a week for infant, a little less when he turns 1) but I may look into taking in a second kid instead.

But even with that- I would NEVER pay someone, regardless of age, less than minimum wage to watch my child on a one on one (or one sitter to my family) basis. Maybe- I would pay them less if they were watching their own child at the same time- but I don't think that would fly around here (for legal US residents at least). I think a regular babysitter charges less than the weekend sitter because they know the income is stable. A weekend sitter is more at a premium because they are giving up their weekend and never know if they will have a job.

 

[disfan07]

So if she watches your child every day 8-5, she gets $90/day...$450/week...$1800/month--WHAT? WHO can afford that??!!

The preschool/daycare I worked at was $1500/month so yeah, $1800/month does not surprise me for individual care.

 

[gr8mommy]

Our babysitter charges $3 an hour. She is raising her rates to $4 an hour next month. We are still a bit in shock over the price increase and are contemplating biting the bullet and sending our DD to preschool (about $30 cheaper per week at this point for a top notch school in our area).

I can tell you that if I called someone and they told me (or anyone I know for that matter) that they charged $8/$10/$12 an hour to babysit, they wouldn't have a job. Not in this area, in this economy. We live in NW Ohio.

And there is no way on earth that I would pay a teenager $10 an hour to babysit! Absolutely no way! I would not nor have I ever paid a teenager more then I pay my regular babysitter.

Then you'd never get a babysitter around here. They can make $7.25 an hour flipping burgers, why would I trust them with the lives of my children for less than that?

My regular sitter is starting her sophomore year in college; plays with my girls/takes them to the library, the playground, feeds them lunch. She doesn't sit on the couch texting her boyfriend while making them sit in their rooms. They actually tell me to go back out when I return because they are having so much fun with Nicole! When she's not available I've used other teens (jr or sr in hs) for the same price with similar results.

Teens have many more options for earning money these days---the ones who babysit are the ones who WANT to be with your kids, and make the time count. As far as I'm concerned, mine earn every penny!

 

[mjkacmom]

Our babysitter charges $3 an hour. She is raising her rates to $4 an hour next month. We are still a bit in shock over the price increase and are contemplating biting the bullet and sending our DD to preschool (about $30 cheaper per week at this point for a top notch school in our area).

I can tell you that if I called someone and they told me (or anyone I know for that matter) that they charged $8/$10/$12 an hour to babysit, they wouldn't have a job. Not in this area, in this economy. We live in NW Ohio.

And there is no way on earth that I would pay a teenager $10 an hour to babysit! Absolutely no way! I would not nor have I ever paid a teenager more then I pay my regular babysitter.

Well, even the least expensive preschool here is $400+ a month for a 3 hour day. There is absolutely no way a sitter would come to my house for less than $8 an hour.

 

[torinsmom]

Then you'd never get a babysitter around here. They can make $7.25 an hour flipping burgers, why would I trust them with the lives of my children for less than that?

My regular sitter is starting her sophomore year in college; plays with my girls/takes them to the library, the playground, feeds them lunch. She doesn't sit on the couch texting her boyfriend while making them sit in their rooms. They actually tell me to go back out when I return because they are having so much fun with Nicole! When she's not available I've used other teens (jr or sr in hs) for the same price with similar results.

Teens have many more options for earning money these days---the ones who babysit are the ones who WANT to be with your kids, and make the time count. As far as I'm concerned, mine earn every penny!

ITA. When I was a teenager 25 years ago, I made $2/hour per child babysitting. That was at 13, 14 and 15. When I was in college, I made $6-$7/hour, which was over min. wage. Who in their right mind would waste the gas to drive to someone house and back for $3-$4/hour these days? Now, if it is a home daycare and your child is one of four or five kids, that is a different story. How is this person supposed to make a living?

The little boy I babysit is almost 5 and the daycare he goes to charges $1300/month for that age, more for a baby.

 

[disfan07]

The little boy I babysit is almost 5 and the daycare he goes to charges $1300/month for that age, more for a baby.

WOW. That's higher than what it cost where I used to work and I lived in a much higher COL.
We were about $1300/month for infants and toddlers, $1200 for 2s and about $1100/month for 3s and 4s

 

[torinsmom]

WOW. That's higher than what it cost where I used to work and I lived in a much higher COL.
We were about $1300/month for infants and toddlers, $1200 for 2s and about $1100/month for 3s and 4s

Just checked to make sure--It's $1370 for 1's, 2's and 3's and then $1330 for 4's and 5's. There are 14 kids in the preschool class and 2 teachers. That is not the norm around here. I think most preschools are around $800-$900/month and home daycares are a little less. This program is Regio Emilia(sp) based, so maybe that is the difference. He is at camps for a few weeks and then will be starting at a private school for about the same tuition.

 

[*Seanaci*]

I babysit for my neighbors son. When I started out, I had him for 8 hours a day, 4 days a week and charged $20/day. She recently filed for divorce and left her husband and needed 2 extra hours of care a day. I was fine with 10 hours a day, 4 days a week as long as I got $25 a day. I'm not licensed and neither one of us report the money on our income tax forms.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

I really think it just depends on the situation. I nanny for my full-time job. I drive the kids to their pre-k program every day and pick them up. I am only reimbursed for gas $$ in the summer when my driving doubles b/c of driving them to activities. I get paid $10/hour. I also take the girls to one activitiy during the school year. It comes out to about $1200/month. I need that money. $3-$4/hour around here just wouldn't cut it.

 

[Shleedogg]

My SIL watches my DD once a week for 5-6 hrs. Usually 5, in the summer it's shorter since she has to get her kids to various activities and jobs. She charges me $12.50 a day. Which I know is insanely cheap. DH and I are so appreciative. That is her family rate. She charges everyone else $25/day. She runs an in-home daycare. Has almost 30 years of experience, has 5 of her own kids, 3 grandkids. She is an amazing DCP.

A girl down the street has offered to baby-sit for us on evenings if we need it. She told us she charges $5/hr. I can't believe how cheap. I made $2.50-$3/hr about 15 yrs ago, I would have expected it to go up. There's another little girl who's 11 next door who offered to baby-sit for $1/hr. She just really loves playing w/ DD, lol. We let her come and play with her/watch her for an hour here or there while we do yard work or work around the house. We do pay her more though!

 

[KKB]

I definitely would have had to be a stay at home mom for that price--that's nuts!!! First year teachers make about $30K...and you all are talking $15K/yr. for daycare!!!
I heard $175/wk for babies (most expensive age) at a "top" daycare here...so $700/month. And we are city of 225K in the midwest...
Those are some crazy prices!

 

[gr8mommy]

I definitely would have had to be a stay at home mom for that price--that's nuts!!! First year teachers make about $30K...and you all are talking $15K/yr. for daycare!!!
I heard $175/wk for babies (most expensive age) at a "top" daycare here...so $700/month. And we are city of 225K in the midwest...
Those are some crazy prices!

As a second year teacher 12 years ago, I made just over $30K. That was the year I had DS---sent him to daycare and it was $900/month then. Two years later when we found out we were having our older DD, we figured I'd only be keeping about $300 per month after paying daycare costs for both. That was the day we decided I'd retire. I've been home ever since. We saved more than that $300 by me quitting--no more double wardrobe costs, kids got sick less often, etc.

 

[Mom_Rides]

Then you'd never get a babysitter around here. They can make $7.25 an hour flipping burgers, why would I trust them with the lives of my children for less than that?

My regular sitter is starting her sophomore year in college; plays with my girls/takes them to the library, the playground, feeds them lunch. She doesn't sit on the couch texting her boyfriend while making them sit in their rooms. They actually tell me to go back out when I return because they are having so much fun with Nicole! When she's not available I've used other teens (jr or sr in hs) for the same price with similar results.

Teens have many more options for earning money these days---the ones who babysit are the ones who WANT to be with your kids, and make the time count. As far as I'm concerned, mine earn every penny!

Our babysitter is an in-home private babysitter. Our daughter is not the only child who goes to her. However, her rates are going to be high come September, especially for this area.

And like I said, I would never pay a teenager more then I pay my regular day care provider. If they want to make $7.25 flipping burgers then be my guest. They won't be making it in my house! And good luck to them finding a burger flipping job around here. When there are jobs to be had, there are hundreds if not thousands of people applying. We just had a new arena open last fall. There were 200 SEASONAL jobs available. Close to 5000 people showed up to apply. For SEASONAL jobs! The economy here sucks. Teenagers around here babysit for whatever people pay them because it's money in their pockets that they aren't able to get someplace else.

 

[disfan07]

Teenagers around here babysit for whatever people pay them because it's money in their pockets that they aren't able to get someplace else.

And that is just wrong on your part for so many reasons. That is taking advantage of the situation. A good babysitter is worth their weight in gold.
Here, if you dont want to pay AT LEAST $10/hour for 1 child, you will not find a babysitter. I won't babysit for less than $12/hour for 1 child. I have 9 years of babysitting experience, a year of preschool/daycare experience plus infant/child CPR certification.

This will probably make me sound bad but when it comes to babysitting, I am worth more than $3/hour and I have the experience and 6 references to prove it.