watching a friends child-what to charge?

[jjj444]

So about 3 years ago I watched a friends child for them during the day while they were both at work and they paid me $30 a day. Fast forward to today and I am being asked again to watch their baby that is coing in july. I will start in Sept. when the baby is a few months old. It will be 3 days a week about 7 hours a day. They are asking me what I would like to get paid this time around. Does anyone out there do this and what do you get paid?? I am in Michigan and was thinking around $40 a day????
Any advice would be great!

 

[Gr8t Fan]

So about 3 years ago I watched a friends child for them during the day while they were both at work and they paid me $30 a day. Fast forward to today and I am being asked again to watch their baby that is coing in july. I will start in Sept. when the baby is a few months old. It will be 3 days a week about 7 hours a day. They are asking me what I would like to get paid this time around. Does anyone out there do this and what do you get paid?? I am in Michigan and was thinking around $40 a day????
Any advice would be great!

My 14 year old DD watches our neighbor's toddler once in a while and gets $10/hour. We used to pay $30 a day at an at home daycare for our two daughters when I worked part-time, 3 days a week, almost 10 years ago. I think $40 a day is a little low, maybe $45-$50.

 

[sneadae]

Average rate is between $20 - $35 for home daycare in my area, I believe. $40 seems a bit high to me, but it really depends on the going rate in your area.

 

[dawson5]

My 14 year old DD watches our neighbor's toddler once in a while and gets $10/hour.

This. I babysit a 6 mo old, two days a week. Quite honestly, I didn't know what to charge and told them what ever they thought was fair. I still feel like I should be paying them, I am enjoying it so much. She's a really good, very happy baby.

 

[sneadae]

My 14 year old DD watches our neighbor's toddler once in a while and gets $10/hour.

WOW!! Lucky her! We typically pay $10/hour total for both of our children. I don't think $10/hour is the norm for a teenage babysitter watching 1 child...so tell your daughter to hang on to that job

 

[Kellydelly]

I don't think I would do it for less than $40 a day, that sounds reasonable. I live in MI too. I was paying a neighbor to watch my 4 yr old twins for 8-9 hrs a day (twice a week) and she charged me $50 (she also watched them for 3-4 hrs for $25 two days a week). Pretty cheap, but I got what I paid for; there were a few other kids, she wasn't licensed, and my kids spent a lot of time in front of a television. Thankfully it was only for two semesters of college, then I didn't need childcare any longer.

 

[sherry7]

So about 3 years ago I watched a friends child for them during the day while they were both at work and they paid me $30 a day. Fast forward to today and I am being asked again to watch their baby that is coing in july. I will start in Sept. when the baby is a few months old. It will be 3 days a week about 7 hours a day. They are asking me what I would like to get paid this time around. Does anyone out there do this and what do you get paid?? I am in Michigan and was thinking around $40 a day????
Any advice would be great!

Call around to the local daycare facilities in your area and see what they charge for 3 days of infant care, so you have a basis to go off. I live about an hour from Pittsburgh, and the going rate around here for a daycare facility (under 13 months old) is $475 a month for 3 days a week, $595 a month for 4 days a week, and $700 a month for 5 days a week.

Discuss the tax implications upfront with the parents. If you don't plan on claiming the income on your taxes, then they can't claim the child care deduction on their tax return. That should be taken into account when you give them a rate. Also, are they planning on supplying diapers, wipes, a car seat, baby food, formula, etc to bring to your home?

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

I think 40 sounds fine!

 

[mjkacmom]

Around here, it's usually $10 an hour if you go to their home, but unlicenced home daycare is usually about $5 an hour (centers are much more). Most of the women I know who've watched children for friends or family only charged $25 an hour for that timeframe. Since she's your friend, I wouldn't charge more than $35 (and I live in a very high COL area).

 

[brymolmom]

I don't think calling local daycares is a fair comparison - they tend to charge a LOT more. And honestly, if you're not licensed you need to charge less because the parents can't get pre-tax savings, etc.

I pay very low - $25 per day per kid, but I think $35 - $40 per day per kid is more the norm. Plus my daycare provider provides food.

 

[sherry7]

I don't think calling local daycares is a fair comparison - they tend to charge a LOT more. And honestly, if you're not licensed you need to charge less because the parents can't get pre-tax savings, etc.

I pay very low - $25 per day per kid, but I think $35 - $40 per day per kid is more the norm. Plus my daycare provider provides food.

I assume that you are referring to my post, since I'm the one that made that recommendation. If you re-read it, you will see that I mentioned the tax implications as well. The amounts that some people are suggesting are MORE than what my licensed daycare center is, so I think she needs to check the local prices and set her price lower than that.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

I'm in MD, and charge $40/day for my infants. I'm licensed.

 

[lovetheduck]

Where we live people pay more for at home (meaning their home) than day care. During the summer, we pay $20 an hour for some one to drive the kids around to their activities (their car). We pay a high school girl $12 an hour for the nights we go out without the kids.

 

[jessica52877]

I am thinking still $30 but kind of depends on the area I guess. I used to get $120/week and that was really high for around here. You could go to a daycare for $75-90 at the time.

 

[LisaNJ25]

So about 3 years ago I watched a friends child for them during the day while they were both at work and they paid me $30 a day. Fast forward to today and I am being asked again to watch their baby that is coing in july. I will start in Sept. when the baby is a few months old. It will be 3 days a week about 7 hours a day. They are asking me what I would like to get paid this time around. Does anyone out there do this and what do you get paid?? I am in Michigan and was thinking around $40 a day????
Any advice would be great!

I have been watching my friends son for 2 1/2 years now and get $25 a day. I started when he was 2 months old.

 

[tigger51276]

I live just outside of Boston and paid $7 and hour for p/t in home licensed daycare for an infant or it was $6.50 for full time. A few years back when my oldest was in daycare I paid $25 a day for the same type of homecare. I would say that $30 is actually pretty reasonable if it's a friend and you aren't licensed.

 

[moongirl]

So about 3 years ago I watched a friends child for them during the day while they were both at work and they paid me $30 a day. Fast forward to today and I am being asked again to watch their baby that is coing in july. I will start in Sept. when the baby is a few months old. It will be 3 days a week about 7 hours a day. They are asking me what I would like to get paid this time around. Does anyone out there do this and what do you get paid?? I am in Michigan and was thinking around $40 a day????
Any advice would be great!

The key here is that you have a history of what was charged to the same family. They certainly expect to have to pay more 3 years later. If you ask $40/day that is about a 10% increase per year over that 3 year period. Do you think that they will think that is a fair increase?

Also, I'd be thrilled to keep my job so that a friend of mine would watch my baby for $40 per day.

 

[*Seanaci*]

I have been watching my friends son for 2 1/2 years now and get $25 a day. I started when he was 2 months old.

I started watching my neighbors grandson when he was 3 months old. I charged $20 a day (8 hour day) 4 days a week. Last May, the child's mom and dad divorced and I started keeping him 10 hours a day (still 4 days a week). I asked for $5 more a day.

I think $40 is a fair price IMO. It's $10 more per day now than you were making from them 3 years ago.

Good luck.

 

[deva]

Compared to what they paid you before, $40 seems high. Not many people have received 33% payraises in this economy. But many parents would be willing to pay a premium for a reliable sitter that they can trust. I would maybe consider asking $35 now and then a small increase each year.

Really depends on what others in your area charge and what you are providing (food, snacks, separate room for napping, walks outside etc.)

 

[KelnRon]

A good place to get comparisons is to try CL. That will tell you the going rate in your area. Send a few basic emails out and see what the responses are. I am in OH and I paid $25 a day for my child. I charge $35 to watch a 1 & 3 year old. It's a lot of work so honestly I think I would ask for $40. The worst she can say is no.