Babysitter prices

[muttleynfelix]

I know we've done this before. But we've hired a sitter for the first time. She's a college student. She's going to watch our 2 kids (ages 2 and 5) from 6pm to 10pm one night. The kids are in bed around 8pm. So an hour of playing, then a snack, then books and bed. Chances are by 8:30, the kids would be asleep.

I asked her what her rate was and she said whatever I thought was appropriate. What does YM say? I have a number in my head, but I want to know what the thought is here even though babysitting prices are regional. If I overpay her, odds are we'll only get a chance to use her one more time this summer and maybe once around Christmas. So it isn't like I'm stuck overpaying her often.

[swamp]

$10 an hour.

[ArchietheDragon]

$50

[midjd]

I think $8-$10/hr with a decently-stocked fridge is plenty. 

[tcu2003]

The sitter my sister uses and we occasionally piggyback on and use when we're doing something together charges $5 per hour per child, with a minimum $10 per hour. So I'd go with $10 per hour since you have two kids.

[HoneyBBQ]

12-15$/hr is the rate here for 1 kid in a HCOLA. Since you have 2, I'd say $15/hr assuming MCOLA. 

[wyouser]

Whatever it is, it is not enough! Those poor poor little babies all need a raise! Have you any idea at all how demanding and draining it is on those little tykes to keep an eye on those adults? It's a full time job trying to keep those adults from getting into trouble.....

[Deleted]

HCOLA: 2 kids here, $15-$20/hour depending on sitters age/experience, so for college student definitely $20. DD hired a sitter through a service that was $35/hour (ouch).  You are MCOLA so $10-$15 probably.

What is minimum wage in your area? Here they are double that, so maybe you could use the same formula. 

[muttleynfelix]

It is a LCOLA here. Not mid.

I've been thinking $40 for the night - so $10/hr. Odds are she won't have to do anything the last 1.5 or so.

[zibazinski]

Is she driving herself?

[yogiii]

I think you're fine with $40 especially given what she said to you.

[muttleynfelix]

Yes Zib, she is driving herself. Well at least I assume she is.

[zibazinski]

If she is which saves you the hassle of two round trips, I'd add $5 for gas and convenience.

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

I'd go with $40 and a book on negotiating salaries. 

[The Captain]

Around here 8-10 per hour with a four hour minimum with additional amount per kid depending on how much trouble the brood is.

[techguy]

I would pay $10 / hour.  Add $1 more if she's cute and $2 more if she's really cute!

[The Captain]

Jun 25, 2015 11:48:10 GMT -5 alwaysbeoptimizing said:

Yeah, 10ish sounds good. unless your kids are monsters.

We have one that's 12 and one that's 20 and a couple in between. 20 gets me someone who is a college graduate, in early education, who runs them ragged (on her feet the whole time, driving very active play/dancing/tiring them out).

I think she's a better value than the 12/hour person who is nice, and I trust, but she is pretty low energy play with the girls. We have two 3 yo in a HCOL.

Ummm, dude - what exactly are you implying here?

(just kidding - but it's freaking funny the way I read it!)

[muttleynfelix]

Thankfully my kids aren't monsters (most of the time). Particularly for other people. They also know this girl. She's teaching their Sunday School class this summer. So she's got an idea of what she's getting onto.

She's doing bedtime so she doesn't need to wind them up too much.

[Sam_2.0]

We have a list of certified babysitters in the neighborhood. The Jr/Sr and college kids all are about $10/hr for up to 3 kids. There are younger ones (13-16) that are cheaper but since I have tiny kids I haven't gone that route yet. Maybe if they were older. I always pay cash and round up to the next $20 increment because I can only get $20's from the ATM It's usually $40. But my kids go to bed at 7 and 7:30 so really I am just paying for someone to come sit on their butt and watch TV Although I have a feeling Livy sneaks out of her room for some extra playtime when we aren't around.