How much do you pay a babysitter?

[momof2]

Please help me determine how much to pay a 16 year old babysitter. The baby is 2 years old. The only thing the sitter will need to do is change diapers as needed and do one feeding. No other household chores needs to be done. She will need to be there sometime between 2 - 4 hours. No later than 9:00 p.m. She is more than welcome to do any homework, watch tv, or get on the internet as time permits.

Please let me know how much you pay?

Thanks in advance!

[g&g'smomma]

DH and I are fortunate and haven't had to pay for childcare in over 5 years, but I have plenty of friends with kiddos and this is ALWAYS a popular topic. I believe anything around $7-8 an hour is reasonable for one child, especially for the light load you are giving her. Being a nanny and a babysitter are two different things. Now if she were taking your child to school, or practice, or running your errends maybe pay would differ, but I think that's about a good estimate for your requirements. Good luck!

[shoppingsnyder]

My philosophy on babysitters is to always overpay because a) you want them to say yes whenever you ask and if you are cheap they may find other things to do. b) a good babysitter is worth her weight in gold - if you don't pay enough someone else will.

With that being said - we have two children ages 5 and 3 and I pay between $8 - 9 an hour. (No diapers - no feedings - just playing.)

[momto3kittiess]

I am a babysitter to a 10month old, 2 yr old, and 8 yr old and the mom pays me $20 a day for 10 hours. It sucks.

I would suggest for four hours $25. I think thats appropriate. Just because she only has the change diapers and one feeding does not mean she is not going to have to work the rest of the time. My eyes are on these kids 24/7.

You want to almost over pay her...sometimes I feel like she thinks I am not worth anything more than $20 and thats the worst feeling.

Good luck

[thekidwithhim]

Originally Posted by momto3kittiess

I am a babysitter to a 10month old, 2 yr old, and 8 yr old and the mom pays me $20 a day for 10 hours. It sucks.

I think I would tell that mom where she could stick that $2/hour.

A friend baby-sits all the time and she'll drop what she's doing for the mom that pays $8-$9 an hour. That mom has a twin 5 year olds and a 2 year old.

HTH!

[SavingInLakewood]

I think it depends on what is required. If the babysitter is there during the day and they are feeding, playing, getting ready for bed, etc than you need to pay more than if they are just there like on a Friday night while the kids are sleeping. $5/hr for evening care is reasonable in my area. But like I said, if its during the day, then $7 or $8 is appropriate. I don't expect my babysitter to clean or anything, just be there for the kid's safety.

Again, it depends on where you live. A babysitter in a small town in the Mid-West will not get paid as much as a babysitter in New York city or San Fran.

[SavingInLakewood]

Originally Posted by momto3kittiess

I am a babysitter to a 10month old, 2 yr old, and 8 yr old and the mom pays me $20 a day for 10 hours. It sucks.

I would suggest for four hours $25. I think thats appropriate. Just because she only has the change diapers and one feeding does not mean she is not going to have to work the rest of the time. My eyes are on these kids 24/7.

You want to almost over pay her...sometimes I feel like she thinks I am not worth anything more than $20 and thats the worst feeling.

Good luck

Oh my! This person is taking advantage of you. Then again, I don't know her situation so I shouldn't be judging. If the mom only makes minimum wage, then maybe that's all she can afford.

[sbgurl]

I have a 20 month old daughter and for evening care I pay $6 per hour. The babysitter is allowed to use phone, internet, watch tv, do homework, and I also leave out snacks and a few drinks that she can help herself to.

[LovinMyCoupons]

"I am a babysitter to a 10month old, 2 yr old, and 8 yr old and the mom pays me $20 a day for 10 hours. It sucks. "

I hope that is PER kid! Yickes, I pay $35 a day for my 12 mo old

[FrugalEngineer]

We pay $5/hr to our 17 y/o sitter to watch our 3.5 y/o. We've had her over on Sunday evenings and a few times for a couple hours after school. $5 both situations. $5 is the price she quoted me as being common when she started a year ago. We didn't use sitters before her.

OTOH, My sister is a college-degreed nanny and makes $12-15. But she is basically a 3rd parent. Take the kids to the children's museum, take their lunch to school when they forgot it, brownie troop leader, etc.

I made 1.50-2/hr as a teen in the 1980's, fwiw.