Christy B Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 We live in a small town, but near Chapel Hill and Durham, NC. My dd is trying to "promote" her services as a babysitter and she wants to charge a rate that is fair to her and affordable to parents. What is the going rate these days? Also, should she charge a different rate if we have to drive her to someone's home, as opposed to them bringing their child to our home? We have a very nicely equipped playroom and in many ways it would be more convenient for her to stay here, so I'm wondering if a cheaper rate would encourage more people to do drop-offs as opposed to expect her to come to their house. Any other suggestions are welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Google for going babysitter rates. There are websites with the info based on whether you live in a big city vs small town, what age the babysitter is, and how many kids are being babysat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 For teen sitters, one child, 6-8 an hour here. For adult sitters (think Nanny material) 500-600 a week. $12-$15 an hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgm Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 If you're on the school bus route, she could do before school care. Folks here pay $5/head and drop off at the sitters' home up to an hour before bus arrival, longer if the sitter is willing and within the state guidelines for caregiver ratios. Usually the students get breakfast at school. It's an easy business if the hours work out and she's willing to clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 High school/middle school kids in my neck of the woods get $10/hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 Staying at your house if it's not too late at night would be great. I have a 14 year old, and she's "going cheap" for the one babysitting job she has, but that's because it's informal.... and she is doing it here. (She's charging $3 an hour) BUT, at an age that a babysitter can babysit at either spot... I think that a minimum is $4-$5 an hour. For a college aged student.... $10 or so. Just depends on how long it is.... how old the kids are.... what the perks are. I told my oldest that I'm not paying top rate for her as a babysitter.... cuz she leaves a mess after. If your daughter "cleans up" the dishes after dinner... and tries to straighten/have your children help straighten... That's worth extra:-) Also, when I was her age, I set up "contracts" to have families arrange to have me every week during the summer on a certain day. I had a couple that took half days. ( I would have one of the moms bring me back... and another ready to whisk me off) I made a decent amount of money that summer. The set schedule was nice, too. Remember to give her ways to deal with snotty kids... games to play.... safety reminders... etc. Carrie:-0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 drop off for daytime would be a great option but for evening I would never be interested in that as a parent - part of paying for a sitter at night is coming home to kids that are in bed! :D Rates really vary depending on the number of kids you have and it doesn't necessarily go up in equal increments. I.E. if she gets $6 an hour to watch one child that doesn't mean the parents would consider paying $12 an hour for two siblings kwim? I have a couple different high school sitters I use now (in my home) and neither drive so we have to pick them up and take them home (huge pain - I'd pay more if they could drive). We have 4 kids ages 3-9 and I pay $10 an hour. I round to the nearest half hour (in their favor always). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea1 Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 we pay a 17 year old $8 for two 4 year olds. She might be due for a raise because that is what we have been paying her for 1.5 or 2 years now. In the beginnning she could not drive. Her mom would bring her to our house and we would take her home. Pretty much the only thing she has to do is play with the boys and feed them dinner. She just feeds them a pot pie, from the freezer to the microwave, very easy. We have always arranged to have her arrive around 3:00 and we are back around 7:00, so she does not have to put the boys to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutor Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 My 13yo dd offers her babysitting services for $5/hr no matter what, but her regular "customers" usually pay her $8/hr to watch their 3yo and 1yo. They offer to put the kids to bed before dd comes over, but she likes reading to them, so she usually ends up putting them to bed. She feeds the 1yo a bottle if she wakes, but she does not feed them supper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 25, 2009 Share Posted November 25, 2009 My dd babysits for a family with 3 kids-4, 2 and 1. She changes diapers, cooks dinner (something simple) and puts them to bed. She gets $8/hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christy B Posted November 25, 2009 Author Share Posted November 25, 2009 Thanks so much, what great suggestions. Dd is printing out some flyers to distribute around our new neighborhood (she was delighted to discover lots of preschool age kids living close by, when they came to trick-or-treat!). She's also going to mail some flyers to some families in our church. I love the idea of before- or after- school care; that's something to consider for next school year, once we've gotten settled in to our new home (and caught up on schoolwork). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 We pay our 18 yr old sitter (we don't provide transportation) $10 an hour for two kids (3 and 5). I usually give her a bit more if we are gone during the day (my kids don't nap) or if she is watching them very early in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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