Babysitter's Rates of Pay

[SunSpray]

My friend's daughter, just turned 18, may be doing some babysitting for us, and I always find it very difficult to know how much to pay or how much babysitters expect to be paid - our other (18 year old) babysitter just says "oh, however much you think".

My children (7&8) would be in bed when she arrives (but not asleep, may require story to be read with them) and then the rest of the evening would be quiet.

Just wondering what you think about what a fair hourly rate should be, or should it be a flat rate "for the evening"?

 

[Zo Zo]

Hiya

I haven't used a (paid) babysitter since my daughter was 2. (Seven years ago.) I used to pay £20 for the evening, and I'd probably be out from about 7.30pm til 11.30pm.

If I had a babysitter now, I would probably expect to pay about the same, about £5 an hour. Although now I've typed it, I feel stingy. It probably would depend where I was going, how flush I felt, and how much the evening was costing me, LOL.

I suppose a good babysitter is invaluable. I have a unpaid one. I pay him in kind. And before anyone's dirty mind starts working overtime, I do his washing and ironing :green:

 

[stoney]

I think about £20 a night seems fair. I would try and agree on a set amount instead of an hourly rate.

You could also bung in a weekly/fortnightly spray tan as a wee bonus?

 

[Zo Zo]

You could also bung in a weekly/fortnightly spray tan as a wee bonus?

Fab idea!

 

[Bagpuss]

I usually pay £20 for the evening...

just a thought but its good to get together with other parents/friends with kids of the same age and same babysitter problems....ask if they are willing to do shifts...so one night you babysit for them and another they babysit for you...that way neither of you are having to fork out and you know your kids are well looked after.

 

[shell28]

I used to get £15 for a eve when i used to babysit!! 7.30 - 11.30.

 

[Lemmonie]

When i was a teenager i just used to be gratefull for having an evening with the TV all to myself and all i could eat!

Paid?!?! i should have been so lucky!

 

[SunSpray]

When i was a teenager i just used to be gratefull for having an evening with the TV all to myself and all i could eat!

Paid?!?! i should have been so lucky!

Totally agree (!!) and it was always a bonus if they left me a can of coke and a packet of crisps !!!

 

[Miss Pink23]

I would say £5 an hour, I can see that it seems abit stingy but at the end of the day for most its not hard, you get the tv all to yourself and usually can have snacks if you want from the kitchen.
I personally think an hourly rate is better or definetly say how long you are likely to be, but for most of the time you would be out for 4hours which would be £20 anyway.
x

 

[min11]

My twins babysit in our village and get £5 per hour, usually they get the full rate for any part hours too.

:hug:

 

[adelekeegan1]

I'd want £20 an hour, in fact that doesn't seem enough really........in fact no money is enough:green::green::green:

 

[chocolatepickle]

I'm a nursery nurse and a lot of the girls i work with do babysitting, they charge about £8 per hour for 2 children. But then we are all qualified.
My sister is 16 and babysits as a regular job, she gets anything from £5hr to £80 for an overnight stay.
Minimum wage is about £4.50 for under 18, personally i think that would be a fair rate being that your children are not babies and its not as if theres any real work involved.

 

[SunSpray]

Thanks everyone, all great information, I texted the lovely new babysitter today and said it'd be £15 to £20 an evening, which should cover us for 4 hours. I just have to get over the other other current thread entitled "my babysitter's stealing off me" now ..... xx

 

[1999judy]

£20 per evening. My daughter goes to bed at 9 or a little later if the sitter allows it and the babysitter gets taxis paid or can sleep over and taken home the next day.
BUT my own teenage kids charge me the same rate when I need them and they live here:irked::lol:
Don't forget it's double time on things like Boxing night or New Years Eve.....if you don't pay someone else will be guaranteed to steal your sitter.