How much should I charge for babysitting?

Question

I've been babysitting since I was like 10 and I do it a lot (at least twice a weekend). I've always been paid about 3 dollars an hour no matter how many kids. I feel like this is not enough and I think I should set a standard. What should this standard be depending on how long and how many kids and stuff?

Answer 1

Depending on how much you have to do, I would set the rate of at least $5 an hour for the first kid, adding a dollar or two for each addtional kid.

For example - if you're babysitting a six year old from 7pm to midnight, you're pretty much only there to keep him from burning down the house - I'd say $5 an hour would be fair.

If you're watching a three year old and a five year old from 5pm to 9pm - meaning you're serving dinner and cleaning up after, maybe bathtime is involved - defintiely pajama time and putting them to bed - $9 or $10 an hour would be acceptable here.

Answer 2

It depends on how old you are now. I'd say a teenager babysitting one child should get about 5-7 dollars an hour. More than one child, 8-10 dollars an hour.

Most babysitters make this money "under the table" so they aren't paying the 30% in taxes that adults pay. Often even 8.00 an hour babysitting is more than an adult at a regular job would bring home in pay...so I think it's more than fair.

If it's a situation where much more is expected of the sitter (for instance there are 5 kids, or dinner needs to be fed too) then it's good to throw in a couple of bucks extra.

For young kids, just learning how to babysit and who don't have a lot of experience yet, I think 4-6 dollars an hour is fair, and the parents should never be gone for more than a couple of hours.

As for the minimum wage comments...well sure, I'll pay a babysitter government minimum wage...if he/she also agrees to pay government taxes, government social security, and government insurance fees.

It's not that black and white, and babysitters are paid under the table....so the "minimum wage" rule doesn't apply.

Answer 3

going rate here is 3 bucks an hour. If they have a few kids it stays the same price. If a second familys kids are involved then rate is slightly higher like 5 bucks an hour. This lady who says she pays her sitter 9 bucks an per child is crazy, then i think she said more after 10pm!! I would love to babysit her 3 kids kids and Im 24 years old. Thats more then I make!! Lucky babysitter!! When I babysat when I was 11-14 I was paid 3 bucks an hour and it seems all these years later rate is about the same...here anyways. Anyways I dont think babysitters should be paid anymore then 6 bucks an hour considering their age and experience. 7 bucks an hour is min. wage here. Why should a 12 year old be paid the same as an older person? An in thelarge picture more cuz babysiiters dont pay taxes to the gov. I think 3-5 bucks an hour sounds right....double on holidays

Answer 4

it depends on how many kids and how the kids act...i would suggest if u r working around 4-10 hours a day of babysitting than u should charge around 4-7 dollars an hour...but if you know the people cannot afford to pay u that much money than u shouldn't charge per hour u should probly charge per day for like 20-30 dollars....

Answer 5

6 an hour seems appropriate, maybe 7 but that should be for each child, I think. I might not charge for both kids if it's just two and they are easy to watch, just as a matter of good business sense. But per hour you should make at least what Mcdonalds pays, not 3 an hour.

Answer 6

I do babysitting too but mine is an everyday job. My parents pay 3 dollars a hour per child.

Answer 7

$3/hour is standard here for babysitting, but that's per kid. $5/hour per kid after midnight.

Answer 8

I pay my sitter $6.00 per hour per child until 10:00 pm. Any time after that I give her $9.00 per hour per child. I expect my children to be taken care of well and so therefore I pay well for it.

Answer 9

At least minimum wage per hour. After midnight the price doubles.

Answer 10

5 dollars an hour.