Paying babysitters

There are a few high school girls I know who have agreed to do some babysitting for me a few hours each week while I work in my garden (we grow a lot of our food) and work on my freelance work. So I'll be home. I just need someone to entertain the boys for a few hours. I asked them what they normally charge, but they said money does not matter. I do want to pay them something though because I appreciate their time and want to show that. I just have no idea how much to pay them. We are very, very strapped for money, so I can't pay them a lot (although I would if I could), but, like I say, I do want to pay them something.

Any idea what the going rate for babysitters is these days? I have no idea.

They will be coming two at a time (one per baby), and so I need to figure out an amount for each of them and not make it more than I can afford.

Any thoughts?

I guess I am just looking to get an idea what the norm is and any suggestions you all might have.

TIA!

 

we have paid $10 p/h for times we had someone watch the 3 little ones and our almost 12 yo was more of a helper. How about $5 p/h per child? What is the minimum wage in your area? Good luck, I have no idea either but just thought I'd throw out what we have done.

 

I would also say about $5/hr each if you can swing it. And maybe send them home with some cookies or bread or something you made as well.

 

I pay my sitter $10 an hour (which comes out to $5 per hour per child) but she's by herself...

 

I pay $10 an hour if they are awake and $5 an hour if they are asleep as long as the babysitter comes to our house.

If I take them to the babysitter's house I pay $3 per hour per child and they don't sleep there.

 

We have only had a sitter when the girls have been asleep and she charged $5. I thought that was a great deal. I would expect to pay more if they are awake for sure.

 

I think $5 per sitter (assuming one sitter per child) is fair. We had a teenager and her friend sit for us a couple of times when the girls were babies, and we paid them $15 and then felt like we overpaid.

We do pay our usual sitters $15/hr now, but they're all teachers at our daycare and are very qualified -- plus, that's what other families pay them, so if we paid less, they wouldn't sit for us.

 

Our daycare teachers' babysitting rate is $10/hour, for both kids. They all charge this same rate so they are no "price wars". We also have a college student sometimes babysit for us and she charges $8/hour

 

We pay $10 per hour on the few occassions we have had a babysitter come. So I would think $5-$7 per girl, per hour would be good.

 

I would say $8-10 dollars an hour, possibly more for an experienced adult sitter.

 

My 14 year old babysits & the amount she gets paid really varies. Sometimes people pay her as much as $10 an hour & sometimes as little as $5. I think the thing to remember is that you are just paying the girls to play with the kids, they don't have the full responsibility which comes with truly babysitting since you will be there in case something were to happen, so I think you could get by with paying them less than you would pay a babysitter that you were leaving alone with the kids.

 

We paid our adult sitters (teachers from his daycare) 10/hour and our teen sitter 8/hour when we had one child. Now that we have 3, I think we will pay his adult sitter 12/hour, and we won't be able to use our teen sitter any more. Boo! In your case, I might tell a teen sitter that she can bring a friend and you will pay 5/hour each. If I was a teenager I would be really excited to babysit with a friend.

 

Another thought - do you really need two sitters if you are going to be home anyway? I think one could handle the babies and she could come get you if she really ran into trouble. Just a money saving thought.

 

We pay 10 an hour for an adult babysitter in her 20's. Sometimes they are napping when she is here, and sometimes they are awake. I pay the same rate per hour. Sometimes she has an easy day, but other times are very stressful! I ask her to come when I need to go to the dr,, run errands, etc. I would say half of the time I am at home trying to clean or accomplish something while she is watching the kids. She does light cleaning when the kids are asleep (dishes, picks up toys, etc).

 

We pay $15 p/hr but we have 4 kids and our sitter is a senior is HS.

I say $5 per sitter is fair under your circumstances.

 

Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions and information!

I think 5.00 an hour per sitter is probably going to be the way to go.

Mommylaura--I thought about that, but I am concerned that would lead to them coming to get me more often if they were both to start crying at the same time, etc. Because a large chunk of my time will be spent writing for a deadline I need to make sure I get as much work done as possible while the sitter is here. I think that with two people here I can be somewhat assured I won't be disturbed unless it's an emergency.


Thanks again everyone!

 

I pay $10/hr for my 3 youngest, but our sitter is an adult friend. If I were paying a high schooler, I would probably pay about $8/hr. For 2 high schoolers I think that $5 per person is sufficient. Not only do they get to make a little extra cash, but they also get to socialize with a friend.