Money really gets us chatting, doesn’t it?! I had to add a quick addendum post to part 4 of this series. Remember the sitters I interviewed are seniors in high school. They drive themselves to and from my house and can babysit late at night. When one of the sitters saw some of the comments about money, she wanted to add in that before she could drive, $7/hour was big time plenty.
I think we need to factor in the ease of not having to pick them up and take them home as well as the price of gas. And remember, they said $8 was the going rate. I think there may have been some confusion on that as well. I pay mine more than that, for what it’s worth. We have 3 young kids and we don’t go out that much anyway. I think it’s worth a lot and I want them to come back.
Lady Dorothy left a link in the comment section of the previous post for a rate calculator where you can type in your zip code and can get the rate for sitters in your area. For 3 kids in my zip code, evidently I’m to be paying $12.50/hour. I don’t pay that much and I don’t know anyone else who does either. I wonder what they use to calculate.
Oh, and I have to say I totally stole the above photo from The Nester because I’m too lazy to take my own. So thanks for the money shot, sister.
I hope you aren’t too sick of babysitting talk because I have one more installment coming tomorrow. So stay tuned…
Emily, I gave you an award… see my blog. I love the babysitter posts! Very interesting info!!
I have loved the babysitting posts and can’t wait to read what’s next!
Thanks for the rate calculator, it gave me a good idea.
I am really laughing now. My mom is going to fall out. I am totally going to have to tell my mom, who has a home in your area, that the rate would actually be more like $12.50 instead of the $10 I told her vs. the $3 or $4 she has in her mind. I’ve never used sitters and never will, but I still find this very interesting. I hope ya’ll get a laugh out of this!
Holy cow! I just used the rate calculator and it was $11.75 an hour! I remember when I used to babysit I got $1 an hour – $2 an hour was big time. I must be oooold. I just looked up what the rate should be in the zip code I grew up in – $12.75 an hour. Maybe I should quit my job and babysit for a living!
No not sick of the baby sitter posts yet.
What a relief that the girls reassured you they expect a touch less than the going rate because I was shocked to find (thanks to that calculator) that I was supposed to be paying $10.25 for my three kids here in the Rocky Mountain west, where I thought everything was less pricey than the East coast.
But not more than I’m shocked to find I just wrote the marathon of run-on sentences.
These are the best posts ever because I am always wondering what good baby-sitting etiquette is and if I’m cheap-skating them.
These are really interesting posts and comments. I've only recently discovered chatting at the sky & The Nester (Google reader referred me
), so this is my first comment.
I'm not a mom yet, but I never imagined paying a babysitter anything less than $10/hour! They can get $8 at McDonald’s and not have responsibility for someone’s life in their hands. My dogsitter charges more than $10!
I remember year’s ago when I used to babysit for a certain youth pastor he used to tell me when I was getting paid that I had just cared for his priceless treasures so they were worth getting paid well for. 20 years ago he was paying me $6-$7 to babysit 2 kids. That has rolled over with me today and I pay well. I wonder does anybody pay college kids MORE than they pay high schoolers?
This is good stuff Emily. Thankfully, we’ve only had to pay one sitter. Turns out working at the Pregnancy Care Center provided me with plenty of volunteer babysitters. Not the clients of course, but the ladies I worked with. They are glad to come play with the redhead – we just have to be careful about not taking their generous offers for granted.
I was not surprised at all by what you pay sitters. I guess I was just a lucky sitter because even when I was in high school I can remember making at least $8 (and the rate calculator says I should only be getting $6 now) and that was almost 10 years ago.
Also, someone asked about college kids and if they get more. I was a regular sitter (2-3 days a week) for a couple when I was in college and they paid me $10 an hour ~ which was tough for them because they were both in graduate school but they didn’t bat an eye. It was good for me because I had my own car seat and the baby and I would run my errands or do story times all over town.
While considering how much to pay your sitter it is good to keep in mind that they don’t pay taxes or social security on their babysitting income.
Okay guys, I got paid $5 an hour to babysit 20 years ago… yes you heard me, 20 years ago!!! Actually it was more than 20 years ago, but that’s all I’m admitting to. And this was not just one family, that was what I was paid by numerous families. The minimum wage alone in my state is over $6 an hour right now and the feds are talking about raising it nationally. It only seems fair to me to pay more than that if I want more than “minimum” service!
Jackie B
I’m so glad you put out there what the going rate was. In our area it is about 10/hr for less than 3 kids. 12/hr for 3+ kids.
Just because your sitter says 5 or 6 dollars is ok doesn’t mean that it is.
They are probably cringing inside. I mean, shouldn’t they at least make minimum wage? Just a thought from an experienced sitter. We have to stick together! 
I am loving these posts and agree with everything!!
I feel like a total cheap skate! I was only paying my very favorite, all time best sitter $5/hour. Boy, will she be happy the next time I use her! Im sure she will want to come hug your blog
What about siblings? My son is 14 and now is left home with his younger brother and sister on occassion. Should I pay him the going rate?
Wow that calc says I should pay 15 dollars and hour for my 3 kids! My boss pays 13 an hour for his 11 year old only child so 15 for 3 seems like not that much more. I could never afford to go out if I had to pay a sitter that type of money THANK GOD for family!
We have five kids at home, three are under five. I pay $10/hour. We also use her 1 weekend/month and it’s $100/overnight. We also pay for any activities and get food to her specification, and gas money if she’s taking the kids anywhere.
I placed an ad on Craigslist with the pay information up front and got several responses. I figured $200 is more than a part time job would pay for 2 days and food and laundry is a great bonus plan for a college student. The little kids still sleep about 12-14 hours/day if you figure in naps.
I know some people were asking about overnight or all weekend pay, that’s what we do.
I live in a small town in Utah. I have 3 children. I have been paying our sitter who is 14 $5 an hour. Other women said I pay too much! Now I dont think I pay enough!!