Does anyone know going rates for babysitting?

[Divameow77]

We are going to have the 14 year old neighbor girl watch just our 2 year old this evening and am not sure what to pay her. She doesn't have a set rate her father said to pay her whatever.

Any advice

[Shell Beau]

1. I don't have a clue. I would say 2 hours is at least worth $20.00.

That is $10.00 an hour.

[Divameow77]

4. That seems really high to me

I did a google search and I saw teens charge anywhere between $4 - $10 per hour, the higher end of that just seems high. She doesn't have to drive over or get a ride, he will be sleeping after like an hour and she doesn't have to feed him. I would even have him in his pajama's, she might have to change 1 diaper.
I do want to be fair though, I could imagine a 14 year old not being assertive enough to tell me I'm "cheap"

[Shell Beau]

6. Well, for me to do it, it would have to be worth my while.

If you did $5/hour, that would only be $10. That wouldn't be worth my while at all. But $20 seems fair to me. But it is up to you. If she agrees to it, then I don't really see a problem.

[ihaveaquestion]

2. Hmmm, For a 14-year old...

$5 per hr. should be about right. If you have her cooking or cleaning, it should be about $7.50.

[kick-ass-bob]

3. I see about $10 an hour.

unfortunately (for me).

[Misunderestimator]

5. I wouldn't babysit for less than $100/hour...

but that's just me. :D

[ret5hd]

7. and a free scrip of xanax.

[Misunderestimator]

8. Good point!

[Divameow77]

10. Me too

I love my kids but I'm not crazy about other peoples kids.

[cmf]

9. In my neck of the woods, it's $8-$10 an hour these days. n/t

[crispini]

11. I'd say $10.

heck, I got that much for babysitting YEARS ago.

[seaglass]

12. How hard is it to find babysitters in your area and do you

want to cultivate one?

Are there other mothers in your geo region you can ask about what they pay?

My daughter is 15 and she gets 7.00/hr, she has a pt job where she gets paid 7.50/hr.

In our community there aren't that many girls that babysit. When they turn 14 they get their work permits and get pt jobs.

It really is about the supply and demand in your area.

Keep in mind that a 14yo does value her time so even if your 2 yo sleeps the entire time she is taking time away from activities she might prefer to do.

[Divameow77]

14. The family is fairly new to the area

and I know she left a couple regular sitting jobs behind and has been a little upset with her parents for moving :-(
We are planning on going to a Vikings game tonight so I imagine we would be gone for at least 4-5 hours so at $5 per hour it seems that it would be worth her time.
I couldn't afford to go if I had to pay someone $10 an hour for $40 or $50.

[Gormy Cuss]

18. Ask her how much she was paid at her old jobs.

If she says more than $5, you need to consider whether you've set too low a price for your area. If she says less than $5, pay her five anyway -- it can't hurt to have her think you're a potential new regular client.

[livetohike]

13. My neighbor's 12 year old gets $5.00 an hour and that is for

sitting for two kids. We are in CA. I think $5.00/hr is a good rate.

[Rising Phoenix]

15. I babysat when I was in school

I usually got about $5 an hour

[gmoney]

16. One shot like this, I'd say $20, but...

Maybe set it like $20 for the evening, so if you end up going to 2-1/2 hours, you're still covered?

I guess if it were me, I'd like to be sure I got $20 for the evening, but I wouldn't worry so much about a strict hourly rate.

[bearfan454]

17. Daycare centers in Tx get 200 a week.

That's a lot.

[Whoa_Nelly]

19. Whatever you choose to pay

Give the kid a decent tip. Back in the '60s when I babysat a lot, I only charged $0.50/hr. I had a lot of regulars, and the ones I always went back to were the ones that tipped me. I felt like those that didn't tip were those who who made me feel as if I were only a body to be present while they were gone rather then being a person who cared about and for their kids in their absence.

[CBGLuthier]

20. Diaper duty comes at a premium

Reading through saw your reference to might have to change one diaper.

$20.00 does not sound too high to me if she may have to change a diaper on a two year old.

[Debbi801]

21. In Baltimore, it is 10-12 dollars an hour.

Crazy....

At 14, I was baby sitting during the summer full time (40+ hours) for a family and got paid 50.00 a week! I thought I was rich. LOL

[miss_kitty]

22. Damn. I used to get $.50 an hour

when the Higgins paid me $1.00 per, I thought I'd stepped in lucky dogshit!