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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how much you’d expect a babysitter to cost on NYE

519 replies

ThatMauveRaven · 30/12/2024 18:15

20yo DD has been asked (last minute) to babysit her manager’s two young children tomorrow night. They’ve offered her £60 in cash to be there from 8pm-1am. The two kids will most likely be asleep in bed, so she won’t exactly have to do much work but I still think that this is quite stingey considering it’s New Years Eve!

Thoughts?

YABU - £60 is enough
YANBU - I’d expect to pay more

OP posts:
MikeRafone · 30/12/2024 20:13

How old are the children op?

MikeRafone · 30/12/2024 20:12

TiramisuThief · 30/12/2024 20:10

I used to work in a pub and NYE would always be double rate. It might be a "normal working day" but in reality services like restaurants, bars, taxis and babysitters cost £££

I think your DD's boss is cheeky and should be offering a lot more.

I’ve never had double pay on NYE until after midnight

Happyhappyday · 30/12/2024 20:12

I was getting paid £12/hour 15 years ago in London when I was that age, I did have a lot of babysitting experience though. It doesn’t matter if the kids are asleep, she is being paid for her time to be available. On NYE where I live, you’d easily pay 1.5-2x a normal hourly rate (which here would get you closer to £30-35/hour). So for that time I’d expect £100ish plus transport home. She’s doing them a favor giving up NYE so should be well worth her time if she does it.

Pandasnacks · 30/12/2024 20:11

TiramisuThief · 30/12/2024 20:10

I used to work in a pub and NYE would always be double rate. It might be a "normal working day" but in reality services like restaurants, bars, taxis and babysitters cost £££

I think your DD's boss is cheeky and should be offering a lot more.

I worked in bars for a long time and didn’t get double on New Year’s Eve, it’s a standard working shift in a bar. I absolutely agree they should get double though

Baggyprincess · 30/12/2024 20:11

5 hours work, 1 of those after midnight, so say 6 hours, plus 40 minutes travelling time. Given it’s NYE I think at least £12 per hour, probably closer to £15. I would say £75 plus some decent food or a takeaway would be fair. She’s available to do it, they need a sitter last minute on a premium night.

Meemeows · 30/12/2024 20:11

£150 plus a taxi home and a takeaway.

5 hrs on a normal evening would be £15 ph and on NYE I'd expect to pay double.

TiramisuThief · 30/12/2024 20:10

I used to work in a pub and NYE would always be double rate. It might be a "normal working day" but in reality services like restaurants, bars, taxis and babysitters cost £££

I think your DD's boss is cheeky and should be offering a lot more.

Pandasnacks · 30/12/2024 20:09

oakleaffy · 30/12/2024 20:05

My son had someone take gross advantage over dog sitting once...NEVER AGAIN.

If you feel you are being underpaid, you probably are.

A 20 mile drive each end...hmm...£100 seems fairer.

Show quote history

She said 20 minute drive not mile, near me 20 mins would be about 6-10miles depending on direction

oakleaffy · 30/12/2024 20:08

SchoolDilemma17 · 30/12/2024 20:06

It’s also unreasonable as her manager has asked her so there is a power dynamic and much harder for her to negotiate or say no. We pay £15 ph on a normal night, so I think £60 for NYE and last minute is taking the piss. To all those saying she can watch tv, sure she can but she is still responsible for the kids, if they wake from fireworks, don’t sleep well etc

Absolutely!
One's Children are the most precious thing, you don't want some numpty looking after them in case something goes awry.

I babysat once when a little boy was vomiting copiously, poor little man.

You need someone who knows what to do and who won't freak out.

Edit; I contacted his parents who said ''He often vomits when we go out for the night'' ..... It was distress.

MikeRafone · 30/12/2024 20:08

Going rate is £12-14 per hour,

the hours before midnight would be 8-12 @£12 = £48
the hours after midnight @£24
£72

thicklysettled · 30/12/2024 20:08

ZenNudist · 30/12/2024 19:32

£60 sounds fair but maybe it depends where you are? In Manchester that would be fine, generous even. If she doesn't want to do it say no. It's a late night and personally always make sure I'm back by midnight for my babysitters. I pay £6/hr for teens. Somewhere between £20-35 depending on the length of evening. I also get in snacks and drinks for them. And I've been known to run babysitter who can't drive back home.

Bloody hell, the UK labor market is depressed if that's what you can get away with paying! I'm glad I emigrated. No use as benchmarking for the OP but my 16-year old charges $20 (around £15) an hour for babysitting two kids, and that's a regular night. For NYE it'd be double!

rainbowunicorn · 30/12/2024 20:08

BangaloreLulu · 30/12/2024 20:01

NMW for someone her age is £10/hr, so £60 is only a 20% uplift, which is piss-poor for New Year's Eve. She's surely in a position to negotiate a bit, because without her, the manager is likely to be staying at home to see the new year in, having left it this late to make their babysitting arrangements!

It really doesn't matter if there's not going to be much 'work' for the DD to do. The fact of the matter is that she COULD be out doing something much more fun instead, so why shouldn't she be well paid for not having the freedom to do that?

No, minimum wage for a 20 year old is £8.60 currently. It is not due to rise until.1st April so a fair bit more than 20% uplift. Especially when you take account of the fact that no tax or national insurance will.be paid on the £12 per hour either.

Happiestwhen · 30/12/2024 20:07

I think £60 is reasonable! When I babysat on nye 20 odd yrs ago I got about £15 for the whole night!! It's not like she's going to be doing much other than watching tv if the kids are in bed..

SchoolDilemma17 · 30/12/2024 20:07

Oreosareawful · 30/12/2024 18:22

Wow, I was thinking about £50, seeing as we usually pay £20 for a babysitter for the evening

Wow where did you find your slave?

DressOrSkirt · 30/12/2024 20:06

It's 1.5 times minimum wage for her age and considering she won't be paying tax on it. I assume she doesn't have any childcare qualifications etc and she doesn't have any plans, so it seems reasonable to me.

travelallthetime · 30/12/2024 20:06

Oreosareawful · 30/12/2024 18:22

Wow, I was thinking about £50, seeing as we usually pay £20 for a babysitter for the evening

I used to get £40 for a normal night in the 90's

SchoolDilemma17 · 30/12/2024 20:06

It’s also unreasonable as her manager has asked her so there is a power dynamic and much harder for her to negotiate or say no. We pay £15 ph on a normal night, so I think £60 for NYE and last minute is taking the piss. To all those saying she can watch tv, sure she can but she is still responsible for the kids, if they wake from fireworks, don’t sleep well etc

oakleaffy · 30/12/2024 20:05

ThatMauveRaven · 30/12/2024 20:00

Don’t be ridiculous and don’t assume things about my DD. She has worked really hard all year, (both in uni hospital placement and her part time job!) and had her first day off in the entirety of December on Christmas Day..

My years of ‘teaching’ and ‘wanting to instill work ethic’ are done. She’s a fully grown adult and can make her own decisions. I’m simply asking whether she’s being taken advantage of as we were both unsure. If she’s not going to be paid fairly on a pricier than typical babysitting night then out of principle I wouldn’t want her doing it

Show quote history

My son had someone take gross advantage over dog sitting once...NEVER AGAIN.

If you feel you are being underpaid, you probably are.

A 20 mile drive each end...hmm...£100 seems fairer.

normanprice62 · 30/12/2024 20:05

It being new years eve is very relevant. £100 is reasonable and frankly I'd pay for a takeaway for her as well.

WooleyMunky · 30/12/2024 20:05

That's a ton.
Anyone wanting to pay less obviously hasn't a clue.

ZoeRuby · 30/12/2024 20:03

We pay £12 per hour for a normal evening to our neighbour’s daughter who works at a nursery during the day.

For NYE for 5 hours I would give £100 at least instead of the usual £60.

Original poster
ThatMauveRaven · 30/12/2024 20:02

LittleRedRidingHoody · 30/12/2024 19:55

Or alternatively, she's teaching her daughter that a smart way to look at the world is through market value, and not based on the absolute minimum someone can get away with. Do you think her manager has an ounce of regret negotiating their salary based on the same?

Show quote history

This.

OP posts:
BangaloreLulu · 30/12/2024 20:01

NMW for someone her age is £10/hr, so £60 is only a 20% uplift, which is piss-poor for New Year's Eve. She's surely in a position to negotiate a bit, because without her, the manager is likely to be staying at home to see the new year in, having left it this late to make their babysitting arrangements!

It really doesn't matter if there's not going to be much 'work' for the DD to do. The fact of the matter is that she COULD be out doing something much more fun instead, so why shouldn't she be well paid for not having the freedom to do that?

DonningMyHardHat · 30/12/2024 20:00

I pay £40 for 3ish hours on a normal Saturday. And my babysitter brings her boyfriend! (We know him, he’s not a random stranger!)

I’d expect to pay much more on NYE. (Although I remember doing it for far less myself 10 years ago.)

Original poster
ThatMauveRaven · 30/12/2024 20:00

roses2 · 30/12/2024 19:51

She's being paid 20% more than minimum wage and you're teaching your daughter to sit at home and do nothing instead of working to earn £60. £60 would cover one months electricity for me. Is that really the work ethic you want to instill?

Edited

Don’t be ridiculous and don’t assume things about my DD. She has worked really hard all year, (both in uni hospital placement and her part time job!) and had her first day off in the entirety of December on Christmas Day..

My years of ‘teaching’ and ‘wanting to instill work ethic’ are done. She’s a fully grown adult and can make her own decisions. I’m simply asking whether she’s being taken advantage of as we were both unsure. If she’s not going to be paid fairly on a pricier than typical babysitting night then out of principle I wouldn’t want her doing it

OP posts: