Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
ElderLemon · 30/12/2024 19:58

Holdonforsummer · 30/12/2024 18:51

I think £60 is about right if a few snacks and a lift/uber home are factored in. She’s only 20, this is easy work - if she has nothing else to do, it would be a great way to spend NYE!

No it really wouldn't.

Pandasnacks · 30/12/2024 19:58

Its a good point, minimum wage for a 20
year old is £8.60 so despite OPs outrage her DD would be working tax free for more than minimum wage. Personally I’d have offered £100 but £60 is not the insult OP made out it is.

KIlliePieMyOhMy · 30/12/2024 19:56

56p above minimum wage for someone above 21!

LittleRedRidingHoody · 30/12/2024 19:55

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

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?

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 30/12/2024 19:54

ThatMauveRaven · 30/12/2024 19:11

Babysitting counts as work and therefore minimum wage applies whether you like it or not. Thankfully the majority of us have a bit of politeness and respect for others and don’t take advantage of young babysitters by paying them unfairly to get cheap childcare. Unfortunately you seem to be in the minority.

Show quote history

Will she be declaring it to the taxman then and paying tax on it?

DobbyTheHouseElk · 30/12/2024 19:54

I used to get £5 a night in 1990 for 7-11pm. I was robbed. Plus I had the responsibility of four children and the night safe key for a big local company which got dropped off.

Psychologymam · 30/12/2024 19:53

If she’s not paying any tax on it, it’s like earning 100 for the time isn’t it? I think it’ll be hard to compare with an agency etc precisely because they have to pay NI/income tax etc. however, I think it’s bad form for her manager to ask as it puts her in a position where she probably feels she has to say yes which is unfair.

Blondeshavemorefun · 30/12/2024 19:52

It usually double hourly rate

For a qualified dbs first aid nanny £25/30ph

Assuming she has no childcare exp or first aid or dbs

Yes they are asleep but they may wake

10ph is stingy

£60 is far too low

MumChp · 30/12/2024 19:51

New Year Eve?

Wouldn't work for less than £25 an hour as a babysitter.

TappyGilmore · 30/12/2024 19:51

I think that’s too low for five hours on NYE and considering that this is a 20 year old, not a 14 year old or something.

Planesmistakenforstars · 30/12/2024 19:51

I think that's very stingy for NYE. And I'd assume if they're being a bit cheeky about that, they're probably the type to be cheeky about the time they get back too.

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?

RedDeadReflection · 30/12/2024 19:50

JLou08 · 30/12/2024 19:47

Unless she is a childcare professional I think £60 is reasonable if she wants to do it. I wouldn't have done it if I had other plans but I would've been more than happy with £60 to sit in someone else's house whilst their children are in bed.

I agree with this. No point complaining about minimum wage, if she was an actual babysitter she'd be self employed so minimum wage rates don't apply but even if they did, for her age it's more than NMW anyway.

She can say yes if she has no plans and make £60, or she can say no and make £0.

No idea when it was decided babysitting was a job for professionals who needed £25 an hour. It's always been a gig for teenagers to make some extra cash if they had no plans.

AutoP1lot · 30/12/2024 19:50

Our ocassional babysitter is 19. We pay her £10 per hour, I'd expect to pay double for NYE so £100.

Chansong · 30/12/2024 19:50

Stingy

PrincessScarlett · 30/12/2024 19:50

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! I used to get £20 for babysitting as a teenager 30 years ago. I'm amazed the rate hasn't gone up in all those years.

Allatonce2024 · 30/12/2024 19:48

I think they'll pay more than that for a 15 minute taxi!

JLou08 · 30/12/2024 19:47

Unless she is a childcare professional I think £60 is reasonable if she wants to do it. I wouldn't have done it if I had other plans but I would've been more than happy with £60 to sit in someone else's house whilst their children are in bed.

BeensOnToost · 30/12/2024 19:47

If the night out is worth £60 to them then its either worth that to DD or it isn't.

Market forces etc.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 30/12/2024 19:47

For NYE at short notice, I'd pay £100.

pizzaHeart · 30/12/2024 19:47

ThatMauveRaven · 30/12/2024 19:13

DD has been out having a bit too good of a time for the past few nights so is seeking a bit of a quieter NYE than usual.. 🤣 She’s just undecided as to whether the £60 is fair or not.

Show quote history

how did this offer come out?
If DD mentioned that she didn’t have plans and her manager saw the opportunity it might be a bit tricky to ask for more or to say no. It might affect her relationship with her manager . So she probably need to agree to £60 or say that her plans changed ( but to be very convincing about that)

StripyPanda · 30/12/2024 19:46

£60 seems fair as it’s not exactly doing any ‘work’ but i would expect to be picked up and dropped home aswell if your DD has no transport
it is minimum wage if your daughter is under 21

Rainbowdottie · 30/12/2024 19:46

As a qualified professional living in London, the minimum I'd want all year round is £15 per hour. I think that's the minimum they should pay her at least. I'd probably throw in a takeaway because it's NYE and that's a nice thing to do. I guess it depends on where you live, is she qualified etc

SugarandSpiceandAllThingsNaice · 30/12/2024 19:44

Danikm151 · 30/12/2024 19:35

I used to get £20 for a night of babysitting and was chuffed with that so £60 to do barely anything and chill is a good deal especially if she isn’t an official babysitter with a dbs etc

Was that in 1984? Because £20 then is worth around £90 today..

LookItsMeAgain · 30/12/2024 19:43

I would charge £20 per hour up to midnight and £30 per hour (or part thereof) after midnight on NYE

So if the couple went out from 8pm - 1am I would charge £80 up to midnight and a further £30 for the hour after midnight making a sum of £110 for the night.