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Original poster

Paying a teenager to feed the cats

83 replies

ThePastafarian · 17/02/2023 17:16

Going away for a few of days, nextdoor neighbour's daughter is going to feed our cats. I'd like to pay her (if it was an adult neighbour I'd probably give them a bottle of wine and/or chocolates depending on how many days, but can't buy a seventeen year old wine and I'm not sure if chocolate gesture would be appreciated particularly?) It's only a five minute job to empty a pouch and top up their biscuits, but twice a day from Thursday to Sunday - and obviously a massive help to us. What would be reasonable to pay her do people think?

OP posts:

missingthewinchesterboys · 17/02/2023 17:18

How much would a chattery or professional sitter be?

pawz · 17/02/2023 17:18

Would £50 be too much? I guess that's 8 visits so about £6 a visit? Maybe £40?

My mum often does ours and stays for a bit to play with them too. She never accepts payment but I'll leave her a card, bottle of something fancy and £60 ish for a takeaway as a Thankyou. She normally does three visits (Friday Eve, Saturday morning and sat eve).

Sunsetintheeast · 17/02/2023 17:19

We pay a teenager £5 a day. It’s about taking responsibility, making time, locking up, ensuring all is well, turning down invites for stayovers (or whatever). 5 mins it maybe, but it takes a commitment.

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Sunsetintheeast · 17/02/2023 17:21

I should add that’s 1 visit only except for cleaning day when it’s £10.

I’m not sure ‘bottle of wine’ levels cut it as there is no reciprocity possible, unlike an adult neighbour where favours are exchanged.

worklifebalancehelp · 17/02/2023 17:21

I'd probably get her a gift card for £20, one that you can spend in loads of different places, like love to shop. I think it's harder to give cash, you're basically trying to work out what her time is worth. Voucher comes across more of a token of thanks - imo!

worklifebalancehelp · 17/02/2023 17:23

Ok reading replies, maybe I'm tight so £30 voucher!

Orangetapemeasure · 17/02/2023 17:25

£10/day. Less than £5/visit really makes it not worth bothering….and you wouldn’t find an adult doing it for less. Also, if it all works out you can ask her again and she’ll likely say yes.

DelphiniumBlue · 17/02/2023 17:25

I think cash would be most appreciated, and about £50 if she is going in twice a day.

Reugny · 17/02/2023 17:26

If she isn't expecting any money/anything give her a voucher for something like lovetoshop as a PP said. The amount to give her is up to you.

knottsberryfarm · 17/02/2023 17:26

Just give her the cash. Be generous if you think you will need her again. It won't take much on google for her to realise what pet sitters or pet hotels would cost.

Comedycook · 17/02/2023 17:27

£30-£40 cash

I think a voucher is a bit patronising and rude.

Sunsetintheeast · 17/02/2023 17:27

knottsberryfarm · 17/02/2023 17:26

Just give her the cash. Be generous if you think you will need her again. It won't take much on google for her to realise what pet sitters or pet hotels would cost.

That’s the point really, you want her to do it again!

loveyouradvice · 17/02/2023 17:28

Definitely cash ... the value of earning your own money at this age is huge!!

£10 a day sounds right - that is what my teen daughter earnt for similar, though including a little bit of play and sending photos to owner

Ducksurprise · 17/02/2023 17:31

Cash, cash is king. Vouchers are effort and easy to get the wrong one. Even an Amazon voucher is a PITA to teens. I always end up buying them off them.
£10 a day I think sounds right.

WarningToTheCurious · 17/02/2023 17:31

I’d also say £10 a day cash - and that’s still cheaper than a professional pet sitter or a cattery.

RunAwayNow · 17/02/2023 17:31

£10 a day. Still way cheaper than you'd pay a 'professional' cat sitter.

HeartInDrive · 17/02/2023 17:32

I think £10 a day.

DontCallMeBaby · 17/02/2023 17:33

We pay £5 a visit, but that does include injecting the diabetic cat so the same for just food seems quite generous! It’s half what we pay the professionals, as she doesn’t have to travel and isn’t an adult trying to make a living out of it.

We only use her for a couple of nights at most though, as it’s quite a bind to come in at two specific times of day.

WombatChocolate · 17/02/2023 17:36

Various teens on our road have fed our cats. It’s once a day and they can do it anytime.

We’ve always left £15 for a week and £10 if it’s just 3 or 4 days, plus a box of chocs.

I don’t think it’s necessary to pay what you would a cat sitter type person. The fact that they live less than a minute away, and can come anytime, means it’s a bit if extra pocket money. Mostly they have been about 14 and very glad to get a bit of cash and also to stroke the cats if they happen to be in.

I’ve always enquired via their parents who I know, ensuring they only say yes if they are around. I always text the parents the day we’re going away to thank them again and remind them of when we are away. We drop a key off in an envelope which again says when we’re back and with our phone number. We leave the cash on the table in our house. If we’re away more than 4 days, I usually text in the middle just to scheck things are okay, and of course message when we get home to say thank you.

Sometimes they have said they couldn’t do it as on holiday themselves or whatever. All of them have done it multiple times, so the amount of money doesn’t seem to put them off.

Rogue1001MNer · 17/02/2023 17:37

£10 a day for a teen to pop over and do a 2 minute job 😲😲😲😲

You lot have money to burn.
I get you're talking about at you'd pay a professional, but this I'd the equivalent of a friend or neighbour doing a favour.
Op wants to pay a financial equivalent of a bottle of wine or bunch of flowers.

I'd say £10 per week, with maybe a fiver tip if you think they've done a good job or had any problems.
Eg if they said something got knocked over but they picked it up

Original poster

ThePastafarian · 17/02/2023 17:40

I'm glad I checked! I was thinking £20 but sounds like that might be a bit stingy! For context, I asked on the neighbours WhatsApp group (it's friendly hereabouts - people will ask each other favours here and there) and this neighbour volunteered her daughter (with daughter's say-so) and gave me her number. There wasn't any promise of payment at that point, but if it was an adult I'd make a gesture of some kind of gift and as someone pointed out, there's a context of potential exchanges of favours. I feel like a teenager deserves some cash, even if they were willing to just be helpful - and also because, as someone else pointed out, we'll need to ask again at some point in the future!

OP posts:

EasilyDirected · 17/02/2023 17:43

We started on £5 a day (2 visits) in cash, when they were about 14, then maybe round up if there is a half day. Now they are all a bit older (17) I'd make it £5 a visit. It might only be a 5 min job but it is a big responsibility, DD has had cats she's been looking after go missing and she's had to traipse round the neighbours asking if they've seen them, I've had a front door lock jam on me when doing it.

Bemyclementine · 17/02/2023 17:43

£20 in total. That's what I pay my local teen. She can pop in through the back garden, 5 minutes a time. So £5 per day. Even if she took half an hour over it (per day) that's £10 an hour

HeartInDrive · 17/02/2023 17:43

I’d tell my kids not to bother for £2 a day. A good lesson for them to not be taken advantage of.

MeganLogan · 17/02/2023 17:45

We pay a fiver a day, so £35 for a week or if not quite a week we round up to the £35.

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