to think that £20 for 8 hours babysitting isn't great?

[Hennypenny95]

My daughter is almost 18 and has agreed to babysit tonight for someone on our street from 5pm until 1am and she's received twenty quid for the 8 hours. Is this a reasonable rate? We're in the Midlands? She should have agreed a rate beforehand, I know, but she didn't as she's squirmy talking about money to people. What's a reasonable rate for her to ask for in future? She's on over £6 per hour in her part-time pub job, washing up and collecting dishes.

£10 per hour + Uber home. Have you checked out the competition on Korukids ? Or a neighbourhood Facebook group ? Ask around

West Midlands here my daughter is 15 and her and her mate get £25 each for 5 till half 8 in a Chinese looking after their kids sometimes one of them will have to pop on the till taking orders if the owner has to do deliveries if they do she gives them £10 more each

@Hennypenny95

Yes £10 per hour is what I pay

She should have agreed a rate beforehand

This.

Let's hope she had learned from the experience and won't make that mistake again. Would she agree to buy something in a shop without knowing what it would cost ?

If she really isn't comfortable setting her own rate, she could at least ask any prospective parents what they usually pay and then decide whether to take the job on that basis.

Much better would be to accept the worker is worthy of their hire and set her own rate.

As a couple of pp have said, I would be having a word with them myself if your daughter doesn't feel able to do so. No reasonable person can possibly think £20 for 8 hours is acceptable, so either it was an oversight (in which case they will be embarrassed, apologetic, and quick to pay the difference), or they thought they could get away with it because you're daughter is young (in which case they need calling out). If it was just a mistake and they are nice people, then they won't hold it against you for following up. If they're not nice people, then does it matter what they think of you?

I agree with previous poster saying that you/your daughter should contact these CF and ask for the rest of the payment.

What happened at the end of the night @Hennypenny95 ? Did she get given any more money?

I think you and your daughter should practise a speech for when they ask again. Rather than refuse straight away I'd say -
"you paid me only £2.50 an hour last time, and the going rate is £X, so that's a no from me"

That's really low, national minimum wage at 17 is £4.62 / hr and for 8 hours work the employer has to provide a paid meal break.

If it was within the past week, I'd chance a phone call back to the couple and say "I know I've been underpaid here. My rates are X per hour before midnight and Y for any hour or part of the hour after midnight. You didn't pay me the right amount. Please can you settle this as soon as possible?"

@LookItsMeAgain You can't invent a rate after the event. Well, you can try but it's not how things tend to be done for this sort of work.

I was a cleaner for a couple a few years ago in my late thirties for minimum wage, and I babysat for them a few times for the same amount. Just sat in front of the telly, although the kids did play up at one point. They did leave a couple of beers. It was much better than cleaning I think. Some of the rates people are saying they'd offer are quite high for someone without any qualifications etc.

@me4real

If it was within the past week, I'd chance a phone call back to the couple and say "I know I've been underpaid here. My rates are X per hour before midnight and Y for any hour or part of the hour after midnight. You didn't pay me the right amount. Please can you settle this as soon as possible?"

@LookItsMeAgain You can't invent a rate after the event. Well, you can try but it's not how things tend to be done for this sort of work.

I was a cleaner for a couple a few years ago in my late thirties for minimum wage, and I babysat for them a few times for the same amount. Just sat in front of the telly, although the kids did play up at one point. They did leave a couple of beers. It was much better than cleaning I think. Some of the rates people are saying they'd offer are quite high for someone without any qualifications etc.

Yep I agree.

Christ that’s awful, I’d be paying £10 an hour plus access to whatever food is in the fridge or money for a takeaway

I used to get £20 for four hours (ish) when I was 16/17(20 years ago). If they were late, even by half an hour, they would let me know in advance and double my payment. They also left money for a takeaway and gave me free reign of the kitchen cupboards.

@LookItsMeAgain You can't invent a rate after the event. Well, you can try but it's not how things tend to be done for this sort of work.

Actually the rate has already been set at £5ph given the charge for previous 4 hour jobs was £20. Still low for an 18yo, but there's no way the CFers can argue with £5ph

Actually the rate has already been set at £5ph given the charge for previous 4 hour jobs was £20. Still low for an 18yo, but there's no way the CFers can argue with £5ph

@RockinHorseShit They had interpreted it as £20 for the job and it hadn't been discussed. I agree it's cheeky though.

I used to babysit for a neighbor getting on for 20 years ago and used to get £50 for around 7-8pm to around midnight. Child was always asleep so I literally watched TV. They also left me a bottle of wine but I never drank it plus snacks. Think I got lucky though!

I think someone needs to contact them and clarify that it's £5 per hour (which is on the low side but not completely outrageous). Then ask when you should pop round for the extra money.

So many threads I read on here whinging about your cleaner wanting a couple of extra quid about min wage for her services. A grown woman paying tax, looking after herself and also business related expenses.

Yet lots of posts saying the babysitter should be getting paid £10+ an hour to basically sit on her arse watching tv whilst the parents go out on the piss.

Babysitting children who are on their way to sleep is easy. A bath, food and bedtime story is also not bad.

A teenager getting all her expenses paid and this babysitting is only for pocket money…. Should be getting min wage at most.

Well, surely she could have said no if she wasn’t happy or named a price she was happy with?

I babysat loads as a teen and would do it for quite a broad range of money depending on who it was. Loads of friends I’d refuse payment and insist it was a favour. Neighbours I liked I’d do it cheap £10 for the whole evening. People I didn’t know well or where I knew the kids were hard work I’d ask for more. Some people I’d just say I wasn’t available.

Is she lacking in confidence to set boundaries she’s happy with?

@Swanfairydust exactly what I was saying. All this generosity and outrage. My DDs did some babysitting for £15-20 for neighbours. They thoughts it was amazing. They just wish the flaming lockdowns hadn't killed this source of easy money.

Well, she’s going to have to stop being ‘squirmy’ about discussing money.

It’s completely and utterly run of the mill to discuss an hourly rate when arranging babysitting. What’s odd, is not discussing it.

Lesson learnt.

Our 18 year old babysitter charges £8ph, so from 6pm-1am recently cost us £56. Had she not specified a rate I'd have probably offered £50 for the night but was happy to pay slightly over. £20 takes the piss.

Disgraceful. Point out that it's less than half minimum wage. If they don't immediately up it, advise your DD never to sit for them again and to tell them exactly why