Babysitting Costs

[Soap84]

I need some opinions. I have 2 kids - 8 months and almost 4yrs. We've had the same babysitter since our oldest was 18m and she works at our daughter's nursery. She's 21, qualified and lovely. We trust her and are very happy to have her babysitting for us.

Her fees have always been £12ph and we always get food in for her and pay for her taxi home (we're in North London). We've arranged for her to babysit both kids for the first time but she's said her fees are £12 per child, so £24ph!!! Obviously babysitting a baby is more responsibility and we're happy to pay her more than £12, but double is out of our budget. It would mean £150-£200 before we've even gone out!

She has historically charged £12 per child when it's kids from different families (so the cost doesn't fall on one family) but this is just too high a cost for us.

I'm panicking because we don't have any family nearby, so her babysitting has been a bit of a lifeline and I don't want to undervalue her. But we also can't afford that high a cost, except for very very special occasions.

AIBU? Should I talk to her about it? What is the going rate for 2 kids?

It’s night time, they’ll probably not even know they’ve gone out.

I’m glad you’ve come to a decision you’re both happy with.
And I’m really glad that we had so much family around when ours were small! Used to leave a niece with money for a takeaway, £20 and a taxi home for ours 😂

I think she's being cheeky. That is a ridiculous price to pay for someone who isn't university qualified! When I was younger I was lucky to get about £10 for 5 hours! About £15 seems fair, I would put your foot down and tell her you can't afford it. If people keep paying these ridiculous prices they will continue to increase!

I actually think £18 is fair. In London, I pay £15 for my child's former nursery key worker to babysit her, so I think for 2 children for an experienced babysitter that's a reasonable rate.

My friend is a childcare professional.
She is my age (39) with a BA in childhood studies and level 3 diploma in childcare. She charges between £12/14 an hour for evening babysitting. No way would she charge £24 per child even with her vast experience and qualifications. She also makes her own way home via public transport and doesn't ask for users.

Ubers!

I personally use buses/walk at night in London all the time so I don't feel the need to pay for taxis for babysitters - I feel they can exercise their own judgement on how they get home.

You could definitely find an equally (or more TBH) experienced babysitter for considerably less money but I can see that the awake 4 year old might make that difficult

.

She's cheeky

Nannies charge per family

Babysitting yes if two families charge more

And maybe with a new baby some Mat out their rate up a bit

But double is insane

Saying that £12 is cheap but equally she's young so not that experienced

Is she self employed and paying tax on that figure - I doubt it

I would offer her £15ph

If she refuses you will find another babysitter

Either via her nursery or if on a local town page /group on Fb ask there

Many people I know babysit at £15/16ph but nannies who have 20-30yrs exp

Why don't you get someone else then? Like anything- shop around!

My daughter charges about £20 ph but she generally babysits children with special needs. She's built up a reputation locally and you get what you pay for. She's also worked in nurseries and has additional qualifications.

That is way below minimum wage.

What makes you think she isn't university qualified? There are plenty of degrees in early childhood practice that she could have studied and qualified in.

This

And are taxes of income paid?

It’s above NMW for somebody under 21, and on the basis that the Sitters link which somebody posted earlier states that “the average rate for a London sitter is around £10.50”, I’m guessing that this takes into account that a significant proportion of sitters are very young women who work in childcare on a desperately low wage trying their best to make some extra cash with evening gigs.

You don't need to pay someone minimum wage if they are self employed. Only if you are employing them which you aren't if it's casual and as hoc.

And given that the vast majority of babysitters won't be paying tax on this, they aren't doing badly.

Our babysitter is actually a teacher so she earns a decent salary, she sets her rate of £12/hr and given she gets to do her marking/prep work once the kids are in bed, she thinks it's a good way to top up her income

I notice the same thing - on Mumsnet, people saying that they pay really high rates for babysitting (and cleaning) that are significantly higher than the agencies charge and obviously agencies take a cut.

Not quite sure whether the Mumsnet demographic likes to seem flash/generous or what's behind it

Well she's only 21 and has been with op for 2.5 years that would have made her 18/19 when she started. I doubt she would have studied for a degree that quickly.

I've nannied for many years. Your babysitter is being cheeky. We don't charge per child.
I would day £18 is more than fair and a decent increase from £12. I very much doubt she'll turn that down.

We're in north London and our cleaner is £17 per hour, I have never heard of a babysitter that charges £12 so you've been getting a bargain all these years. I'd possibly ask her if she'd consider £20 but I also wouldn't want to loose a trusted babysitter so might just pay the full cost

Absolutely this!

Ironically though in the nursery she works in she won’t be getting above £14ph, and lucky if she gets that.

I’m a qualified nanny and I don’t charge Per child, that’s not how it works. I charge £15 an hour ad hoc babysitting but my nanny rate (done through payroll etc is £21gph.

Ironically though in the nursery she works in she won’t be getting above £14ph, and lucky if she gets that.

And she will pay tax on that.

She's 21, qualified

Qualified as what? Just interested to know what qualifications you would want from a babysitter?

BTech in childcare?
degree?
Teaching qualification?
First aid certificate

I am also in London and my experience is that £12 is the going rate.

I am not low balling - that is what they ask for

‘They’? Is that Bubble app? Young, often unqualified?

Bubble app drives me nuts it’s really driven down the price for qualified, dedicated childcarers and they take a cut. I am asked through word of mouth all the time what my babysitting rates are. I say £15 an hour, show references, give them details of my qualifications, my CV showing 15 years experience with twins and SEN children, babies etc etc and the amount of times they say ‘oh there’s people willing to do that for £10 on Bubble’

or better still, they ask me to come and ‘get to know’ their children ahead of a babysit, unpaid of course.