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

[ThatMauveRaven]

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

Especially as one of the children is only 18 months old so is quite likely he or she may need care during the night.

Don’t be fucking ridiculous🙄

Good for her! Some people are total CFs as many of the comments on the thread demonstrate.

A 20 year old that could clearly be heading out if she wanted to would be very generously compensated by me on NYE. £100/£120 easily.

In today's money, £50 then is worth £94.95. In case you are interested!

Minimum £20 ph! They will most likely be back after 1am. I’d also get her a pizza and some snacks. They are lucky to even get a baby sitter on NYE!!

However, if it is flat rate make sure she specifies a cut off point and that there will be an additional charge if they are later back than agreed. Given their initial attempt to lowball her I wouldn't be surprised if - having agreed an overall fee rather than an hourly one - these would be exactly the type of CFs to say they'll be back at 1am and rock up at 2:30am saying there was a problem with their taxi or they "lost track of time" or some other lame excuse and still try to give her only £100...

Years ago - when I was 16 - I was asked to help out in an emergency and refused payment for babysitting the neighbours' children: a baby in a cot, twin toddler boys and a 7 yr old. The baby was fine. The other three were little devils.

The next Saturday, I was asked to help out again. And the next... I realised that they were using me for free childcare while they had a night out. (The first time, a relative was supposedly in hospital.)

In the end, my mum phoned on my behalf and said that I was busy swotting up for my exams. (No, I wasn't very assertive.)

Mine is £15 per hour normally. I offered double time for NYE. But it's not a kid, it's a qualified nanny so not sure if that makes a difference to my thinking

Hmm now I have seen 18 month old I think £60 is cheap as they may well need extra care. £60 for 5 hours is not much. 18 month old could be up for that time potentially so maybe not just sat watching TV.

For a normal babysitting job it’s fine, for New Year’s Eve it’s on the low side. Would she feel
comfortable asking for more?

Just seen the update. I agree yes £100
more like it.

£60 and hope the drunk parents give a generous tip.

My 20 year old DD would jump at a £60 babysitting gig if she wasn’t planning to do anything else other than sit at home and watch tele.

To be fair so would I…

Now if she was giving up plans to do it then that’d be different.

But clearly I am in the minority

I think this is an excellent suggestion. Don’t give the CFs any wriggle-room.

Around 10 years ago I charged £250-£350 for overnight NYE/NYD this involved getting multiple children ready for bed, dealing with any night wakings, then staying over and sorting out any early mornings (until about 7am -when my day rate would start) I wouldn't charge less if going home in the early hours as it meant I got less sleep and had to drive in the middle of the night.
I'd rather sit on my own sofa for free than take £60.

10-15 years ago I used to do a lot of babysitting, upmarket village types so do think that makes a difference, I'd get £60 for a normal night and nearer £100 on NYE

Her national minimum wage is £8.60.

Most places will do anywhere from double time to triple time for that time of night.

Realistically, she will need to get there at 7:30-745, and probably won't get home until 2 (if they're home dead on time), but it could be 3 or 4am at the earliest.

She should be offered £150, a takeaway and drinks. But as it's her manager, she probably will feel pressured into being underpaid.

Just seen that one of the kids is 18 months, the other is 4. They could both easily wake up if there are fireworks, £100 is still cutting it pretty fine for me

That's stingy.

He has messaged back to her offering £85 - CF!

I’d say thanks but I’ll give it a miss. Happy New Year! CF

I think it should be minimum £20 per hour (because it's NYE - regular babysitting would be less)

Plus safe transport home

I expect it would be c £100 all in

Tell her to decline

Nah, I’d swerve the offer in that case. They’d definitely rock up home two hours late.