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

£11.44 × a half = £17.16 x 5 hours = £85.80 plus tip = £100.00

That's pretty stingy tbh. £100 would be closer to the mark for NYE.

I’d expect about £100 but if she’s not got anything planned, could do with the money and they will be asleep it’s worth accepting. They should pay her for fuel though.

I charge £12-15 and hour. £60 isn't bad

It's down to her to negotiate or say no if she's not happy with the terms. This thread gives plenty of evidence that it's worth a go.

I think my 18 year old would be happy with it as she'd otherwise just be at home. I believe NMW is not legally required as it counts as self employed. I'd be encouraging her to think of it the other way round - what would she be asking for on NYE? - and take it from there.

This. They have to st least double it!

For someone with no childcare qualifications it's maybe about right?
I guess it's upto your daughter to decide if it's enough or not. If she'd otherwise not be doing much its easy money

She could perhaps say she’d do
it for £80 or £100.

@ThatMauveRaven but I still think that this is quite stingey considering it’s New Years Eve!

This is a strange comment. New Year's Eve is a standard working day. The holidays are Christmas day, Boxing day, and New Year's day.

£60/5 = £12 an hour, which seems like a completely sensible hourly rate for light baby sitting.

I always think baby sitting thread prices are crazy. Not the same thing but when I work as a vet for 4 hours on a Saturday morning as an extra I get about £85 in my pay cheque app after tax and NI. So £100 to sit in a house with asleep kids if I had no plans would be the dream!

You're out of touch paying a child to babysit your children, yes.

It's a minimum of 15ph here ( varies between sitters) but once you go over 18 years old for the babysitter that is a base price ( I've never had a really young sitter so have always paid).
Even 30 years ago when I babysat I didn't get paid more than my normal rate for NYE, it was a question if whether I wanted to be out or staying in but I think I'd it's someone you know well, and who is driving themselves to and from you it's reasonable to offer more. There will always be people who are cheap and/or inconsiderate so babysitters are always going to get offered deals like this.

It's up to her. She's 20!

It would have to be an ungodly amount of money for me to pick kids over animals.

It’s not a strange comment in the slightest. The vast majority of the country will be at some sort of celebration or party to ring in the new year when the clock strikes midnight. Babysitters are in high demand - surely this is common knowledge?

I’d say £150 since it’s NYE, that’s what we did last year.

@ThatMauveRaven It’s not a strange comment in the slightest. The vast majority of the country will be at some sort of celebration or party to ring in the new year when the clock strikes midnight. Babysitters are in high demand - surely this is common knowledge?

As I said in my original comment, New Year's Eve is not a holiday. It's a normal working day.

I'm not sure what makes you think the majority of the country are in "some sort of celebration or party." I'm a normal person with a job and I will most likely be sleeping, and I assure you the majority will be doing the same.

I used to charge £3 an hour as a teen for my neighbours mid 90’s and used to be chuffed for £15 an evening. Clearly I was severely undercharging!

I was given £70 to babysit on NYE in 2008 at the age of 16. I felt like I’d won the lottery and that was a lot more than I was expecting to be fair. I suppose it depends how much her NYE means to her as to whether or not it’s worth it. As a parent now, I think I’d expect to pay more than £60 purely because it’s NYE or top it up with a takeaway at the very least as others have said.

Sounds quite good for a young person doing nothing much. She can say no if she has something better to do.

Lots of services cost extra on New Year’s Eve.

And this is why we never get babysitters. Need to remortgage before funding a night out plus childcare. It's easy money if children in bed. Jesus, I'd watch other children for £60/night in front of tv.

Difficult situation given it's her boss but l would say £20 an hour x5 is £100 but it's probably worth more .

I would say it should be more like £20 an hour for New Year's Eve- or at least that's what I would charge. But if it's additional money and she wants to take the job she will be £60 richer! I always thought that even taking the stingier jobs was better than nothing as you build clientele, you can always up your prices later but once you're in you can become their go-to babysitter.

I think £60 is a bit low.

DD2 is mid 20s and getting £120 and a take away for 7.30pm-2am.