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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think twice about our babysitter increasing her hourly fee?

63 replies

stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:32

We have a weekend evening sitter-- we love her and so does dd, who is a school age, only child.... So even though we pay her a bit more than other sitters charge (9/hour) we love to have her taking care of dd.

She just told me that 'due to the current economic conditions' she is raising her rate to 10/hour (in London btw).

What do you think? Our income is currently far below normal, we are cutting back massively, though a night out is a luxury (an important one, I think). It seems like prices are stable or decreasing, not going up.

I don't know what to say to her. I feel so close to her, so I hate having any 'business' speak. This year we gave her 100 pounds for a gift (some on her birthday and the rest at Christmas.

Just thought I'd see your thoughts. I have no idea if I'm being unreasonable or not and welcome constructive advice.

OP posts:
FiveGoMadInDorset · 09/02/2009 21:34

Just say in the current economic climate you cannopt afford her price increase.

EldonAve · 09/02/2009 21:35

She thinks you are minted as is taking the piss

I wouldn't pay more than £8 an hour (in London)

pamplemousse · 09/02/2009 21:35

OMG! 10/ hour???
My babysitter is extremely happy with £5 an hour and some snacks and drinks.

LongDroopyBoobyLady · 09/02/2009 21:37

£5 plus dvd & snacks

SoupDragon · 09/02/2009 21:38

So, in a credit crunch when people have no money, she is increasing her fees??

DD's nursery put their annual fee increase from Jan til April 'due to the current economic conditions' - slightly different approach!

SoupDragon · 09/02/2009 21:38

put back the fee increase

Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:39

I know, I know, it's so much. I haven't seen anyone charge more than 9 (and where is that pound sign on my keyboard?? it's an American laptop. I need to find that key...)

Anyhow, ugh, I hate to tell her that it's too much. I'm a complete pushover, if it's not obvious already.

OP posts:
HecateQueenOfGhosts · 09/02/2009 21:39

Tell her you can't afford it, so you'll have to stay in from now on.

hellymelly · 09/02/2009 21:40

I think it varies across London though.A friend paid me £7 an hour to mind her ds ten years ago and that was the going rate where we lived,but another friend in a different part of town was paying her sitter £5 and thought that was overly generous compared with others she knew.I know around Camden/Primrose hill etc that £10 is the minimum rate .

tiredsville · 09/02/2009 21:40

She is taking the piss. If anything due to the current climate she should be taking a pay cut

Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:40

Yes, in a credit crunch I would think rates would stay the same, not go up! I will discuss it with DH and I think you are all correct. I should say no.

But she is the best, best sitter we have had in ages. And really creative and involved with DD. She does art projects with her, plays games, etc.

OP posts:
HecateQueenOfGhosts · 09/02/2009 21:41

If you don't feel you can be assertve, what about just using her less? So if you normally go out once a week, go out once a fortnight. If she asks why, tell her it's the current economic climate.

tiredsville · 09/02/2009 21:41

A pay £7.50 an hour.

daysoftheweek · 09/02/2009 21:42

Look at sitters (.com or .co.uk) lots of mumsnetters use them

(BTW I think she's taking the piss too)

EldonAve · 09/02/2009 21:43

why isn't your child in bed?
I'd charge more if I had to entertain rather than just watch the telly

Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:43

Hi Helly Melly.

10 is the minimum in Primrose Hill? Wow. I'm in a relatively expensive area (SW London). I'll check with my friends to see what they pay here.

When I have used a sitting service, the sitter gets about 6/hour, then we pay a booking fee, which brings it to 7/hour if we're out 4 hours.

I have used them and they're ok, but you never know who you're going to get, and I like having the same sitter (whom we know and trust and don't have to explain every thing to).

OP posts:
ScummyMummy · 09/02/2009 21:44

That's way too pricey, definitely.

cat64 · 09/02/2009 21:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:46

EldonAve-- good point (that she's entertaining as well as sitting)..

She usually comes over around. DD goes to bed around 8, but this sitter usually plays more with her and she sleeps around 8:30. We're back by 10/11, never later.

So, she's got a couple of hours with DD.

Hecate yes, I thought about this. Also, have her come for 4 hours instead of 5. Sometimes I have her come early dd is an only and I worry about her getting bored with us all weekend, and she has a great time with this sitter.

OP posts:
EldonAve · 09/02/2009 21:47

with sitters we tend to get the same people - you can tell them who your favorites are

Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:48

oops-- left out a word! She usually comes over around 6 p.m. So she plays with dd and has dinner with her before bedtime at 8.

OP posts:
Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:49

Hi Eldon,
We did find one person we liked, but then ended up with 2 others as she wasn't free. I could try to book her in advance. Didn't like one of the sitters they sent over

Thanks everyone very much for posting.

OP posts:
Miyazaki · 09/02/2009 21:53

sticky I babysit in SW London, I charge £6 per hour before midnight, £10 after as that seems fair to me. I have never heard of anybody charging that much as a flat rate...

Just say you can't afford that, and what a shame, you don't want to look for somebody else?

hellymelly · 09/02/2009 21:54

I know its hard to deal with a price hoik but I think if she is that good then maybe an extra £5 for an evening out is not so terrible? I have never used a babysitter but I think someone really good who you can trust is worth paying over the odds for-your children are your most treasured possession no? Surely it is worth having one less night out a year and keeping your great sitter? (I am taking the unpopular stance here,as I feel babysitters are generally underpaid rather than over.

Original poster
stickytape · 09/02/2009 21:56

Thanks (do you want to babysit for us
?

I will look check to see what neighbours in this area are paying first, but that's probably exactly what I'll say.

OP posts:
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