Help knowing what to charge for overnight babysitting?

[needtodohousework]

Hello. I have been asked to do some overnight babysitting for a family locally. I will be staying at their house and looking after a 1 year old, who usually sleeps through the night or wakes once and is easily settled.

How do I know what to charge?

I won't be taking my DD with me - she would stay at home with DH probably. I am a registered childminder and have an NVQ 2 in early years.

As it isn't normal babysitting - I would be sleeping there - how do I work out what to charge?

Oh and she said she has a few other people interested so I need to get back to her ASAP - as I would be starting this weekend. But she said I was her preferance so far so if the price is right I should have the work.

surely you should ask her what she is willing to pay??

she has the ball in her court it would seem - but first decide what price you have in your head

150-200 / 24 hours is the usual proxy parenting rate in London.

I usually charge half what I'd charge in the evening. So for me I charge £4 ph until 12am then £2ph from 12am to whenever the lo wakes up.

Normal babysitting pay from when you arrive until midnight then a flat fee from when midnight to 7am when he wakes up then normal fee's from 7 until they get home?

What area are you in missfox? That sounds extremly cheap!

I'd be wanting £7-£10ph depending on location, how likely child was to wake, number of hours they need you for, if it was going to be a rwegular thing etc. If baby isnt going to be too difficult through the night & location was handy I would be happy to accept £7ph in the hope of it leading to regular work. You could always up your rates by £1ph after 6 months or something like that - by that time as long as family is happy with you they would probbaly be happy to pay the extra rather than look for someone else. HTH

It is a good location for me and might be regular work. So would you charge the same rate all night? I have emailed to ask what sort of time in the morning I would be needed until.

She has said baby usually sleeps through or wakes once and settles easily. She is the same age as my DD so perfect really in that way as it is the same as what I would do at home.

I worked out that if I charge £6 ph (which is my normal rate) all night it would cost £72 for 12 hours (not sure if she needs me for that long). It would be £72. It seems a bit expensive? She is a single mum so don't want to take the pee or anything, but also need to make it worth while for me.

Right, have heard back now. I wouldn't really need to do much for the baby at all and could leave when ever I am ready in the morning as she would get up with the baby.

Do you think £50 for the night sounds ok? Probably be from 9pm ish?

it depends how much you need the money and how much the mum is prepared to pay, suppose you have the presure of her having said she had got other people interested. a flat rate of £50 would be fine (if you're happy with this amount) but just make sure you have the morning leaving time sorted out. E.g. £50 for 9pm-7am but anything after 7am charged at £6ph or something like that. You dont want £50 if she ends up asking you to work later one morning iyswim.
HTH

tbh I would prob ask her what she was thinking of in terms of pay first though, if she is a bit vague, kind of say... well my usual rate is £6ph and see if she passes any comment, you dont want to lower your prices if she would be happy to pay the £6ph through the night

Hi

I have done overnights sometimes for people I babysit and normally charge £40-£50 (I think it's better to have repeat work at that rate than just a one-off at £70)

Explain that if there was anytime that you needed to help in morning then you'd need to add a bit on.

i have been doing overnights as my mb/db away and i charge £80 a night

thats a babysitting rate of £10ph 7pm-midnight and then sleepover rate of £30 to 7am

but i charge £10 2 babysit

so if you charged £6 to bs - then charge to midnight your hourly rate and then add £30

if night nannying and baby likely to wake up every hour/few tinmes a night i charge £12ph

proxy parenting 180/200 per 24

She is offering me £35 for the night now. She has actually seen this thread too although not a problem as I knew there was a chance she was a mumsnetter. She would be out from 9pm till 4am ish and it would be up to me if I wanted to sleep over or go home at 4am. No duties for the morning - just the 9pm-4am where the baby is unlikely to wake, possibly once very vaguely.

I honestly don't know what to say. It seems very low for that long. If I go home at 4am it will mess up my body clock so not any better off really.

I could do with the money but trying to work out if it is worth giving up my evening and night for £35. It means neither me or hubby can have any other plans (he would need to look after DD). And I usually have a huge list of stuff I need to get done in the evenings.

But in some ways it might be good to get DD used to me not being at home for a night or 2 (and DH Too!) for when I go into labour/have my new baby which is due in april.

Very mixed opinions on this thread. There isn't much to do for the baby - but it wouldn't bother me if there was really.

If thats what she's prepared to pay and you have childcare sorted for your DD I suppose I may do it. I would prob go to bed at her house but if I woke when she came home (I'm quite a light sleeper) I would prob drive home at 4am and then get into my owb bed for a couple of hours. I think it's a bit low paid tbh but I suppose only £1ph less than your usual rate. Good luck deciding!

what a cheapskate that woman is!!

IF SHE IS IN AT 4AM, SHE COULD PAY YOU TO 7AM

but as she isnt then i would charge her every hour you are there, ie 9-4 so 7hrs and at your usual rate of £6 so £42 and maybe make a lot of noice when you leave at 4am so her child wake

i personally wouldnt do it for £35 and tbh not sure if you didnt, she could find someone who would

Agree with Blondes that you should charge your full hourly amount then from 9-4 - plus more if she's late etc.

It's very little - I pay 10ph for the evening so would expect to pay 80 for the whole night I think.

35 pounds for an overnight stay is having a laugh. Our evening babysitter gets more than that and we are always home by midnight (but we are in London so things are pretty expensive).

I charge £80 for 7pm-7am for children over 12mths who dont wake during the night.

for those under 12mths or those that wake in the night its £12 an hr.

£35 is a joke really for 9pm-4am even if staying over its unsocialable hours and I would expect at the very min £60.

I'm wondering how well you know the child concerned. Have you met the child? Have you done any evening babysitting or daytime childminding for this child?
While the child may sleep through when mums there, if someone they don't know is there things could be different. From the times you have given, the child may be asleep when you arrive. If they wake and you aren't known to them, they will be quite upset.
£35 sounds low to me.

No I haven't met the child before, but would be going round an hour or so early the first night to meet her.

Could really do with the money, but don't want to be taken for granted and I often get other babysitting enquries so would be turning away other work where I can earn as much but still be home in time to go to bed at home.

I have just agreed to do it for £45 and have agreed on that.

Thanks for all the opinions!

wow thats still very low,but if you are happy with that