How much should I charge to watch a child in someone's home? I would be caring for one child. Changing diapers, preparing simple meals. No cleaning, or any other duties. I would be taking my son with me, so that will be wonderful. The other child is of similar age, and I would love him to have a playmate. I was thinking $7.00 an hour, but then someone told me daycare's charge much less then that...?? I have never done this for pay before, so I'm just not sure. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!
To answer your question, it would only be 3 - 4 hours a day. I have asked in my area, and it is such a huge range...I can't even pin down an average!! I would be taking the children to play places, parks, museums, and other fun places. I would not charge for the gas or admittance fee (if there is one), if that makes a difference. That would come out of my pocket.
**The reason why I wouldn't charge for activity's, is because here children under 3 are almost always free, and she lives within a mile or two of many things to do. It would be a matter of a couple dollars.
Think you should ask around where you live. I think it depends completely on that. Where I have lived NY and now Seattle I pay my sitters $10 an hr. Maybe if it's a whole day it could be a rate for the day instead of per hr? I dunno. I would ask a bunch of people locally.
I highly recommend you charge a weekly rate, not hourly. I would think $125 would be a good rate. With that in mind, you should also specify that you will not work more than 4 hours per day, and if there is a day that she does not need you, you still get paid for that day. Also, be sure to make an agreement for holidays.
Forget what everyone else is charging and ask for however much will make it worth it for you. And don't be shy.
We are forever victims of our starting salaries, after all!
:)
Actually, you have plenty of money coming out of this. You need to claim it on your taxes and you need to pay self employment taxes or they need to treat you like a real employee. If they do the right thing and take out the taxes, you still have to drive to and from each day. With it only being 3 hours per day, you could easily spend 1/2 of what they pay you on the trip to and from their home. By the time Uncle Sam gets his share there would not be any left.
You need to find out what in home daycare's charge and DOUBLE it.
It seems like you can get away with charging more if you're going to her house rather than babysitting at your home.
It would help to know if its every day all day or for how long? If you charge that by the hour and do it for 8 hours for 5 days that would be almost $300 per week which is WAY too much. To get a really good idea for your area just call around to some home daycares and ask them. Good luck.
When you are a sitter in someone else's home, you will be more expensive than daycare. That is what the parents want...the more individualized attention than the larger ratio at the daycare. I was able to find experienced sitters willing to come to my home for $10/hr. My sitters only had to play with, change and feed my son..no housework. I did not hire anyone who had their own child only because I really wanted my son to have the individual attention and I was afraid that he would always lose out to the child of a sitter (I could be completely wrong but that is just how I felt). I think if for whatever reason though that I could not find one who did not have a child to bring, I would pay less than the childless sitter because the ratio changed and my son would not be receiving the full attention of the sitter. Maybe $8/hr. I think you could easily ask more than what you were looking for and get it. Good luck.
Edited to Add: I just read your What Happened. Why would you pay admissions for the child? If the parents give you permission to take the child wherever, they need to leave money for the admission fee. I can see you not charging gas since you wanted to go there anyway with your child but there is no reason for a sitter to pay admittance for the child she watches. That will basically eat your earnings. Some of those entry fees are ridiculous.
I would charge a flat rate - find out what day care costs are in your area and make it lower than that because you really have no money coming out of your pocket to do this.
I would ask for $12 and take $7 if you have to.
You need to call around and find out what other nannys charge, and than deduct a small amount since your own child will be with you. The other mom should pay for her child foe special outings. I would say maybe $100 per week, but it can differ from area to area.
How many days and hours? I would charge weekly.
$7 seems very reasonable. That's probably what I would charge.
Daycares charge much more than that lol. I charge $10 an hour for sitting in someones home. I do not do diapers etc as the kids are older. But for a baby $7 is less than minimum wage. as far as taking the kids to do fun stuff. Make the parents pay for that. why on earth would you be paying for someone elses children to go to do fun stuff when your not even being paid minimum wages? Preschools and elementary schools all charge for the field trips. I work aprox 22 hours a week and make $225 a week whether it is 5 days or 1. I get a weekly fee. the only time it changes is if I have them more hours and then it is more money.
I think you need to call around and ask what child care centers are charging for a full day/full week. Then do a reasonable portion of that.
For example:
Say a child care center charges 100 per week for a child that is there a normal day, 9-10 hours. 10 hours per day at 5 days they are getting $2.00 per hour. For that $2.00 per hour they are paying for at least one full meal and at least one snack and probably two snacks. If they are charging much more for the age child you would be caring for then you can adjust the math a bit. I know some centers charge almost $200 per week for an infant. But still, that would only be about $4.00 per hour.
You would be in their home using their food. You would be giving individual care. There are definantly pro's for that service that could justify charging more per hour.
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Yes, most children are in child care at LEAST 9 hours per day and the average is right at 10 hours per day. Say mom and dad work 8-5. That child is there at least half an hour before and a half hour after the parents have to be at work. That means 7:30 to 5:30 minimum. Often traffic takes up to a half hour more so they are dropped off even earlier and picked up later making an even longer day for the kiddo.
