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So I realize rates have increased but when I baby sat in the 90's I generally made between $5-$10 an hour.
We have a baby sitter who comes once or twice a week for 3-4 hours and we pay her $20 an hour. She is a college student. My DH typically drives her and the kids to the beach for the time she's with them, then goes and picks them up. Lately she has been bringing a friend. To me that seems like a pretty good gig.
When I look up what the average rate is around here for a sitter it's around $18 an hour. ok. So if she came 40 hours a week and we paid her $20 an hour we'd be paying her $800 a week...no taxes taken out or anything. I get plenty of taxes taken out of my check so sometimes I wonder about this...
It feels like people pay attention to going rates on the internet and anything less is just working for a cheapskate...regardless of how easy the job might be. My kids are 5 and 7, they're potty trained, no diapers, she doesnt even have to feed them.
Why does the rate for babysitters never seem to change based on the amount of kids or the ages or what's involved in the job?
I also think being a babysitter is a bit different than a full time nanny...but it seems like the same amount is expected to be paid to the said babysitter/nanny regardless of what ones income is. It seems like plenty of nannys will of course work for more but no one wants to work for less than this going rate average listed online.
I also realize you can claim a babysitter on your taxes but for a few hours a week we're not going to bother with that.
I guess I am thankful for my parents who occasionally mind our kids for free.
Sometimes it's hard to wrap my head around that our babysitter gets paid more for taking my kids to the beach than someone working at Burger King does. They dont make having kids easy in this country it seems unless you're wealthy.
Shop around if you resent paying this babysitter as much as you do. I am sure you can find cheaper, but then again, I would think it would be worth it to pay the one you have if you feel like you can trust her with your childrens' lives.
No i didnt....but I feel like I was paid much less than what is expected today. I remember babysitting for one family in particular where i'd show up around 6 and sometimes stayed out until midnight and would pay me $15!! This was late 90s. So i guess Im wrong when i said I would make $10 an hour...that was rare for sure.
Just feels like the cost of everything has exploded. Can't say my salary feels like it's exploded, how nice for the others who's has.
I do like our babysitter but sometimes we have a hard time justifying having her come more than she does. We pay her $100 for the one time she does come for 3-4 hours. That's not chump change to us even if it is a small break from the kids.
I'm not looking for a new babysitter or to pay her less...but merely just wondering how we got here in terms of paying someone $20 an hour to sit with our kids on the beach with a friend.
the going rates for daycare around here are astronomical. I know women who have just left the work force because it didn't make sense for them to pay someone else to watch their kids for around the same the were getting paid..or not much more.
That needs to stop. What the hell kind of person brings a friend to a job?
Sounds like she's taking advantage of the situation. You need to put a stop to that nonsense.
I know someone on here is bound to say "Oh, what is it hurting, she's getting twice the babysitters for one price". Nope. She's going to be distracted sitting there talking with her friend. She's getting paid very well, VERY well to watch children. Her time and attention need to be 100% on those children.
If she makes over 12,200 she is required to file and pay taxes.
Many babysitters do want to file taxes, even if the income is below that, because it is counted towards their 40 quarters of work for social security eligibility. I have had clients who worked off the books their whole lives and start filing taxes in their 60s so that they would qualify.
Kids 7 and 5 and $20/hr. That makes $10/hr per kid plus you have her go to the beach not sit at home. Please tell her that you will issue a 1099 and start looking for a new sitter.
If she makes over 12,200 she is required to file and pay taxes.
Many babysitters do want to file taxes, even if the income is below that, because it is counted towards their 40 quarters of work for social security eligibility. I have had clients who worked off the books their whole lives and start filing taxes in their 60s so that they would qualify.
So the interesting thing is we used this girls mother a few years ago and she worked a lot more hours. We paid her around $400 a week, she was making $16-$17 an hour back then. She would take my son (who was a baby/toddler at the time) to her house where she could be around her own family as well. My DH let her know after about 3 years that he was going to claim her and she quit...so yeah they don't all want to file taxes.
The daughter is very sweet and she asks every week if we need her. I know she is dying for more hours and why wouldnt she be with what the job entails/pays.
Im sure many babysitters agree to amounts less than what is seen online as the average rate...but this is the boston area and it feels like everything in regards to pay is very competitive due to high COL. She however lives with her parents at the moment so it's not like this is rent money for her.
I'm merely just venting a bit here. There was another post about how tipping seems to have gotten out of control and it got me to thinking of what part time babysitters expect to be paid. I know many parents that hire a sitter for date night and the job entails putting kids to bed and sitting on the couch watching tv while they sleep....and they get $18-$20 an hour for that.
I'd be concerned about having the kids at the beach. One could be showing her something while the other one goes into the water and drowns.
You have the option of paying taxes when you pay her as your employee if you want to do the paperwork. As it is she is working as an individual contractor (I am not sure I have the right term) and is responsible for paying her own taxes and SS, if she earns over a certain amount.
House cleaners, gardeners, there are lots of jobs that take place under the table. If you hire someone that is licensed and bonded they are paying taxes, although if you pay them in cash, human nature being what it is, it's possible they won't claim it.
If your kids like her and you think she is responsible, that should also count for something.
I do think she's responsible and can't say i worry about them drowning...they dont go out that far for starters. She's also really great about putting sunscreen on them which i appreciate.
Overall it's not her...i think she does a good job. It's just this 'going rate' thing. Eventually my kids wont need a babysitter...makes me wonder about what they will be paying a baby sitter when they have kids. $35-$45 an hour?
When I was a teen in the early 2000s I charged $8/hr per kid but I'd do a discount if you had multiple kids so it would be $8/hr for one then $7 for the second, $6 for the 3rd so if you had 3 kids I'd charge around $20/hr so I don't think she's that unreasonable for $20 for 2 kids.
Also, I find that babies are easier than 5 and 7 year olds. Like babies sleep all day, I'd have to change a diaper and feed them but for the most part they slept most of my time with them. 5 and 7 year olds actually want you to play with them, which was no biggie bc I enjoy playing but to say its easier than a baby is not really the case.
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