if your babysitter asked to raise her rates wold you be ok

Classicookie

Thu, May 01 2008, 3:50 pm

here us my story I stared babysitting in September for $5 an hour were I live some babysitters charge 5.50 as far as I knew thats the most then in November my sil joined me so there are 2 adults in the house for next year we want to charge more like $6 today we told 1 mom who wants to come back we are raising our rates and she said if we go to 5.50 she would be ok 6 she would not be able to come back this is one that I know trys not to spend a lot but I am scared to lose the people I have now bec its a pain to find new I worked very hard to get these I also don't want them to be mad at me but we are 2 and everything is going up so we kinda have to I was thinking maybe 5.75 as in between 5.50 and 6 but people are telling to go to 6 I don't know what do you feel is right would you pay it

raizy

Thu, May 01 2008, 3:55 pm

your old costumer stay the same rate or go up a bit. new costumers go up with the new rate. and its murder to find children. where I live we have about 15 day cares in 2 blocks. so we cant really be picky on who we take. years ago we were the only ones doing it . now if they are not happy they can go to a,b,c etc without blinking an eyelashes. no more of I babysat your kid for yrs .etc. no hakaros hatov. etc. we babysitters are losing out big time.

waterbottle

Thu, May 01 2008, 4:00 pm

Prices are going up worldwide and it makes sense that you need to raise your prices to cover that. $6 an hour is still a very low rate. The lowest I ever got paid for babysitting was $8/hour. It's more typical where I live for babysitters to make $12-$15 an hour.

Classicookie

Thu, May 01 2008, 4:09 pm

I do drop off babysitting in my house with my sil for alot of different kids. It's not that I am going to someones house babysitting. Do you still think that $6.00 is a low rate

amother

Thu, May 01 2008, 4:35 pm

If you are thrilled with the way she takes care of your kids and your kids are happy too, then just pay extra. Unless you know you could find someone better with the same conveniences as you have now, I wouldn't bother changing for a dollar or two xtra.

amother

Thu, May 01 2008, 4:37 pm

I paid $11 an hour and my babysitter/housekeeping was offered a cleaning only job for $15. I love her and she needed the money, so I raised her. She felt very guilty, like she manipulated me into giving her a raise, but I told her that she has to do what's best for her and I have to do what's best for me.

They can raise you and you decide if you want to keep paying it. It's capitalism.

Mimisinger

Thu, May 01 2008, 7:11 pm

I pay $7 and that's for one sitter. I think $6 is cheap. But it depends where you live also. I think you're right to raise your old customers to $5.50 and new people to $6. However, these people are quibbling over 50 cents? yikes

amother

Thu, May 01 2008, 7:17 pm

I live in Lakewood and the going rate is $4 an hour. I think that $6 is a lot to charge because, a) they come to you and b) you have a bunch of other kids too. So it's not like you are only getting $6 an hour at the end of the day you are making about $20 an hour all you need is four kids.

DREAMING

Thu, May 01 2008, 7:45 pm

Mimisinger wrote:

50 cents can be a lot if you are on a very tight budget as many people are.

Fox

Thu, May 01 2008, 11:03 pm

raizy wrote:

your old costumer stay the same rate or go up a bit. new costumers go up with the new rate.

This makes sense to me, too.

Another idea is to offer a "value-added": a service that other babysitters don't offer that makes your own service worth more. It could be something basic, like being certified in CPR and First Aid, all the way to something "deluxe", like providing diapers.

Even if people decide not to take advantage of something you're offering, it positions you as the "professional" child care option and makes them more comfortable spending a little extra.

chaylizi

Thu, May 01 2008, 11:07 pm

someone here maasered on all the unlicensed babysitters who do it for a living. when she got licensed my babysitter changed from a per hour rate to $100/week part time & $150/full time. Hours don't matter if I need to send my older kid after school it is $5/hr. She gives all the kids lunch & snack as it is subsidized by the government. the only other thing that changed was she used to provide wipes & we sent diapers. now we have to send both. I'm very happy with the arrangement.