Babysitter fees | Imamother

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Babysitter fees

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Forum -> Working Women

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amother

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:29 am

I’m planning to take in babysitting of a neighbors child so that I don’t have to leave my toddler and infant every day next school year. I would have to charge about 20 dollars an hour. That’s the least I can charge without this being A very bad financial decision for me. (I’m a preschool teacher by trade but I would lose more money than I make on daycare if I kept up my job.) I feel bad though. Is this too much? I dont want to make it impossible for my neighbors in kollel. I know one women who charges 10 an hour. Is 20 unreasonable ?
I can only take on one extra kid, because more than that the state considers a daycare and I am not ready to get my house up to state code. (My husband works from home, for one thing and we just don’t have the set up)

amother

Yolk

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:33 am

I can never pay that!

amother

Bluebell

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:34 am

I would pay 20 for a frum lady to babysit in my home but not for drop off.

amother

Navyblue

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:37 am

amother OP wrote:

Yes that's unreasonable. Sadly. Idk why it's ok for cleaning help to charge that, but not for childcare. But I don't think anyone would pay that

amother

Mintcream

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:43 am

You want your neighbor to pay you $20 an hour to watch one kid in your house?? That's way above the going rate.

amother

Navy

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:47 am

That's the going rate in my area for a nanny that's not already watching her own kids. It depends on your area but it sounds too high to be in your house with 2 other children.

amother

Tangerine

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 7:54 am

I think the problem is that the child you are watching is one of three. It's possible you would find someone willing to pay that much to have their child get special attention in a home environment, but I don't think you'll find someone willing to pay $20 to be 1 of 3 - that's not much smaller than a typical hime care situation. If you think about it that's that's essentially saying you are earning $60 an hour.

You can always advertise and find out if there's interest. I doubt someone in kollel could afford that (though you never know!) But someone with two professionals might pay $20, but they would want more out of you.

amother

Taupe

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:00 am

There are a few people who would be willing to pay that if it was on the books and they get a tax deduction at the end of the year.
But I would never be able to pay that . I earn $30 an hour. After paying taxes and paying the babysitter I would have nothing left .

watergirl

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:03 am

amother OP wrote:

Do you already have a neighbor who has agreed to send their child to you, or is this just a thought and an assumption that out of all your neighbors, one will certainly send their kid to you?

I'm confused about what I've put in bold. Is the neighbor in kollel the one who is going to send her baby to you? Or are your neighbors in kollel the ones who currently charge $10/hour, and you are worried that if you are able to get $20/hour, you will make it hard for them in some way?

If the situation is that you have a neighbor, who happens to be in kollel, has agreed to send her baby to you next year, and you have not discussed the fee yet, but you feel you need to charge $20/hour, and are wondering if that is appropriate?

If so - the way I understand your situation, is that you are currently making approximately $20/hour salary as a preschool teacher, but you have two small kids and will lose money from your salary if you send them out next year as opposed to keeping them home, but you need to make up the income because your budget relies on it. So, you want to charge ONE family the amount you are currently earning in a school.

I truly do not think this is appropriate, if I got the nuances of your predicament correctly. It's not right to expect one person to pay the same thing a school pays you. That parent is not the one making the request for you to leave your job and to watch only her kid, in which case it would be a different story. You need to leave the job, and you need the money still. I really respect your desire to keep things above board legally and not take in more than one kid without being licensed. I think it's worth looking into seeing what the cost would be to bring your house up to code, it could be a lot less than you think.

amother Navyblue wrote:

Yes that's unreasonable. Sadly. Idk why it's ok for cleaning help to charge that, but not for childcare. But I don't think anyone would pay that

Just to reply to this, yes and no. Yes, people will pay this to their cleaning help, but it's usually only for a few hours a week. I've never heard of anyone paying $20/hour for the same hours as a daycare provider, like 9-4. If someone does, I think it's unusual and that the person paying that is in a higher income bracket than the average Joe.

amother

Tangerine

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:07 am

amother OP wrote:

Can you elaborate on why it is a very bad financial decision for you to take in a kid for less than $20?
Of Im understanding you right,, ou say on your current job you will come home with LESS than you earn after paying for your kids childcare!

Here you will net whatever they pay...I think $13 to $15 is llikely what you'll get someone to pay to be a third kid.

And you get to be home with your kids!

I do see why babysitting is not so worthwhile when only watching one kid.

cupcake123

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:16 am

You don't have to feel bad you can charge that but the kollel neighbor won't send. Maybe someone else will.

amother

Melon

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:19 am

$20/hr is the going rate for a nanny to come to your own home for 1 child. If you really need $20/hr for it to financially make sense, take 2 kids and charge $10/hr.

watergirl

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:25 am

amother Tangerine wrote:

I'm not OP, but I think she was saying it would be a very bad financial decision for her to take in a kid for less than $20 is because she needs to make up the money she would be losing by leaving her job to stay home. IE, her family depends on her salary and she needs to make up that income if she were to leave her job. So basically she's saying they can't afford to pay childcare for her two kids.

Simple1

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:46 am

amother Navyblue wrote:

Yes that's unreasonable. Sadly. Idk why it's ok for cleaning help to charge that, but not for childcare. But I don't think anyone would pay that

Cleaning help is coming to your home home.

amother

Scarlet

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:48 am

I don't know where you live, but here it's $18-20 for one kid (full attention), $10 for group of 2, and $6-8 for 3 or more. Even though you're only taking in 1 kid, he's going to be 1 of 3. You can't ask more than $10 for such shared attention.

Simple1

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:53 am

You can’t watch two kids because of legal reasons? Is it uncommon in your town to have non legal babysitting in the home. If it is the norm, I’m sure they won’t be after your 2-4 child arrangement which is a good ratio.

amother

Cobalt

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 8:54 am

I babysit and I charge 6.00 an hour! 20 is a bit high.

amother

Rainbow

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 9:05 am

Not only is it unreasonable, I don't know anyone who would pay that for a 3 to 1 ratio.

For the record, I pay that for a nanny in my home, but not for a ratio of 3 kids to 1 caregiver.

amother

Jetblack

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 9:08 am

It's totally not reasonable. You can charge tops $7-$8 like most other babysitters. Most babysitters take a few kids so they make enough per hour. I don't think it's the job for you.

amother

Scarlet

Wed, Feb 01 2023, 9:22 am

I think when you calculate whether the money works for you you also need to include the money you're saving on not sending your two out.

Meaning, if you were making $30/ hour before, and it costs $10/ hour to send each kid out, you really only need $10/hour to break even

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