What is a fair price for babysitting?

$8–14 an hour is what i used to get paid. $10 before a certain time then after 11pm it went to $12

How old are you? $10/day for 2–4 kids seems beyond cheap.

In my area, we usually pay $5 or $6 per hour (we have 3 children). I’d say for more kids than that, or special circumstances, it would be more.

Wow, i just saw the “per day” thats some pretty shit pay you got there!

I agree. $10 per hour is more like it.

Where do you live? Can you find out what the going rate is per kid for sitters of your age?
These people are really taking advantage of you.

I just checked on Yahoo! and the consensus was minimum $8/hour for one child.

@gailcalled these people are also good friends of mine so I feel bad asking for more money. it sux because I have to be here at 4 am and I take the babies to daycare and the big kids go to school. I want to ask for more money being as i have to drive them to daycare and all but i dont want her to find someone else because i really need the money.

4am! I would ask for more money, even some compensation for petrol (if It’s your own car)

We are talking apples and oranges then. You asked whether you were receiving a fair price. Everyone agrees that you aren’t. You must decide what action to take, if any. Would anyone else do that job for such small pay?

You’re probably spending almost all of the money you earn on gas! Maybe you could ask for a gas allowance, instead of raising your price. They might take that better.

I guess people took advantage of me. Being a guy, I wasn’t asked all that often to watch anyone’s kids, but being very ignorant about such things back then (the 1960s) I settled for the parents purchasing me a couple of large sausage pizzas, a couple of tubs from Colonel Bucket, and a sacred, word-of-honor promise that they wouldn’t tell anyone about me (1) having my GF over and (2) what we did.

August 30, 2008, 9:43 PM EDT

so how do I ask for more money without sounding greedy or bitchy?

Wow, that’s definitely way too low, no doubt about it.
I get $10 for babysitting my baby nephew for a few hours every other weekend or so.
$10 for two to four kids is ridiculous. You’re paying more money for gas each day than you even make in a day!

As for asking for a raise, as August said, you could ask for a gas allowance, due to the fact that gas alone costs more than they pay you. Also, you could blame it on the failing economy- you need more money because of the ridiculous inflation, which is most likely true for you. And of course, break it to them gently. Like you said, you don’t want to sound rude; but you don’t want to sound like you’re begging, either. Figure out what you’re going to say before you confront them, and present it in a confident and professional manner. Give them an estimate of what you think would be an appropriate price, but be prepared to have them disagree with your price and want to discuss a lower one [but set your limits; don’t go lower than you feel you should.]. If they refuse to pay you what you feel is necessary, perhaps you shouldn’t be work for them any longer.

I have just entered the twilight zone.

When I got paid I got $1.50 to $2.50 an hour.

Why the heck is it so much more now?!?!

It was not a regular thing like 5 days a week. If they went to a movie on a sat. night.

@Bri_L; That’s realllly low. The lowest is pretty much $5 or $6 [an hour]. Why did the price increase? Probably because most teenagers have something else to do, like go out with friends, on weekends, thus they wouldn’t be able to babysit unless they had a pretty good incentive.

I have three school age kids (none of which are satan’s spawn), and pay a sitter six dollars an hour. You are being grossly underpaid.

I should clarify – “When I got paid” That was 1983.

But what has changed about babysitting that makes it worth $5 or $6 an hour?

@ flyawayxxballloon – where do they get the money to go out and all that with out earning it? (Not being snippy, just bracing myself for what is ahead. I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old)

@ SuperMouse – So you feel that $6 is fair for 3. I guess that works out I was paid 2.50 for 2. That isn’t far off.

@Bri minimum wage here is $5.85 per hour, so I rounded it up to $6.00. My kids are at an age where they are pretty easy. Babysitting them mostly just entails making sure they don’t break any bones or burn down the house, no bottles or diapers or baths.

@ SuperMouse – Ah, thanks for the input. I appreciate it. I was thinking as I read that. “What am I thinking?!?” It is my kids well being. Pay what you have to pay.

@Bri; Where does the money come from? Three words: Parents and allowance.

@ flyawayxxballoon – wow, flyaway..different times, different times.

when i watch my cousins this is how i charge. $5 an hour for one child, then an additional dollar and hour for each kid added on.

UPDATE I quit! she refused to give me the raise so i said find someone else.

You go girl. It sounds like she will be in for a rude awakening.

i would say so… not everyone is as big a sucker as me.

yay for you quitting! you made a smart decision. that price was just outrageous.