# How much should my wife get paid for this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308 "2014-04-17T02:38:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/1 "2014-04-17T02:38:08Z")
She’s going to watch this lady’s eight-month old for seven hours a week, at our house. (All in one day each week.) She’s saying she wants to charge them $35 for it. That sounds like way way too little to me. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/2 "2014-04-17T02:42:52Z")
Are they really good friends? That’s a really good friend price, like have keys to each others houses good. Otherwise IMO, at least $10/hr depending on how skilled she is. I cat-sit sometimes, and charge $20 per visit, often with 2 visits a day. As a vet tech and very skilled at working with cats, I’m worth it. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/3 "2014-04-17T02:44:30Z")
that question wasn’t what i expected when I saw the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/4 "2014-04-17T02:50:25Z")
Sounds like a favor, not a job. You ever wonder why those daycare places have at least 10 kids at a time? If it’s a favor, and you guys will have a reciprocal benefit in the future, then free is fine. If it’s one time thing and you don’t expect future benefits, then $40/day sounds a lot more reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/5 "2014-04-17T02:51:53Z")
> [@Superhal](#): > > Sounds like a favor, not a job. You ever wonder why those daycare places have at least 10 kids at a time? > > If it’s a favor, and you guys will have a reciprocal benefit in the future, then free is fine. > > If it’s one time thing and you don’t expect future benefits, then $40/day sounds a lot more reasonable. $40 a day doesn’t seem like that much more than $35 a day… did I understand you incorrectly? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/6 "2014-04-17T02:52:56Z")
To clarify, she’ll be watching the kid for seven hours each Tuesday, and wants to ask for $35 for each Tuesday. Basically, $5 an hour. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/7 "2014-04-17T02:54:52Z")
**Superhal** may have misunderstood _you_, and thought it was $35 for the _week_. I know I did. To me $35/day sounds like a pretty good compensation as a favor to a friend. I take it she’s not running a licensed daycare ($200/week was not untypical back when **kayla** was a little one). ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/8 "2014-04-17T02:56:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > **Superhal** may have misunderstood _you_, and thought it was $35 for the _week_. > > I know I did. > > To me $35/day sounds like a pretty good compensation. Does your wife have any experience with caring for babies? Her own of course, and she works for about 12 hours a week at her gym’s child care center. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/9 "2014-04-17T02:57:30Z")
Yeah, I think that’s crazy. Also to clarify my post, a visit usually lasts about an hour. So I charge $20/hr to feed/medicate and play with cats. Your wife either severely undervalues herself, sucks at taking care of babies, or is really close friends with the baby’s mom. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/10 "2014-04-17T02:58:54Z")
So $35 a day is reasonable? That makes me feel better. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/11 "2014-04-17T02:59:55Z")
Oh wait, ya’ll are thinking this is a favor. It’s not a favor–this person is a stranger. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/12 "2014-04-17T03:02:31Z")
$35/day sounds reasonable for just babysitting. $10/hour probably includes other services. I would charge $20-25/hour for K-8 tutoring, 35-45 for high school level, 50-60 for college, but I could also provide diplomas, background checks, criminal record checks, references, and bonding, if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/13 "2014-04-17T03:02:41Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > ($200/week was not untypical back when **kayla** was a little one). This is part of her argument–$200/week is about $5/hour. But that’s in the context of watching a whole bunch of kids at once. Naturally you can charge less per kid in that situation. For a single kid, you’d charge more. I was thinking $12 an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/14 "2014-04-17T03:03:49Z")
What does a 16 year old girl charge by the hour for babysitting? She should get more than that. This will include at least one feeding and probably 2 diaper changes, right? ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/15 "2014-04-17T03:04:05Z")
That is definitely a “best friend favor” pay rate. A friend of mine watches: 11 month old, 8 hrs/day 4 yr old, 2 hr/day, she’s usually at preschool She gets $70/day. She also gets the use of the family mini-van while she has the children, including gas. When she occasionally watches another child (friend of the family) she gets an additional $8/hour. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/16 "2014-04-17T03:04:08Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/17 "2014-04-17T03:05:50Z")
I think I’ll just let it go whatever the case may be. Part of what’s driving the price down, so to speak, is that she’s willing to work for less just to feel like she’s doing _something_ to bring in a little extra. Okay. That’s fine. $35 \> $0. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/18 "2014-04-17T03:07:00Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > Oh wait, ya’ll are thinking this is a favor. It’s not a favor–this person is a stranger. I’d say “no” outright then. There’s too much liability in watching other people’s children. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/19 "2014-04-17T03:07:14Z")
That seems very low. That’s the price we were paying 19 years ago when my son was a baby. And that was in a small group (6 babies/toddlers, 2 care givers), not one-on-one care. Today’s rate? At least 8-10/hour. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2014, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308/20 "2014-04-17T03:10:11Z")
There’s also the consideration that going to the neighborhood of $12/hr might impel the mother to find an actual daycare center. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-should-my-wife-get-paid-for-this/686308.md?page=2)