# What should I pay my babysitter ? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017 "2003-03-29T13:55:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/1 "2003-03-29T13:55:30Z")
We don’t go out often. Usually when we do my parents babysit, but they live in another state, so when we want to go out locally we are stuck. I found a sitter for tonight, she’s 17 years old and sitting is her only PT job. She didn’t tell me what she charges, so I guess I have to figure it out. When I was younger and did babysitting, I charged about $2.00 an hour, I’m pretty sure it’s more now. It’s two kids, 8 and 10 for about 5 hours. No cooking is involved. What’s the going rate ? ---
**Author:** ![grettle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@grettle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grettle)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/2 "2003-03-29T14:15:48Z")
I used to charge $3 per kid per hour. You might want to ask her if you know that she babysits for other people and has some sort of idea herself. ---
**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/3 "2003-03-29T14:20:29Z")
I believe “the going rate” varies widely, depending on the local supply-and-demand. It’s probably best just to ask her. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/4 "2003-03-29T14:28:01Z")
Ask around. Here in OH the going rate is ~$2/child/hour, an extra $5 if the sitter doesn’t have to be picked up and dropped off. I also ask ahead of time what fast food or pizza she likes and I’ll have that waiting for her when she arrives. I also think high maintenance children (and you know if you have them) deserve more per hour. Scale your wages according to how much work she has to do. $20 is the minimum I’ll pay, even if it’s just a few hours because I recognize that she gave up an evening to babysit. ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/5 "2003-03-29T15:27:56Z")
I sat twice for the daughter of a friend here, the daughter in question having some fairly serious behavioral problems (she really IS ADHD, trust me on that!) and was paid $40 for five hours, one and a half of that when she was in bed. I was shocked; that IS hazard pay, but when I was sitting more regularly I usually got about a buck-fifty an hour. I’m 27 so I would expect something around minimum wage, though for a friend I’m willing to settle for a whole lot less or none at all; I wasn’t expecting to get paid anywhere NEAR what I was for that job. She is a very high-maintanance kid but if I’d gotten $40 for babysitting at fourteen, which the mother swore to me was her usual payment, I’d have been over the moon. I was pretty happy with it NOW! I’d ask around. It’s always better to overpay a bit than to underpay, though. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/6 "2003-03-29T15:42:34Z")
I would ask her what she charges, that’s her job & at 17 she better start learning about salaries 🙂 My friend charges $15 an hour plus $2 per extra child. Of course, sometimes only $5 an hour if that’s all she thinks they can afford or she thinks the kids need the love & attention… ---
**Author:** ![Davidbw1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7993a0/32.png) [@Davidbw1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davidbw1)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/7 "2003-03-29T18:05:01Z")
'round here (long island), babysitters get a lucritive $10/hour. Interesting how it is so different in OH. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Fluffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/8 "2003-03-29T18:11:24Z")
I pay my sitter about $3.00 per hour. I live in Ohio also. Of course, I have to pick her up take her home afterwords which is about a 25 minute ride each way. I only have a 11 year old son who is no problem whatsoever. Seems fair I guess… ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/9 "2003-03-29T18:50:18Z")
[ul]:eek: [sup] **AMAZING!** When did babysitting become a profession?[/sup][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/10 "2003-03-29T19:08:13Z")
I have babysat a great deal (though not much anymore) and I usually recieved $5-6 an hour. ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/11 "2003-03-29T19:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*[ul]:eek: [sup] **AMAZING!** When did babysitting become a profession?[/sup][/ul] \*\* When did cheerleading become a sport? 😃 ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/12 "2003-03-30T02:47:31Z")
**kniz** , my aunt is a nanny. I believe that is as close as it is possible to get to a professional babysitter. She’s done other jobs, but she loves kids, and has always gone back to it. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-pay-my-babysitter/165017/13 "2003-03-30T23:41:47Z")
I have friends who baby-sit, and they charge between $8 and $10 an hour. Of course, they’re older, with years of experience and their own cars. Between $2 and $3 an hour seems really low? Why would anyone, even a 14-year-old, work for that little?