Babysitter Raising Rates?!

Crysty · Jun 30th, 2008, 12:41 PM

Okay guys, help me out here....I need some neutral advice...

My sitter (an in-home mother with two 3yr old twins and one 4 yr old) babysits for my 2 & 10 yr old DD's. The rate all winter & spring was $110/wk. When 10 yr old DD's school let out for summer, we agreed on $150/wk. Sitter said at that time (3 weeks ago) that if oldest DD was there for less than 3 days per week, rate was $110 + $20 each day. Okay fine no prob. I was happy with that. A bit more background, if she cancels for dr appt or whatever, I do not pay. If I cancel, we do pay -- obviously. She also wants to be paid for Holidays which has always been a point of major contention with DH, but I sucked it up and paid her for them anyway because I like her overall.

Last week, she had nobody on Mon, 2yr old on Tues, both on Wed, nobody Thurs, and both Friday. She told me to pay $110 when I asked how she wanted to handle it. Fine, no prob.

Today I get an email basically saying that due to rising food costs, she needs me to pay $175/wk for both full time beginning in two weeks (so she's giving me time to budget for this). If oldest DD does not attend, flat rate is $150. WTH?

I must also mention that sitter's Dh is trying desperately to find work out of state and that they put their house on the market a month ago and are VERY anxious to sell. So my arrangements will have to change soon anyway. One last kicker, we have one more on the way in Nov, and as far as I know, she never planned to keep the little one because she would not be able to have as much flexibility as far as noise level and outside playtime.

Feel free to ask me any other key factors I may have left out....I am in a panic over this email she sent. (and she emailed because "I am always in a rush in the morning". That is true, but I am not in the evenings!)

Help!

BagsAreMyBabies · Jun 30th, 2008, 01:58 PM

Hmmm... I don't know a whole lot about day care because I am a SAHM, but I can see where you are coming from. BUT, I am a little confused by what you are paying now. The pay rates you are mentioning are all over the place and i can't tell if that is because she keeps changing it on you. You said she quoted you at $150 a week when 10 y/o gets out for the summer. Then you said, $110 (that you were already paying), plus $20 a day extra if its less than 3 days a week for 10 y/o - so going by last week, you should have paid $160 ($110, plus $20 x 3 days that your 10 y/o was there = $170), but then in the end, she told you to only pay $110. Now this week she wants $175. It sounds pretty close to what it seems like you agreed on in the first place. Sorry, can you clear this up so that I can better understand?

katkooty · Jun 30th, 2008, 02:29 PM

well..regardless of the amount.. if she might move, then u might as well just look for a new sitter and kind of agree on a certain amount for a certain time..like 150 a week for the entire year except summers or whatever... but i have to say though, she seems to be transferring some of her financial burdens on u which i do not think is fair..

BagsAreMyBabies · Jun 30th, 2008, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katkooty

well..regardless of the amount.. if she might move, then u might as well just look for a new sitter and kind of agree on a certain amount for a certain time..like 150 a week for the entire year except summers or whatever... but i have to say though, she seems to be transferring some of her financial burdens on u which i do not think is fair..

Yes, I was ultimately going to say the same thing about just looking for someone new now. I mean, she is taking a stupid risk of you dropping her altogether if she needs the money so bad that she is raising her rates. But ultimately, it sounds like you are going to need someone new. Plus, I was wondering, how much does your 10 y/o really enjoy it there with a bunch of toddlers?

Crysty · Jun 30th, 2008, 03:05 PM

Sorry for the confusion...

Our agreement is $150/wk for when oldest is there, which will be most of the time. If oldest is @ camp for the week or something then only $110 has applied for the little one, which is really pretty flexible -- I understand that we would not have the flexibility in a commercial-care setting. However, if oldest attends less than 3 days a week, rate of $110 applies plus $20 per day for each day she would be there. Again, pretty fair.

I expect to pay her $150/wk for the most part. That should be the most we ever pay. Now the flat rate will be $175 for both, and $150 if oldest is absent.

So we would go from $110/$150 to $150/$175. Only $25/wk yes....but that's $100/mo & what I really do not get is why. I just think it is like asking for a raise for no reason. Maybe she did not realize beforehand how much a 10 yr old eats given her reference to rising food costs....but she does not eat $25 more than previously thought....

Korilynn · Jun 30th, 2008, 03:50 PM

Maybe she just needs the extra money! I did in home daycare and the hourly rate when calculated ended up being less than $2/hr. Which was ridiculous! I was only getting $4/hr for watching 2 kids. I was watching the kids from 7am until 5 pm M-F.
and even though the parents provided milk and formula...I still had to provide snacks and food. I think you should consider the fact that your kids are getting one on one attention and therefore you should expect to pay more. Have you checked local daycares etc? My friend paid $80/wk for a summer program for 1 10 year old child! I think you may be getting a better deal than you realize!

biggestbaglover · Jun 30th, 2008, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Korilynn

Maybe she just needs the extra money! I did in home daycare and the hourly rate when calculated ended up being less than $2/hr. Which was ridiculous! I was only getting $4/hr for watching 2 kids. I was watching the kids from 7am until 5 pm M-F.
and even though the parents provided milk and formula...I still had to provide snacks and food. I think you should consider the fact that your kids are getting one on one attention and therefore you should expect to pay more. Have you checked local daycares etc? My friend paid $80/wk for a summer program for 1 10 year old child! I think you may be getting a better deal than you realize!

I agree with you! I don't think this is unreasonable at all. Daycare where I live is from $1000 to $1500 per month for ONE child. This sounds like it is a very good deal and I would definitely not be complaining if this is all she is charging AND she is including food. You are very fortunate to get such a reasonable rate in my opinion. The increase she is asking for is miniscule.

guccimamma · Jun 30th, 2008, 06:12 PM

i think that is an absolute bargain.

katkooty · Jun 30th, 2008, 06:21 PM

but i think u cant compare a sitter to a day care..the services are so different.. first of all shes not super trained or as qualified as day care caregivers and secondly, the activities and the tools the kids will have in a day care and a home setting would differ.. where the day care is more equipped for handling kids.. so i would pay more for day care but i wouldnt compare it to a sitter..

biggestbaglover · Jun 30th, 2008, 07:09 PM

^^^Regardless, at home care for ONE child in my area is a minimum of $750 if a child is under care from 8:30AM to 4:00PM.

The OP's sitter is charging a ridiculously low rate AND providing meals/snacks.

$175 a week for two children/5 days per week = $17.50 a day for each child or $35 a day for both children. Are you kidding? That is DIRT CHEAP!

bonniec · Jun 30th, 2008, 08:50 PM

That is ridiculously cheap. You can't base it on just food costs, either. Perhaps she just wants to be paid for watching your children. Look around, home daycares often charge $50/day... for ONE child.

Good luck, and feel blessed that you have found this woman that you trust AND could afford to care for your children. Speaking from personal experience, it's not easy to find.

BagsAreMyBabies · Jun 30th, 2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by biggestbaglover

^^^Regardless, at home care for ONE child in my area is a minimum of $750 if a child is under care from 8:30AM to 4:00PM.

The OP's sitter is charging a ridiculously low rate AND providing meals/snacks.

$175 a week for two children/5 days per week = $17.50 a day for each child or $35 a day for both children. Are you kidding? That is DIRT CHEAP!

Wow, I didn't it look at it by breaking things down. You are right - that IS dirt cheap! I guess that I am clueless when it comes to day care costs, but I know that I thought the fact that a friend of mine was paying $130 a week for a 1 yr old and 4 yr old in her home 4 days a week and that was INSANELY cheap and yet she still complained. She actually told me that she thought it should be less than that because the woman would be using her electricity and heat during the day. I almost spit when she said that to me

!!!

Sorry, got off topic there, sorta.

luckygirl83 · Jun 30th, 2008, 09:42 PM

Wow... you've got a great deal. I charge $20 per hour for 3 children when I babysit. Even if it's from 7am-4pm. That doesn't even include food or museum tickets, etc. I know it's different in NYC but I think you've got a babysitter that charges really reasonable rates.

Home-based daycares here in the city charge around $7 per hour per child, not including lunch, snacks, formula, or diapers (really, nothing).

I'd start looking for another babysitter and realize that you'll only be paying the extra $25 for a short period of time.

Selena · Jun 30th, 2008, 10:01 PM

I think its fair. Costs of food are rising, she has to right to raise her prices and you have the right to accept or find alternative options for your children.

Japster · Jul 1st, 2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Selena

I think its fair. Costs of food are rising, she has to right to raise her prices and you have the right to accept or find alternative options for your children.

I agree. She is really, really reasonable too. I pay about $10 an hour and I provide my own food.

Jun 30th, 2008, 03:50 PM	#6
Korilynn Honey, What’s this? Joined: Oct 2007 Location: UK, But from FL,USA Posts: 502	Maybe she just needs the extra money! I did in home daycare and the hourly rate when calculated ended up being less than $2/hr. Which was ridiculous! I was only getting $4/hr for watching 2 kids. I was watching the kids from 7am until 5 pm M-F. and even though the parents provided milk and formula...I still had to provide snacks and food. I think you should consider the fact that your kids are getting one on one attention and therefore you should expect to pay more. Have you checked local daycares etc? My friend paid $80/wk for a summer program for 1 10 year old child! I think you may be getting a better deal than you realize! __________________ The wisdom of Karen Walker: "I’m sorry, you must have mistaken me for somebody else. My name is Anastasia Beverhausen. Anastasia like Russian Royalty, Beverhausen, like……….where the beaver…live."

Jun 30th, 2008, 10:01 PM	#14
Selena Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 12,576	I think its fair. Costs of food are rising, she has to right to raise her prices and you have the right to accept or find alternative options for your children. __________________ Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism. - Carl Jung FUR

Jun 30th, 2008, 12:41 PM	#1
Crysty Member Joined: Jan 2007 Location: in the Hoosier Hills Posts: 145	Okay guys, help me out here....I need some neutral advice... My sitter (an in-home mother with two 3yr old twins and one 4 yr old) babysits for my 2 & 10 yr old DD's. The rate all winter & spring was $110/wk. When 10 yr old DD's school let out for summer, we agreed on $150/wk. Sitter said at that time (3 weeks ago) that if oldest DD was there for less than 3 days per week, rate was $110 + $20 each day. Okay fine no prob. I was happy with that. A bit more background, if she cancels for dr appt or whatever, I do not pay. If I cancel, we do pay -- obviously. She also wants to be paid for Holidays which has always been a point of major contention with DH, but I sucked it up and paid her for them anyway because I like her overall. Last week, she had nobody on Mon, 2yr old on Tues, both on Wed, nobody Thurs, and both Friday. She told me to pay $110 when I asked how she wanted to handle it. Fine, no prob. Today I get an email basically saying that due to rising food costs, she needs me to pay $175/wk for both full time beginning in two weeks (so she's giving me time to budget for this). If oldest DD does not attend, flat rate is $150. WTH? I must also mention that sitter's Dh is trying desperately to find work out of state and that they put their house on the market a month ago and are VERY anxious to sell. So my arrangements will have to change soon anyway. One last kicker, we have one more on the way in Nov, and as far as I know, she never planned to keep the little one because she would not be able to have as much flexibility as far as noise level and outside playtime. Feel free to ask me any other key factors I may have left out....I am in a panic over this email she sent. (and she emailed because "I am always in a rush in the morning". That is true, but I am not in the evenings!) Help!

Jun 30th, 2008, 01:58 PM	#2
BagsAreMyBabies Member Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Michigan Posts: 906	Hmmm... I don't know a whole lot about day care because I am a SAHM, but I can see where you are coming from. BUT, I am a little confused by what you are paying now. The pay rates you are mentioning are all over the place and i can't tell if that is because she keeps changing it on you. You said she quoted you at $150 a week when 10 y/o gets out for the summer. Then you said, $110 (that you were already paying), plus $20 a day extra if its less than 3 days a week for 10 y/o - so going by last week, you should have paid $160 ($110, plus $20 x 3 days that your 10 y/o was there = $170), but then in the end, she told you to only pay $110. Now this week she wants $175. It sounds pretty close to what it seems like you agreed on in the first place. Sorry, can you clear this up so that I can better understand?

Jun 30th, 2008, 02:29 PM	#3
katkooty Member Joined: Aug 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 248	well..regardless of the amount.. if she might move, then u might as well just look for a new sitter and kind of agree on a certain amount for a certain time..like 150 a week for the entire year except summers or whatever... but i have to say though, she seems to be transferring some of her financial burdens on u which i do not think is fair..

Jun 30th, 2008, 03:05 PM	#5
Crysty Member Joined: Jan 2007 Location: in the Hoosier Hills Posts: 145	Sorry for the confusion... Our agreement is $150/wk for when oldest is there, which will be most of the time. If oldest is @ camp for the week or something then only $110 has applied for the little one, which is really pretty flexible -- I understand that we would not have the flexibility in a commercial-care setting. However, if oldest attends less than 3 days a week, rate of $110 applies plus $20 per day for each day she would be there. Again, pretty fair. I expect to pay her $150/wk for the most part. That should be the most we ever pay. Now the flat rate will be $175 for both, and $150 if oldest is absent. So we would go from $110/$150 to $150/$175. Only $25/wk yes....but that's $100/mo & what I really do not get is why. I just think it is like asking for a raise for no reason. Maybe she did not realize beforehand how much a 10 yr old eats given her reference to rising food costs....but she does not eat $25 more than previously thought....

Jun 30th, 2008, 06:12 PM	#8
guccimamma guccimamma Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,642	i think that is an absolute bargain.

Jun 30th, 2008, 06:21 PM	#9
katkooty Member Joined: Aug 2007 Location: Dubai Posts: 248	but i think u cant compare a sitter to a day care..the services are so different.. first of all shes not super trained or as qualified as day care caregivers and secondly, the activities and the tools the kids will have in a day care and a home setting would differ.. where the day care is more equipped for handling kids.. so i would pay more for day care but i wouldnt compare it to a sitter..

Jun 30th, 2008, 07:09 PM	#10
biggestbaglover Member Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,403	^^^Regardless, at home care for ONE child in my area is a minimum of $750 if a child is under care from 8:30AM to 4:00PM. The OP's sitter is charging a ridiculously low rate AND providing meals/snacks. $175 a week for two children/5 days per week = $17.50 a day for each child or $35 a day for both children. Are you kidding? That is DIRT CHEAP!

Jun 30th, 2008, 08:50 PM	#11
bonniec Neurotic SAHM by day Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,408	That is ridiculously cheap. You can't base it on just food costs, either. Perhaps she just wants to be paid for watching your children. Look around, home daycares often charge $50/day... for ONE child. Good luck, and feel blessed that you have found this woman that you trust AND could afford to care for your children. Speaking from personal experience, it's not easy to find.

Jun 30th, 2008, 09:42 PM	#13
luckygirl83 Member Joined: May 2008 Location: New York City Posts: 275	Wow... you've got a great deal. I charge $20 per hour for 3 children when I babysit. Even if it's from 7am-4pm. That doesn't even include food or museum tickets, etc. I know it's different in NYC but I think you've got a babysitter that charges really reasonable rates. Home-based daycares here in the city charge around $7 per hour per child, not including lunch, snacks, formula, or diapers (really, nothing). I'd start looking for another babysitter and realize that you'll only be paying the extra $25 for a short period of time.