how much should babysitting cost?

[Valerie1979]

We have a 2 year old and honestly haven't gone out much at all since he was born.... but we have someone that is available to babysit once and a while -- what is a going rate per hour of babysitting?

[cjobey99]

Really depends on when you go out, evening child sleeping, daytime for lunch.  Is the person staying in your home, or do you have to take him to them?  Rates vary also depending on where you live, and quite frankly how bad ya'll need to get away.  I know it sounds complicated, but as both a mother who has grown children now, and a caregiver, it's a big responsibility. Ten dollars an hour, or a flat thirty bucks if its less than six hours.  My opinion, hope this helps. Ten dollar rate is based on not knowing how long you will be away. 

[mgrandison]

It would depend on the person.  Since you are going out for the evening, most likely the baby will be put to bed, $20 a night is fair enough.

[rdevansii]

Well what my wife and I do is charge usually $10/hour.  We have 3 kids and we also set the sitter with food too.  We have one still in diapers so we try to go overboard on making sure that everything is considered so all the sitter has to do is change that diaper and watch the other kids with no other concern (such as food ect.) Its all planned out. Its all set out as well. So when you figure costs, I figure that the sitter is getting it pretty good so our worries are less. 

[ODOMS6598]

we have 2 a 4 yr old and  a 6 yr old.   we normally pay a teenage girl(that we know very well) 20-30 a night.  she usually stays bout 2-3 hrs, so that comes out about 10 an hour.  all she really has to do is be in the house with them in case something happens.   

[Valerie1979]

thanks -- our last people we paid $10/hour -- but it's one kid and he was mainly in bed the WHOLE time.

[debraleesparks]

  :crybaby2:m I used to get 50 CENTS an hour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Of course, that was 45 years ago !!! hahahahhaah

[Coreypwns]

You should get like 10 bucks depending on how long you do it for.