Average Rates for Babysitting

When I had my son in FT daycare at age 2, it was $250/week for 7:30am-5:30.

Yes, Childcare in the Chicago area is VERY expensive. $45-50/day for part time care at a center is very typical around here. Maybe split the difference and charge $40/day.

Licensed home day care in my area goes for $30-45/day....but it is due every week regardless of attendance.

I did this exact schedule for 20 per day @ felt underpaid. I would be fine with 30 as the provider. It is not low ball in my area.

I would charge for the entire 11 hours and make sure you are charging enough to make the drop off and pick up worth the while. It's tax deductible at 51 cents per mile. But keep in mind your time and wear and tear. You should probably be getting no less than 30 dollars per day.

It really varies by area and TYPE.

In our area the norm is $10 per hour for intermittent,
$15-$35 per hour for regular,
$100-$150 per day for 1 day per week (10 hours, $50 for a half day)
$250-$500 per week for 9-10 hours a day (nannies typically make apx $2500-$3500 per month, bringing along your own child, however, reduces the rate by about 25% per child. EX I have a girlfriend who nannies. She was paid $2500 per month, just her, then 2k when she had her first, now $1500 that she brings along both of her wee ones. I'm the odd one out in my parent-friends. MOST of them have nannies, and in my school many of my friends nanny, so I'm really familiar with nanny rates for OUR area)

You do NOT discount for the time she's in preschool. You're still "on". Parents can sign their kids up for a million and 1 activities. If you're still the responsible adult (getting her to/from, watching her on no-activity-days), then you're working. If your day ended when you dropped her off, or you started (not dropping her off) after you pick her up then you don't count the hours... but if they're in the middle of your day, you count them.

$10 is the average in our area. It does vary, region to region.

Also, I looked on your profile, but didn't see how many of your own kids factor into this picture. If you have young children at home, the rate might change, depending on how many kids and their level of need. Add to this, you need to decide if you are comfortable with providing sick care for this family, knowing that your kids could become sick if exposed to this child.
Do you expect them to have back-up care? That's a good conversation to have.

Since you are new to the babysitting world, here are a few other tips:

Have a written agreement which details: days of the week you provide care; start/end hours; food arrangements (they should pay more if they don't provide food for their child at your house); parental preferences (nap? no nap? no tv? -- good to talk about beforehand); contingency plan for if your car breaks down or your kids are sick at home and you can't take her to preschool; name of doctor/dentist in case of emergency; two emergency contacts on their end in case of medical emergency (what if parents are in meetings or have their phones off? someone still needs to come); and very importantly, terms of payment (do they pay at the end of the day or every two weeks, every month... YOU need to know this). A written agreement or contract is a good friend to have. A lot of sitters get screwed over.

And remember, if you feel that they don't want to meet you on price (like, want dirt-cheap from you), don't do it. It's not your obligation to cut them a huge break. What they are basically asking for is private car with door-to-door transportations. Some providers would do this, some won't. So if the price they offer seems to low, be cautious. I personally think that $7 an hour is the lowest you should go, but that's me.

And remember, "babysitting" looks different to everyone. In home care providers usually have more than one family enrolled and can afford to charge less for their time per family because it's being doubled or tripled at the least.

It depends if you are watching them at your house or you are going to their house. If they are coming to your house I would say 50/day since it is such a LONG day. If you are going to their house I would say $10/hour. I do home daycare and charge $45/day for part time care which covers 10 hours(7-5).

the going rate is 10/hr typically

I dont pay per hour unless its drop in care. I pay by the day. I usually pay $30 per day. I do pay more for evening or weekend. 40 or 50.

Wow, I know people that pay more for watching cats!

For your situation, I'd guess $8-10/hour. In Seattle, as Riley indicates, it would probably be more.

all depends on where you live...we live in the city of chicago and have a similar situation. our nanny comes in the morning and takes my daughter to a 3 hour pre-k program, picks her up and then they do things in the afternoon (art classes, play at the park, etc). we pay $10/hour for the entire time...we have her for 5 days a week but i would pay the same even if it was just for one day.

I charged $40 a day seven years ago. I think $50-60 a day would not be too far off. Perhaps call some other people in your area who babysit or use daycare services and ask what they charge/pay.

I pay 12.00 for my sitter (an adult) to watch my 3 kids (9, 6, 2) once a weekend for 4-6 hours at our home. Good luck!

It all depends on the rates in your area. I live in central Illinois and the rates are much cheaper than the Chicago area. I charge $25 a day, from 7 am-5 pm. Anything outside those hours has an extra fee, so do any other "additions." You having to pick up and drop off for school would be an addition in my book. I would did as others suggested and called around to local daycares and other in-home providers to see what the going rate was for the area. I'm about the middle of the road for what I charge, not too high but not low either. I wish I had charged a little more when I started though. I'm slowly raising my rates to make it more worth my time. Don't low ball yourself and good luck!

in the chicago land area (I am in oswego) the average for an 8 hour day is $50 if your in a daycare setting. $10 an hour if your a nanny type person (sounds like your type of care) and less if your a teenager. I do care for 2 children. i get $120 a day for 11 hour day. No way would i tie up 11 hours for $30. and you are taking time out to drive back and forth to the preschool. most daycares don't take any money off for preschool. in fact will charge extra if they are transporting. don't get suckered. no one wins that way. you will be angry and feel cheated and mom will not have a clue why if you don't say up front that you feel your time is worth "X" she won't realize she is taking advantage.

A pre-school aged child in 2 STAR child care setting would only pay about $19-$25 per day so you might send her to a licensed child care facility. It would cost her less to get a fully trained professional person who has experience in this field/career.

If you'd like to know what the child care facilities in your area are getting paid you can google it. Here is a link to the Oklahoma pay scale.

Most facilities are 2 STAR and that is down about half way.

http://www.okdhs.org/NR/rdonlyres/2E81F###-###-####-487B-...

25 - 48 months
Standard area (rural)
full time, over 4 hrs per day $20.50 part time, less than 4 hrs per day $12

Enhanced (Urban/city like area)

25 - 48 months
$24.75 full time and part time $15

So, $30 per day is above what she would be paying in a child care setting in Oklahoma.

That is why I think babysitters have the wool pulled over parents eyes, they don't pay professionals as much as parents think they should pay babysitters with little or no professional experience.

We usually pay $8-$10 an hour when we need a sitter for up to 12 hours.

The daycare centers can charge less per day because they have the volume to make up for the price difference. If they have 10 kids that day at $30/hour they make $300/day.

No way would I watch someone child for 11 hours, and get paid $30. That is $2.73/hour, and then you have to take out taxes from that amount.

Unless this is a good/close friend then really think it over. That is not nearly enough to cover the liability & responsibility of taking care of someone's child. Again-if it were for a friend or relative then I may think differently.