Hi - we're not from this country. I'm getting a sitter for the first time and want to know how to tip.
Going rate in our area is $12 - she'll be here 4 hours, just watching and entertaining my toddler - no odd jobs or anything else (if that's relevant). My main thing is that he is kept safe, fed, diapered and is happy.
What do I pay?
Thanks!
Thanks Mums for your input! Yes...a lot of you should be thankful you don't have to pay Downtown Chicago rates for sitters! Believe me, I have taken my little guy to concerts because all up it was cheaper to buy another ticket - but not so much fun for me!! I even thought ...hey - I can do this babysitting thing myself given the money some of them are asking for here. Without family near by, even a date night can turn out really expensive! I didn't want to start a precedence with over paying a sitter - so thank you all!!
Wow, that is way more than the going rate here! No need to tip, unless she does something above and beyond what her duties are.
no you dont tip a babysitter but I think if she went above and beyond what was expected I would pay her a little more
We pay our sitter $10/hr the funny thing is this is what I was paid to babysit almost 20 years ago. Our sitter is fantastic and a family friend, I would gladly pay her more but she won't accept it. She loves watching our little guy. Here is another funny thing about our sitter, I used to babysit her when she was little:) We don't tip but do round up to the next hour if home early, also if she is watching him in the evenings I will order pizza or have something ready for dinner for her.
I don't think you really need to tip. I would just round up and make it $50 for four hours.
If you're paying her, then no need to tip her! If she goes way above what you expect (like you come home and she's cleaned the house and started the dishwasher after ironing your shirts) then give her an extra tip. Otherwise, whatever the "going rate" for a sitter in your area may be, stick with that and always err on the side of rounding-up! Having a good "go-to" sitter is essential and depending on her age, she'll clear her calendar to make $50!
I do not tip, I give a few benifits though if she is great. I pay her fo r the full pre-agreed time if I come home early. If I take a day off and my pay check is not effected I will pay her anyway. If I take a vacation I pay her anyway. I let my babysitter pick a week paid vacation of her choising since I get 4 weeks per year. I also give them a small holiday bonus.
However, I do not pay as much hourly as you do. My area does not pay that much. Minum wage is 7$
Hourly wage is all you need, and $12 is what I pay for 3 kids -it is generous for one child-though your area may be more expensive than ours. No tip will be expected. If you use her frequently, give a little Christmas tip or something. I always "round up" to the end of the hour if I get in a little early.
In the past when we used sitters, I guaranteed the sitter $40 cash for the night, even if I had to cancel and then i paid on top of that. Our date nights were $60-$80 a week Cash.
At the holidays, we would give the sitter a couple of movie tickets or something like that as a thank you but no extra monetary tips.
Move forward, my daughter, alsmot 16 babysits and she gets anywhere from $10-$15/hour. She babysits for 3 families close by (3 doors down), 2 families have 3 children each and 1 has 1 child.
She ends up the night with a nice amount of cash.
No 'extra' tips unless she did things you didn't expect her to do.
For 4hrs during the day? I'd say no more than $40 total payment.
the daycare's/baby sitter's i've had charge by the week, infants, about 200 a week, toddler's about 150 a week and school kids about 100 a week in the summer plus activitites, 45-50 a week before and after school...that's expensive enough....no tip i'd say (that charge includes food and any transportation needed) my last baby sitter i only paid 20 a week cause she wasn't registered, merely old enough to know to call me if an emergency (13)
I live in the city of Chicago as well and I pay $10/hr for my toddler. I typically talk with a new sitter up front about their hourly rate and we agree upon a rate. Our 2 sitters are in their early 20s, so $10/hr is good for them. We have used another sitter in her 40s with more experienc and she does charge $12. You do not need to tip. I do think its appropriate to give a bonus during the holidays (ie $20). I also usually throw in an extra $20 for a New Years Eve sitter.
Good Luck!
I sometimes round up for my ease, but I don't tip. $12/hour for a toddler is very generous.
We don't tip our sitters. We do pay well -and you are too, so I wouldn't worry about it. I do give extra if we're running late or extra late coming in or if I've asked something of them beyond watching my kids. I also "round up" when the amount is something like $48, which is what yours is going to come to -then I would give her $50. Not so much a tip, but why shave $2 off of a flat 50? That's the way I think of it.
