Babysitting... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

Former_MSE_Lawrence

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Babysitting

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mcmog

Could anyone with kids tell me what the going rate for babysitting is these days? It might be ideal for me as I'm CRB-checked and stuff, I just remember as a teenager spending seven hours waiting for some brat's parents to come home and all for a fiver!

kisto

The two times I have been out this year and I had to use a babysitter I paid between £4 - £5 an hour. No idea whether this is right. Hence....I don't go out often!

MercilessKiller

Isn't £4 under min wage?

nicola1982_2

Most babysitters are younger than minimum wage eligibility though

Smickan

mcmog wrote: »

Could anyone with kids tell me what the going rate for babysitting is these days? It might be ideal for me as I'm CRB-checked and stuff, I just remember as a teenager spending seven hours waiting for some brat's parents to come home and all for a fiver!

22 and still do it for exactly that much And I'm CRB checked too!

£10 for a full day as in 9-3 (it used to be that much for a full day for 4 kids too :rolleyes:) and fiver for 6-10 on a night.

I know I'm being taken for a mug but I love the kids, I've grown up looking after them.

code-a-holic

I pay £15 a night to my babysitter - but she is my sister. Surprised by people thinking thats expensive though. She stays all night so we could crawl back in early hours if we wanted! We usually home by 11pm!
I remember babysitting in my teens for about £10. As we are very rural where i grow up and live now i used to sleep on the sofa and get taken home next day.

Tabby_Kitten_2

I would love to get some baby sitting work, I tried putting up notices in local shops last Christmas time and never heard a thing, anyone got any tips for go places to put up notices?

summerday

Tabby Kitten, just be persistent with the notices in shops etc. If you can get references and have a CRB check put that on the ad as it's important to a lot of parents and will make them more likely to contact you. I do lots of babysitting and now it's mainly via word of mouth as parents tell other familiesn if they know a reliable babysitter.

summerday

Sorry forgot to say that I have recently increased my hourly rate to £5.00 if it's in my town, or £7.00 if it's a town say 20 mins drive away (extra petrol). I have a childcare qualification and CRB check.

Js_Other_Half

mcmog wrote: »

Could anyone with kids tell me what the going rate for babysitting is these days? It might be ideal for me as I'm CRB-checked and stuff, I just remember as a teenager spending seven hours waiting for some brat's parents to come home and all for a fiver!

You weren't the only one...:rolleyes: Except I had 5 to look after and the parents came home at 2am...all for £5 and left to walk home alone. And that was only(!) 20 years ago.