How Much Does A Babysitter Cost?

Average babysitting rates will vary according to the age of your children and your location.  When it comes to the average babysitting cost per hour for an adult sitter you will pay more than the babysitting hourly rate of a teenager. A teenager’s average hourly rate for babysitting could be only a few dollars while an adult’s average babysitter rates could be ten dollars or more an hour. Typical babysitting costs for all day care are cheaper than rates if you simply need a few hours out of the house. On average you can expect to pay a young teenager between $3 and $4 while you may pay an eighteen year old up to $12 an hour if you live in a city. Current babysitting rates for a professional daycare differ according to the age of the child. You may pay over $350 per week for an infant while you can find a babysitter for a 3 year old at the rate of $150 a week.

In smaller towns you might even find a babysitter for a three year old at the rate of $75-$90 covering the cost of babysitting. Standard babysitting rates are very different depending on the area where you live and the age of your child. Special needs sitters often charge up to 40% more than regular babysitters. In addition, if your child has health problems and needs regular medication you may need to hire a private nanny. In this case the cost of babysitting will be $350-$400 per week and you may even want to offer benefits such as vacation or insurance since the babysitter is your employee.

Overnight Babysitting Rates

Overnight babysitting cost is more than daytime babysitter cost. On average you can expect nighttime babysitting rates to be 20% more than daytime rates. This is especially true if the person is required to stay at your home, help with homework, transport the child to after school activities and cook dinner. Nighttime babysitting usually requires more domestic duties (such as bathing children and putting them to bed) than daytime babysitting does.  However, if the sitter is only required to show up after the child is asleep and leave before the child wakes up you may pay less.

How To Find A Babysitter

Finding a babysitter can sometimes be a very difficult task. Prices vary greatly according to the number of kids you need a babysitter for, the time of day the sitter will work, any special needs your child may have, and the experience of the babysitter. However, if you want to know how to find a babysitter you first need to know exactly what you expect from the babysitter. Will you need a live in babysitter, an occasional sitter, someone for days only, and will you expect the sitter to do any other domestic tasks besides watching the kids?

Weekend Babysitting Rates

On the weekend the cost of babysitting can be 20% -50% more than weekday babysitter cost. The amount you will pay depends on what you expect from the sitter. If they will entertain your children by going to the park or attending a friend’s birthday party you will pay more than if the sitter is watching the child at home. You may even have to pay an extra fee for the cost of gas when your child is transported to an event such as a birthday party. Some sitters charge the same amount for babysitting two weekend days as they charge for five weekdays.

Teenage Babysitting Rates

Teenage babysitting rates are cheaper than adult babysitting rates. However, most teenagers only babysit for a short period of time. You could have a teenager babysit while you do some shopping, go out for the evening, or when you simply need a break. In most cases this time frame should be no more than five to six hours maximum. A young teenager babysitting costs much less than an older teenager babysitting. In most states teenagers have to be thirteen and complete a class before they can babysit. At thirteen you can expect to pay less than $5 an hour to cover babysitting cost, but you should limit your outing to a few short hours. In addition, you should not leave an infant less than one year old with any teenager. For teenagers who are 16-17 and have a license and car you may pay from $5 to $10. These babysitters can usually watch a child up to a full six hours. They may also transport your child to a specific destination for an additional fee.

In Home Babysitting Rates

In home babysitting rates are the most expensive. You can expect to pay a live in babysitter the highest cost of babysitting there is. You will have to pay a weekly salary, provide comfortable housing, and in some cases provide a vehicle for your nanny to drive. You have the option to take taxes out of the babysitter cost or hire the babysitter as an independent contractor. You can also provide benefits that you would for any employee of a company.

When hiring a babysitter remember, this isn’t like hiring someone to come and mow your grass. While there may be a number of people available to do the job always ask for references and proof of training. After all, the cost of babysitting is minimal when compared to the safety of your child. You may want to pay higher babysitting rates to ensure safety and peace of mind. You also need to understand that for all the rates mentioned above the sitter is not required to clean the house, do laundry, or complete any domestic chore. The only chore you can expect a babysitter to complete is the chore of preparing meals. You might have the sitter wash up the dishes for a prepared meal, but make sure you don’t leave any other dishes to be washed. If you do want the sitter to help with housework, simply negotiate an agreement for both babysitting and cleaning. Most sitters will gladly agree to take on the extra tasks while babysitting your children for an extra fee.