Babysitting rates?

I would never pay $15 for a babysitter, and I have 6 kids.
I'm speaking of rates in Denver, CO.
Rates vary based on WHO is babysitting. The 14 year old neighbor, or a certified adult from a service? (Check out nanny websites in the town your story is set in to get a rough idea of those rates.)
What is the sitter expected to do? Watch the kids, or be a "mom" - cleaning, cooking, laundry too?
Is it one night or every day/nanny type? Are the kids older, or babies with feeding and diapers?
I paid my nanny, a 19 yr. old part time college student, $400/week (5 days). I had a newborn, a 2 yr. old, and a 3 yr. old at home all day, and then a school age son (7) for 1 hour per day (4pm-5pm).
When I hired the 14 yr. old from church to watch the kids for a movie night, I paid her $7.50 for 5 kids (there were diapers, but they were also asleep for a good part of the time.)
Another good resource is to check out the Craigslist ads for the target city. Rates do vary geographically - $7.50/hr. where I am now is outrageously high.
Pretty much, whenever I ask a teenager how much, they don't have a clue either. I usually let their mom know $5/hr, $30 for the evening, or whatever so I know it's okay. Also, keep in mind if the sitter will provide transportation or will have to be picked up and dropped off.

It depends on the babysitter and degree of responsibility needed. If I were a teenager I'd jump at ten bucks an hour but adult pay would depend on the local cost of living.

$15.00 is very generous. My daughter accepts $10.00. Now if it's New Years Eve..or something along those lines, thats different. kimmi

Mandy-Jane said:

Does anyone have any idea of the standard rate for babysitting? Is it $10/hour, $15, $20? Or is it whatever you want to make it? Would I be regarded as outrageously tight if I offered $15/hour? Or would I be regarded as excessively extravagant if I offered $20 or $25? Any rough ideas?

Thanks.

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I'm in Fairfield County, CT. For a college age sitter, I pay $10/hour, unless they watch all three of my kids. Then it bumps up to $15 b/c I want them to come back when I need them most!

I've always taken the minimum wage for the area and adjusted it up or down a couple of bucks depending upon age of the babysitter, number of kids, age of the kids, and babysitting situation. That is assuming that the babysitter does not have a set rate in place.

My 17-year-old friend makes $10/hour for babysitting/helping a couple of little boys with homework. I think that's a pretty standard rate.

Straight occassional babysitting gets $10/hour for three kids. Basically the sitter is there to make sure they don't run with scissors, watch porn or short sheet our bed. I have paid a full time nanny $12/hour but her responsibilities included cooking, cleaning up after the tremendously untidy threesome and kid schlepping. Most of the sitters I've used have been happy estatic to receive $10/hr and I even had one say that was too much (the little dear.)