Tips for Hiring a Sitter and a Sitter Payment Calculator
I found a super awesome site that is certainly a mommy solution!
It is called SitterCity.com, and they offer a slew of services for those looking to hire a sitter as well as those wanting to be a sitter. They do charge to be a member, but I’ve got some awesome free resources they offer and I am so excited to share them with you.
Summer Sitter Tips
At some point this summer, you are likely going to need a sitter. Here are five awesome tips they have put together that cover how to find (and keep) a sitter. These simple tips are a must read.
Sitter Screening and Interview Process
Choosing a sitter can be such a difficult process. Maybe you are like me and only hire someone you know. Maybe you are on a search for a sitter and the process just overwhelms you. Here are four steps for a successful sitter screening as well as a list of interview questions every parent should ask. Jackpot!
Checking Your Potential Sitters References
You’ve found the sitter you like, but now you need to check their references. What should you ask. What shouldn’t you ask? They have a list of questions as well as things to take into consideration when trusting your little babe with a new sitter.
What is the Going Rate?
This is my absolute favorite free feature over at Sitter City. Enter your zip code, the sitter’s age bracket and their range of experience and the system will tell you what the going rate is per hour for a sitter in your area. How cool is that!?
What pointers can you share from your experience when hiring or paying a sitter?
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I don’t have any children, so I haven’t had to hire one. However, I was a baby-sitter from middle/high school until I left for college. Most of the people I babysat for knew me from church where I had worked in the nursery for years. So, I know that parents want to leave their children with someone they trust. I did check out the calculator thing and it’s pretty cool. Some parents paid me more than it suggested, some less. I guess it just depends.
Wow, I checked out the calculator and I never paid as much as it says and my kids don’t make near that when they babysit hmmmmm
Cindy, I am worried I’ve underpaid come sitters as well. Although none of them have ever complained. With that said, they have all been family or friends that might as well be family.
I just recently stopped sitting for a couple of close families. It was extra money to save for our wedding, and now that I’m married I’ve stopped. Anyway, I typically charged $10 for one child, and $2 extra for any additional child. It also depends on where the family lives and their budget. If they’re willing to pay more, because they make more money than by all means 🙂
I was just going to say the same thing. Where you live definitely plays into how much a sitter will run you. I live in Chicago where I pay over $15 an hour. However, in Wisconsin (where I am from), I pay a lot less.
What a great resource. I never know how much to pay a babysitter. Thanks for sharing, Kelli
For my area and criteria it said $10.25. When I do have to pay for a sitter I pay $10 to the one we use. Not far off, so I dont feel so bad.
Feels good to know you’re in the ballpark, right?
I remember when I would babysit all night long (even stay over) for $20!
Thanks for a great resource! We live in a small town and no virtually no one, so this is wonderful to find! We pay about $10 an hour for our two kids and that is high for this area, but the couple of girls we have found will babysit at the drop of a hat, because that’s good money for them!! 🙂
So glad you find this helpful, Emily!
Thanks for stopping by.
What a cool site! We moved a couple of years ago, and I miss our old baby sitters (from before we moved). It is SO hard to find good ones. Luckily now we live by family, and that helps us to not have to find new ones, but it would be nice to not always depend on family baby sitting for us.
Visiting from TT&J.
Thanks for sharing this! I love all of the information!
I quit my 8-5 office job a year and a half ago (due to a move for my hubby’s job) and decided to be a nanny in our new town. The family I nannied had 3 children (ages 2, 2, and 3) and found me on SitterCity! The move was only temporary and we were back in our hometown in 14 months, where I quickly (within 2 weeks) found another family through SitterCity. It’s the best site around and I’ve had so much success I would recommend it to anyone! I’d never looked at the pay calculator before, but now I know I’m being underpaid by $1 per hour! I guess I know that for the next family… 🙂 Being a nanny is 10 times more rewarding than sitting behind a desk all day and being stressed out constantly. I lovey lovey love it!
I haven’t hired a sitter in ages, but it’s helpful to know what the going rate is in your area. Good resource.