How much should I reduce rent for a roommate who babysits?

Question

We are considering having a roommate babysit so I can go to work.

We dont have this situation yet, we wanted to find out what was fair before considering something like this.

We would need babysitting 3 days a week from 5:30 pm to 11:30 pm. It would never be a weekend, weekdays only.

My son is 2 and still in diapers. He is well behaved. He would watch a movie and go to bed

The rate around here for babysitting for a 9 hour day is $20-25

The usual rate for a room around here is $400 and you buy your own food, internet,phone,cable

We were wanting to do a room and board with everything included except long distance with a reduction for babysitting.

I would like opinions on what would a fair reduction be?

Answer 1

395 a month duh!! but when me my mom and dad were staying at my uncles house while we were having a house built would have to pay 500$ a month so..

Answer 2

i would state a price to the person, like you said 20-25 per sitting job and take it off the top. at the end of the month, or whenever bills are due, take it off the top in the areas she chooses. (example: she wants 20 to cable, 15 for her half of the water etc. -these are low amounts only for an example of course.

or keep the rent and all the bills the same and give her cash, wchich is pretty much the same thing.

i wouldn't lower any of thier bills to make up for when she babysits.-to many things  "come up" if you tell them you will only charge them $150.00 instead of $300.00, then when it comes time to pay and she didn't babysit for 2 of the times you needed her to, it becomes too confusing, and then a conflict takes place. (" well i told you i had plans, or i was sick! ) see what i mean? and i mean for anything.

i did this with a friend of mine. i let her live with me for free except for $300 a month on rent. i took care of utilities, water, phone, cable etc.

i didn't add in the fact, she took 20-30 min showers, or washed i shirt at a time becuase she was picky, or that she liked to order pay-per views on cable, or that she did not know how to keep the temp stable in the house. she would get a chill, and turn up the heat 5 degrees, instead of putting a blanket on.

give her a set amount to pay you each month. and if it comes time to pay, and she doesn't have it, then keep what you owe her for that last week that she babysat for you. that way your bills are never in jepordy of being disconnected. keep the control in your hands as far as that goes. and if part of the agreement is for her to babysit, then she should be allowed to use the money how she likes, then pay you for the bills out of that or a job she has. good luck!

mabey i misread the question are you saying you will pay everything, except long distance and give a reduction for babysitting?? or do you mean you guys will split the bills fairly ( by a 1/4 since she is one of four in the home) and then what reduction you should give?? i would do the latter, not the former, becuase of the things i listed above. you never know how people live until you live with them yourself.

Answer 3

I would say no less then $350.00 a month as you will be providing  room and board and also the person's food. That is more then fair.