How to ask for more money babysitting?

Question

Ok so I got a babysitting job babysitting a 6 year old girl. They live about 20 minutes away and the mom was originally going to pick me up and bring me home every day. It would be from 8 - 430 but then we decided that I would spend the night every other night. We originally said $175 a week but i kind of want a little more since I will be spending the night. Do you think that would be rude to ask for? How should I say it? Thank you

Answer 1

Just ask if you'll make more for staying at night.  If they say no then say I don't think I'll be able to stay over night then.  If they say yes then you can renegotiate the payment.

Answer 2

I would tell her that your time is very valuable to you, and since this job is taking up so much of it, you think you should be better compensated for it.

Answer 3

negotiation.

Answer 4

If you originally agreed on that amount and haven't been doing the job for long if you ask for more money they may decide to just find someone else.  $175 a week is a lot of money.  You could mention it but really I doubt that it will change now unless you have been doing it for like a year or something.

Answer 5

175 is a lot per week. Just straight up tell her that you would like a tad more since you'll be spending the night. I'm pretty sure they can spare a few more dollars.

Answer 6

Who is the one that decided?  Was your mom in the decision

maybe she didn't want to waste so much gas in going back and forth.

Answer 7

Is that 5 days, 8 hours a day? I assume you don't watch her on the nights you stay, or do you?

Answer 8

Maybe when she isn't busy and have a  a min to talk say to her that you wante to discuss your pay and if she say what about it, tell her that your spending the night at their place and you feel you shoudl be paid a bit more instead of $175 (which is think is nothing) since your working from 8-4.30 everyday you should be paid more, why are you required to stay the night are you supose to look after the girl after 4.30 until late at night? if so then yes she should be paying you more at least $200.00 a week because your hours have changed and your working longer hours.

So yeah tell her that since your staying the nights if she woudl raise your pay. If she says no then up to you if you want to stay in that job or find a better paying one.

Answer 9

think they are paying you fairly. Sorry to say this, but I really think negotiations should have been done beforehand.

Answer 10

175 dollars a week and you want more? good god thats pathetic, be happy with what you're getting for watching one kid. Yes it would be extremely rude and selfish.

Answer 11

well a 6 year old should sleep fine.. and who decided that?? sounds like you and your mom.. not the people who own the house.. so lol yes .. from what i heard would sound a bit rude.. considering its a 6 year old not a 6 month old.. and you probably get some food..no?? lol id do it for 170 a week hahah

Answer 12

You should charge 9 dollars an hour (awake time) and 3 dollars an hour (asleep time).  

Put it all on a bill like this:

Monday, 8:00 - 4:30

8.5 hours x $9 = $76.5

Tuesday, 8:00am - 9:00pm

13 hours x $9 = $117

Tuesday, 9:00 pm - 8:00 am

13 hours x $3 = $39

etc. etc.

At the bottom, total it all up. Show this to the mom and ask her if she thinks it is reasonable.  Expect to be sitting at a table, have a pencil, and be willing to negotiate up or down depending on what she says and what you think it fair.  You deserve more than $175 a week ($25 a day) for almost all of your free time!

PS Be sure to decide on a payday.  For example, every Monday night, or every other Sunday... whatever works for you.  Write it on the bill!

Answer 13

First of all, I am curious about why a 6 year old would need a sitter between 8 & 4:30 during the school year? Doesn't this child attend school? If this is a special needs child...you were being under paid from the start. Most people who care for special needs children get at least min. wage plus assorted benefits.

OK...you agreed to work 42.5 hours a week for $175. (roughly $4.11 an hour, which isn't even min. wage.) PLUS they agreed to provide for your transportation to and from their home every day. That transportation agreement being a valuable part of your salary.... unless gas is free where you live. If you had to drive to & from their home 5 days a week...how much would you spend on gas? Transporting you to & from their home is not a FAVOR...it is part of your salary.

.

Now they want you to give up two nights a week of your free time and sleep over at their house...so they don't have to transport you to & from work as agreed upon

In otherwords, they don't want to keep up their end of the original bargain....they now want you to babysit for less then you agreed upon....which was $175. for 42.5 hours a week plus transportation to & from their house 5 days a week...

Now they want you to work for....

$175. for 42.5 hours a week, plus give up two evenings a week of your free time plus only transport you to & from their home 3 days a week.

Sweetie, under this new agreement you are taking a salary cut.

If it were me... I'd look for another job. These people are obviously taking advantage of you. And it won't stop here. Pretty soon they'll have you babysitting while they run errands or go to social events on those evenings you sleep over.

If you want to continue working for this family tell them you either want the original arrangement or over-time for the off-hours that they want you to stay in their home.

Answer 14

Give a reason/s why you deserve more money.  I do not think it would be rude to ask for a slight raise.  Be polite and courteous Be as likable as you possibly can be.

Answer 15

Maybe come up with  story.

i want this really nice dress but cant buy it with the money i am earning

be creative, nice, and innocent

ur welcome!

Answer 16

I do think they are really ripping you off.

I definitely wouldn't let my child do that for such a low amount of pay!

I would let them know your concerns, let them know that you think that staying the night is EXTRA time, so you deserve extra compensation.

Answer 17

Will you be working past 4:30 on the days you spend the night? If you are expected to entertain the child after 4:30 -- get her dinner ready, get her bath ready, etc., then yes, you are entitled to more money. This is a job and you're not working for free! If your time is your own after 4:30 then no, you are not entitled to more money.

It sounds as if someone (your parents or the girl's parents) are trying to save some gas money and time by not driving you back and forth every day. How old are you? If you're 14 or 15 (I wouldn't leave a six year old alone with someone younger than that, so I hope you're at least that old), what will you do on the nights you're not in your own home? That sounds lonely and boring to me. I was a nanny for several years when I was in college and grad school and I hated being a live-in nanny. I had my own car and could go anywhere I wanted after I finished work, but I still hated it. Something to think about.

Answer 18

It's entirely appropriate to ask for more money for more time.

Talk to your mom and ask her what would be a reasonable amount.

Speak to the mom- say something like...

"Y'know, I've been thinking- where I'm going to be spending the night every other night, I feel that an increase in pay would be appropriate. How about $______/week? That's only $___ more for 2/3 evenings of help."