I am a nanny of a five year old and a one year old. I have been with this family for just over two years and I am going to watch the children for a weekend. It will be from a Thursday until Monday. My question is how much to charge. In all technicality, charging for 24 hours a day, but half rate when the kids are asleep, comes up to about $1,330. Everyone seems to be in a bit of a pinch these days, even my employers, so I don't want to feel I am gouging them, but I also don’t want to get ripped off for the work I am doing. I’m wondering if there’s a way to be fair to both sides without either of us feeling cheated. I also happen to know that they are already spending a little over $2000 on airfare and the B&B they are staying at, not to mention whatever else they might need or do over the weekend (to be fair, it is a combination of 10th anniversary/ dad’s 40th birthday celebration). My boss, the mother, has a mom who is…well, pretty rich. So, on one hand, I feel $1,330 is fair but I hear my boss talk about financial problems every once in a while, so I’m not sure I feel right taking that much. I’m not sure what to do. Any advice?
Tuesday
Money Talks
Received Tuesday, July 27, 2010
I am a nanny of a five year old and a one year old. I have been with this family for just over two years and I am going to watch the children for a weekend. It will be from a Thursday until Monday. My question is how much to charge. In all technicality, charging for 24 hours a day, but half rate when the kids are asleep, comes up to about $1,330. Everyone seems to be in a bit of a pinch these days, even my employers, so I don't want to feel I am gouging them, but I also don’t want to get ripped off for the work I am doing. I’m wondering if there’s a way to be fair to both sides without either of us feeling cheated. I also happen to know that they are already spending a little over $2000 on airfare and the B&B they are staying at, not to mention whatever else they might need or do over the weekend (to be fair, it is a combination of 10th anniversary/ dad’s 40th birthday celebration). My boss, the mother, has a mom who is…well, pretty rich. So, on one hand, I feel $1,330 is fair but I hear my boss talk about financial problems every once in a while, so I’m not sure I feel right taking that much. I’m not sure what to do. Any advice?
I am a nanny of a five year old and a one year old. I have been with this family for just over two years and I am going to watch the children for a weekend. It will be from a Thursday until Monday. My question is how much to charge. In all technicality, charging for 24 hours a day, but half rate when the kids are asleep, comes up to about $1,330. Everyone seems to be in a bit of a pinch these days, even my employers, so I don't want to feel I am gouging them, but I also don’t want to get ripped off for the work I am doing. I’m wondering if there’s a way to be fair to both sides without either of us feeling cheated. I also happen to know that they are already spending a little over $2000 on airfare and the B&B they are staying at, not to mention whatever else they might need or do over the weekend (to be fair, it is a combination of 10th anniversary/ dad’s 40th birthday celebration). My boss, the mother, has a mom who is…well, pretty rich. So, on one hand, I feel $1,330 is fair but I hear my boss talk about financial problems every once in a while, so I’m not sure I feel right taking that much. I’m not sure what to do. Any advice?
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26 comments:
That's too much, unless you're making 500 bucks a day. You should be paid for 3 days (assuming it's 3 full days), at normal pay rate, and anywhere from 100 to 300 more for the overnight/extra evening hours, depending on how much you make. They may be wealthy, but it still has to remain relatively consistent with your salary. Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what they're paying for their vacation. It has no bearing on you. You should get paid based on what you make, not how much money they spend on personal endeavors, even if you deem it over the top.
Good luck.
Personally I think 1,000 for the entire weekend is fair.1,330 is more on the expensive side. Do you drive the children to activites or will you be staying in the house while the parents are out?
Its always very akward when a family brings up their finances with you. Don't allow this to affect what you will be charging for the weekend, though. If they can afford to spend 2000 on airfair, they can afford to pay you what you deserve.
That is alot to ask. I dont think thats fair to your employer. Depending on where you live I think $900 for the weekend sounds better. Good luck
I guess it depends on how much you make hourly. I put a set price on overnight like 100-200 max unless one is an Infant and keep your regular daytime wage. The families financial situation isn't your problem, they obviously aren't struggling otherwise they wouldn't take a weekend trip that cost 2000 without food or activities included. Make sure your paid fairly but don't go over board. Honestly if you working Thursday-Monday full days then you should at least ask for 1500 that's 5 days which is longer then a weekend.
You should just talk to them about how they plan to pay you. if they seem like cheaping out remind them that it's their children not yours and your giving up personal time time to care for them while they choose to go on a pricey vacation.
I don't get why people think its the business of the nanny how much they payed for their special trip and how it should affect the nannys pay. Yes, the nanny should get paid a fair wage but she shouldn't charge up the wazoo just because she thinks they can afford it.
I also I think its a little tacky you posted on a public forum, anything associated their finances. It acks tact and I bet wouldn't be appreciated by your employers.
- a professional nanny.
We have traveled with several nannies and hired 24 hour weekend coverage at times. The total pay usually comes out to double regular pay. Another good metric are baby nurses, who are typically paid for 24 hours, and usually make $200-250/24 hrs or $300 with twins. This is in line with what I have paid for 24 hour coverage.
Assume $15 x 13 awake hours = $195, plus $50-100/overnight. Of course if you make more, you can caculate accordingly.
Beantown Nanny,
The mother forwarded me the info for their trip, including costs. Personally, I would have left it out of the emails, but she didn't. So that's why I know the amount. I didn't give out their names or put up any other detailed information, why is it wrong that I'm giving you information that I am using to make a choice? And I'm not charging "up the wazoo," I'm charging for the exact amount of hours which I am working. If it was a family of the same working class as myself, I would feel that I should charge less or a set amount for the five days. I don't get paid overtime, I don't have benefits, They can afford to pay fairly for the weekend and I'm trying to come up with the amount that is fair for both parties.
Of course you should be paid hourly for the children's typical awake hours...say 7 AM-8 PM, each day that you're working. I usually go with a set rate for overnights. Depending on your current wages, could be between $50 and $150. If the kids generally sleep through the night, I would feel comfortable going with the lower end of the spectrum, anticipating that I would get a decent amount of sleep.
I wouldn't charge overtime for hours over 40 in this situation, either, but you already said you don't get overtime, so it's probably not an issue.
It comes back to the issue of a nanny being a luxury. If you cannot afford to pay your nanny to keep your children for a long weekend, you should probably ask family (e.g. grandparents) or a close friend to stay with them instead.
You didn't tell us your hourly rate, so it's just a shot in the dark BUT, if you are making $14 an hour and the children are up 14 hours a day, that's $200 right there. If you charge $100 for overnights, Thursday - Sunday, four days and three nights, that's $800 plus $300 or $1,100.
I think you are in a pretty good ball park. It's not about how much they have. It's about how much you are worth, and how much you wish to make while missing your weekend.
If I were you, I'd go for the $1,330 as you suggested. It's not a rounded amount, so apparently you have thought it through and applied a math formula to arrive at such a precise amount. Go for it. I'm sure you are worth every penny, and the parents are trusting their most precious souls with you. If you look at it that way, $1,330 is a bargain.
When I babysit overnight I get anywhere from 125 to 150 a night on top of my regular pay....even when the baby didn't sleep through the night though he only woke up once a night.
If it's more than a couple of nights they will usually pay me 150 if it's several nights they pay 125
Of course I live in a part of the country that the cost of living is a lot less than other parts and I'm sure I make a lot less than some of the other nannies on here. 1300 and even 1000 seems high to me.
I am working currently in a similar situation. The parents I work for left Saturday late morning and will be returning Thursday evening. This is how my pay was broken (also keep in mind that I am a live in, and also get paid under the table)
Saturday and Sunday hours were my week day hours (730am to 6pm) but were charged my over time rate.
Each evening/overnight (6pm till whenever the kids woke up the next morning) is $75
Then Monday-Thursday day rates are the same as they normally would be
Also keep in mind I still have to work Friday, but will getting paid overtime for whatever time they get home from airport after 6pm.
OP, I agree w/Village...since you calculated the Math, etc..and came up w/that precise amount then that is what you should be paid. The parents cannot put a price tag on how well their children will be taken care of + the children get the luxury of sleeping in their own beds, etc. I would go for the full amount. It sounds like a lot of $$, but in theory it is what you should be making. And Beantown...if you go on this website often, lots of people put these types of details online. It is warranted for the complete story to be told and no one ever puts anyone's name attached to the info...so who cares?
I just did an overnight and was paid $100 for the overnight portion and then I got paid my hourly rate. We settled on paying me for 12 hours during the day since it's what I typically work during the work week and then a flat rate over night. It worked out well for me!

Excuse me, but whoever said I was unemployed? I recall in a previous post stating that the family I work for is moving and I was looking for another family. My current family has yet to move and I have already secured a new position so besides the vacation I am taking in between there will be no point that I am unemployed.
I may come off to you as egotistical but you know what they say about people who assume...
Looks like the post I was responding to got deleted.
I haven't debated OP's original post since I read a few responses. I am seeing her point more. Thats what happens in an open forum where different personalities and opinions come together. There is a way of being a mature adult while posting. It's a shame when others feel the need to attack instead of sharing their advice/comments/opinions in a matter that really gets through.
*manner, not matter. Posting via blackberry isn't the easiest. Sorry for all the posts. I'll be quiet now...
I do not think you shoul get paid the same hourly wage while the kids AND you are asleep. You should get paid your hourly wage X 13. So if you make $15, 15x13= $195, then add $100-$125 for the night. You aren't in the comfort of your own home and if a child should wake you will have to also, but the majority of the time the children and you will be asleep. I think $900 for the 3 days, + money for outings/lunches is more then fair.
Lindsey- I agree with your numbers, but the OP is watching the kids Thursday-Monday, so that's 5 days, 4 nights, which using your same numbers brings the total to about the same as the OP's original suggestion.
OP, given that this isn't just the typical weekend, but an extended long weekend, I'd say your number is fine. It sounds high because you're probably used to looking at/hearing typical rates for a single overnight or just for the weekend, but the amount of time you're committing to is a lot longer, and the cost adds up quickly.
Student Nanny you are correct, I am not sure why I thought it was only 3 days. In that case I think $1100-$1200 is fair.
I don't think that's too much. All depends what you earn normally. For 5 days and 4 nights, I would get $2446, plus a nice, quiet time with well behaved kids without the parents being there :)
How much do you get paid per hour OP? That may help for a starting point. This is how I break those long weekends away:
6a-10p= 16 hours/$10/hr.
10p-6a=$50 overnights.
Your weekend:
6a-10p= 16 hours @ your hourly pay
10p-6a= $50 overnights.
Let the negoiations begin....
I think it totally matters how much the parents are spending on their sickeningly high-priced vacations. It totally matters because if they can afford that, they can afford to pay for quality individualized childcare. It matters because these people buy the best for themselves but not for their children.
It totally is relevant how much these people spend, and how much they make.
I missed a day AND a night. $1330 sounds very fair.
For five extended days, (that is from up in the morning to asleep at night) plus four overnights with two charges, I think $1,300 sounds about right.
You should not be concerned about your employers' spending, or any other aspect of their finances. They are choosing to take a vacation, and pay a nanny to care for their children. If you lower your rates because you think it is a stretch for them, you are basically subsidizing a vacation for people who are probably in a much higher tax bracket than you are.
$300, asshole.
Dear retarded,
Since the number of hours in question is roughly 100 (4 days + 4 nights = 4 x 24), your figure would equal $3/hr.
If that's *your* budget for a babysitter, then I suggest you take your next vacation on the lawn out in back of your trailer park. Pack some sandwiches and beer.
OP, you've probably settled it now but my suggestion would be to bill half the hours at your regular daytime rate and half at 1/2 rate for sleeping time. Or, bill 75% of the hours at your regular rate.
So say, 50 hours @ $12/hr and 50 hors @ $6/hr. (Or, 75 hours @ $9/hr.). Or whatever your actual rate is which you don't mention here.
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