Childcare costs. Whether you’re looking for a babysitter or nanny, it’s going to cost you. Although the former is a lot more affordable than the latter, a lot of parents still wonder; how much does a babysitter cost?
If you don’t rely on childcare on a regular basis, you’re going to wonder about the cost of hiring a babysitter.
Since I’m used to hiring one, I can pretty much answer the question, how much does a babysitter cost.
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So, if you want to know the answer, keep on reading.
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How Much Does A Babysitter Cost?
The answer to the question, how much does a babysitter cost, is $17 per hour. This is the standard hourly rate as taken from the Sittercity data.
It could be higher in some cities. There are a lot of things to consider in establishing the standard hourly rate of a babysitter. One of which is the cost of living in the area.
For example, the cost of living in San Francisco is considered to be one of the highest in the country. So. if you want to know how much does a babysitter cost in San Francisco, expect it to be a lot higher than $17. According to Sittercity, it’s $22.50.
The cost of living in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Stamford, and Seattle is also pretty high. So, you can expect the cost of hiring a babysitter in these cities to be a lot higher than $17 per hour as well. According to Sittercity, it’s $20 per hour.
If you live in cities such as Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Hartford, Miami, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Providence, and Sacramento you can expect to pay the average cost per hour.
However, if you live in cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Nashville, Norfolk, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Bernardino, St. Louis, and Tampa; the cost of hiring of a babysitter would be a lower than average.
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The answer to the question, how much does a babysitter cost, would depend on the city you live in. You can use the Sittercity rates as a guide.
However, you would have a better idea as to how much a babysitter costs if you browse through the profiles of the babysitters on Sittercity.
You can browse through the profiles of the babysitters on Sittercity for free. You just need to sign up for their Basic membership plan. You can do so by clicking on the Test Drive coupon. It will take you to the signup page of Sittercity.
Once you have created an account, you will be able to go through the profiles of the babysitters. If you want to have a good idea as to how much does a babysitter cost in your area, type in your zip code on the Location box, right under the part where it says Where. You will find this on the left-hand side of your dashboard.
For example, if you live in San Francisco and your zip code is 94118, just type it in the Location box. Then click on the Filter tab to narrow down your search within the San Francisco area.
On the right side of your screen, you will see a list of babysitters who live nearby. You will also see their rate per hour on the top left-hand side of their profile.
Since you’re searching for babysitters within the San Francisco area, you can expect a rate of $22.50 per hour. However, if you take some time to look at the profiles of the babysitters, you will be able to find some who charge less than the standard rate but still within the twenty-dollar rate per hour.
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For example, you’ll be able to find a babysitter from San Francisco who charges between 18 to $20 per hour. Another babysitter could charge from $15 to $20 per hour. On the other hand, a babysitter from the same area could charge somewhere between $20 to $30.
So, if you want an exact figure to answer the question, how much does a babysitter cost, browse through the profiles of the babysitters and take a look at their rates per hour.
Then get in touch with a babysitter to see exactly how much she charges. Since you’re signed up as a Basic member, you won’t be able to contact the babysitters.
You would have to upgrade your membership plan to any of the three premium plans. If you just want to have a feel of the premium plans, you can try the 1-month plan. It’s $35 dollars and it’s on automatic renewal.
What that means for you is that you would have to cancel before your membership expires so that it won’t renew automatically. If you don’t cancel, you will end up paying $35 every month.
If you want to be a premium member for more than a month, you can sign up for the 3-month plan. It’s $75, meaning it’s just $23.33 per month. That’s a lot better than paying $35 a month.
While the three-month membership plan is a good option for you to try out Sittercity, you’ll save a lot more with the annual membership plan. It’s $140 at $11.67 per month. That’s not bad at all. If you use a promo code, you’ll get a huge discount.
Related Read: Sittercity Instant Savings Offer
Once you’re signed up with any of the premium plans, you’ll know exactly how much a babysitter costs.
Other Things To Consider
The standard of living in an area is just one of the many things to consider when looking at the cost of hiring a babysitter. You also need to consider the experience, training, and certifications of the babysitter.
If you browse through the profiles of the babysitters, you’ll see some who have 10 years of childcare experience. Now, that’s a lot. You can expect those babysitters to charge a higher hourly rate.
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Some babysitters on Sittercity also invest their time and money in various childcare training programs to add to their credentials. For example, they enroll in First Aid Classes. This way, they can be certified to administer First Aid, CPR, and AR. At the same time, they can display a badge on their profile to show that they are certified.
These credentials could have an impact on the hourly rate of the babysitter. Another thing to consider is that some babysitters run a background check on themselves. They do this to give parents some peace of mind. At the same time, they can increase their chances of getting hired since they display a badge on their profile.
Hence, a babysitter’s profile with a lot of badges can also impact the hourly rate. If you’re looking to hire a babysitter on a long-term basis, then you can also consider a monthly payment scheme.
That could save you a couple of bucks but then you’d have to sit down with the babysitter about it. Nonetheless, a monthly payment scheme is a good option to consider.
Is It Worth The Price?
The cost of hiring a babysitter is no joke at all. However, it’s worth the price. The babysitters of Sittercity go to great lengths to strengthen their credentials.
The fact that you can hire a babysitter who already has a background check can give you peace of mind. That alone can pretty much justify the cost of hiring a babysitter.
Professional And Reliable Babysitters
You now have a good idea of how much a babysitter costs. If you take advantage of Sittercity, you’ll know exactly how much a babysitter in your area costs.
At a glance, you might think it’s too much but take a good look at the babysitter’s profile. If you look closely, you’re close to hiring a professional and reliable babysitter.
If there’s one thing Sittercity is known for, it’s for its database of professional and reliable babysitters.
How much does a babysitter cost in your area? Are you willing to spend that much? Feel free to share your thoughts with us. We’d love to hear from you.
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It used to be the case that I would babysit for families. These days, I’m the one hiring sitters to watch over my little girl. LOL! How time flies. My mission now is to share some of my insights so that other moms get to benefit from my experience with babysitting. Read More
