by Heather Horn

Created on: January 29, 2009

Babysitting rates vary hugely depending on where you live, how often you use your sitter, your sitter's experience level, and your child's needs. Unfortunately there is no flat rate that works in all instances, but there are some general guidelines that you can use to determine how to pay your sitter. You can always search for local rates on the Internet or ask your friends what they pay in order to get an idea of what is expected in your area.

If you are hiring a middle school or high school student or someone without much experience, you can probably pay out fairly low rates. Minimum wage does not apply to babysitting because your sitter does not have to claim babysitting earnings on tax forms if they are making less than $400 a year. If you are paying for the sitter's meals or if you have to pick them up and drop them off, you can probably lower the rate even more. Many sitters make $5 an hour or less when they start out since they are willing to get the lower rates in order to rack up some experience.

If your sitter has a few years' worth of experience, especially working with children your age, then you should consider paying them more. Like with any other job, sitters will expect to earn more as they gain experience. Sitters with training in CPR or First Aid have devoted extra time to make themselves more valuable to you, so they will need to be paid higher rates. Sitters with experience will probably have their own expectations for rates based on what other people have paid them, so you will have to negotiate a rate with them. Don't be surprised if the rates for experienced sitters are over $10 an hour for one child. Remember, experienced sitters cost more money, but they also allow you the peace of mind that your child is in good hands.

If your sitter is working for you part-time or full-time, they will generally accept lower rates than you would pay for the occasional evening out. You may be able to negotiate a daily rate rather than an hourly rate. This usually means that your sitter will be making less money each hour in exchange for the consistency of a full- or part-time job. Take a look at daycare rates and try to figure out a rate that saves you money but is still competitive for sitters in your area. Of course, you probably can't afford to pay your sitter the same wages that you are making, but you do need to keep in mind that your babysitter is also trying to make a living. If you can't afford the rates for part-time or full-time sitters in your

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