Why do people work for so cheap??

I see all these post for daycare service and people will work for 2 bucks an hour. I recently was helping/working taken care of a child and when I saw they were taking advantage of me I asked for a little more thinking that was fair, I was told someone else will do it for cheaper. So I sat there and did the math. Holy crap there were days I worked for a buck an hour.. Never again!!!!! 

Because it's better then nothing... ? 

I would be genuinely concerned if someone was only charging 2$. I'm sorry, but my daughter is worth way more. I usually do 25$ an hour and I still don't think thats enough/ reasonable. I have had to use a sitter several times but when I did they were referred by a friend and had backtound checks. 

I think I'm confused. Some licensed daycares do not even charge $25 PER DAY. I could never afford to pay someone $25 a hour to watch my child. Would be almost pointless to work. 

It kills me how cheap people try and be when it comes to the care of their children. Really your willing to pay more for a burger at mcdonalds than you are for someone to take good care of your child?
I mean I cannot afford to pay someone $25 an hour but I would be beyond embarrassed to offer someone $3 an hour. We have a 4 and 7 year old and usually pay our sitter $10 an hour, $12 if she did anything extra like picked up toys, washed dishes, took the kids to the park. I cannot imagine babysitting for $2 or $3 an hour, that's insane. 

Maybe the mindset of the person doing babysitting for $3 an hour is, if they're watching 3 kids at a time, they're making $9 an hour, they get to stay home with their own children,don't have to leave their home and pay for gas & a babysitter to work outside the home.

Seems like a win/win for the person sitting so cheaply.
Plus, they're more than likely not claiming it as income, so it's an added bonus.

On the other hand, if I'm paying minimum wage or higher for daycare, you can best believe I would be issuing a 1099 to the sitter and claiming the expense on my income tax at the end of the year. 

There is a difference between babysitting and daycare though. Lots of people say babysitting when they mean daycare.

Babysitting is just a couple hours and not regular. It is standard to pay more. Especially if it is kind of a drop in thing. You want it to be worth the persons time. Since they are probably taking time out of their normal routine to stay with your child.

If someone is going to be "babysitting" your kid for several hours a day 6-8 for several days or on a regular schedule, then it is pretty standard to have a 2-3$ an hour rate. If you take the amount you pay for daycare at a center, that is about what you are paying them. People who watch kids this much know that it would be insane to charge someone an hourly rate that is more than the person probably makes doing whatever it is they are doing during the time the child is being cared for. They also usually have 2 or 3 more kids they are watching at the same time. That equals out to a higher per hour rate. You are doing the same work an hour. It isnt that much more work to watch 1 kid than it is to watch 3. Also, lots of the people who just offer to watch kids that often for that amount know they would be doing the same exact thing all day and not getting paid for it. Why not make a couple bucks and help someone out at the same time?

If someone offers to watch your kid for 3 bucks and hour for two hours, that would be kind of weird lol. No way I would cut into my day for 6 bucks. If it is not cutting into your normal routine though and you know you are going to get 100 bucks of pocket money at the end of the week its not that absurd. 

ShellibethThe reason I have paid 25 is because she had great referrals, she had been.doing this for a long time. Granted, I only used her a handful of times (grocery store, christmas shopping, getting things ready for a party, etc.) I feel like if you pay someone enough they will feel motivated to do a good job, unlike someone who is only getting paid 2$ an hour. 

I feel like if you pay someone enough they will feel motivated to do a good job, unlike someone who is only getting paid 2$ an hour. 

Then they shouldn't agree and babysit.. I don't know what the OP thinks she's worth if she's just going to be watching the kid, but if she wants more a) have better certifications than she probably has so she can actually set her own fees, b) go to sittercity.com and search for employment above a certain fee, or work at a daycare. 

She isn't just some random person who needed extra cash. She is a nanny. And no, she wasn't Just watching my daughter, she did activities, took her to the movies, aquariums, legoland. So, yes, she is worth it 

She isn't just some random person who needed extra cash. She is a nanny. And no, she wasn't Just watching my daughter, she did activities, took her to the movies, aquariums, legoland. So, yes, she is worth it


You only had the lady watch her a few times and for a few hours a time though, right? That's totally different than paying someone 25 bucks an hour for all day/ 5 day a week care. 

She isn't just some random person who needed extra cash. She is a nanny. And no, she wasn't Just watching my daughter, she did activities, took her to the movies, aquariums, legoland. So, yes, she is worth it 

I wasn't talking about YOUR babysitter. Read the part where I wrote:

I don't know what the OP thinks she's worth and my response about the $2 is she, the OP wasn't forced to work for $2/hr. She chose to. 

Pin- I agree my kids are worth way more the 2-3 bucks an hour!
Listen I was bringing this topic up because I never thought someone could treat me like trash when I was so good to there child. No need for everyone to get upset!!! Everyone have a good day and don't sell yourself short when your charging. I never needed the MoneyI did it to help a fellow Marine family out. But I have to say never again!!!! Lol have a great Friday everyone 

No one is upset, just a discussion. Sorry that you had a bad experience 

Pin- I agree my kids are worth way more the 2-3 bucks an hour!
Listen I was bringing this topic up because I never thought someone could treat me like trash when I was so good to there child. No need for everyone to get upset!!! Everyone have a good day and don't sell yourself short when your charging. I never needed the MoneyI did it to help a fellow Marine family out.


This whole thing makes no real sense to me.

If you were doing it to help someone out, then why would you think them paying you a small amount is treating you like trash?
You know they cannot afford a lot. They know they cannot afford a lot. You agree to less. Where is the treating you like trash part?

Why do people keep saying their kids are worth more than 2-3 dollars an hour? First- I am concerned that someone would even try to put a monetary value on their children lol.
Second- if your child is worth more then a few bucks an hour, why are you paying someone MORE to take your kid for a few hours? They are worth so much too you that you will pay someone lots of money to get them out of your hair? lol Not saying I have a problem with someone hiring a babysitter or anything. Its just silly to try to use the so called worth of your child to determine how much you pay someone to watch them.

These are rhetorical questions BTW lol 

Pin- ya it's cool o well I tried my best. Treated her like my own. I know I didn't do anything wrong. I was just venting!!! But how do you not expect to pay extra when your dropping your child off at 3:00 am and picking her up past 6:00 pm 

Priv82- because originally there was an agreement with time and pay. I agreed to that agreement and they never followed it and I was nice for about 4 months and then when I finally said something they made me into the bad guy!! That's ok thou o well 

Mom works a 40hr a week. Needs to drop off her little darling at day care.

Little darling is at day care 1/2 hr before Mom starts work and there for 1/2hr after Mom gets off work.

Little darling is at day care for 45hrs a week.

45hr X 4wks = 180hrs.

Daycare costs $540 a month (just to make division easier!)

Daycare = $3 an hour. 

Pin- ya it's cool o well I tried my best. Treated her like my own. I know I didn't do anything wrong.


When did Pin say you did anything wrong? She only said she doesnt understand why people would accept such a small amount for babysitting. Just her opinion. She didnt say anything negative about you.

But how do you not expect to pay extra when your dropping your child off at 3:00 am and picking her up past 6:00 pm


I can think of a couple reasons.
1- whoever is watching them (in this case you) agreed to the smaller amount. Only an idiot would pay someone MORE than what they agree upon lol
2- maybe they couldnt afford to pay extra. They knew it, so that is why they found someone who would take less



For the record....I do have an issue with why someone would need to leave their kid with another person that long on a daily basis. Thats just wrong. 

They are worth so much too you that you will pay someone lots of money to get them out of your hair? lol Not saying I have a problem with someone hiring a babysitter or anything. Its just silly to try to use the so called worth of your child to determine how much you pay someone to watch them.


I'm not trying to get my daughter out of my hair, she gets really bored shopping with me so I prefer planning a fun activity. I prefer paying more, and its obviously worth it to me. 

Priv82- because originally there was an agreement with time and pay. I agreed to that agreement and they never followed it and I was nice for about 4 months and then when I finally said something they made me into the bad guy!! That's ok thou o well


Thats totally different than what you said at first though. 

Priv82- I never said she said I did anything wrong I was just discussing .
And for the record there was an agreement between hours and pay and the pay was ok with me but when they decide to not follow that and on a daily basis have different hours with out a phone call to let me know you get tired of it after a couple of months.

And only an "idiot" would be disrespectful to someone's time and not follow what
agreement they discussed

Thanks Priv82 for your input 

I'm not trying to get my daughter out of my hair, she gets really bored shopping with me so I prefer planning a fun activity. I prefer paying more, and its obviously worth it to me.


You're situation doesn't even compare to a 3 dollar an hour daycare situation so I don't even know why you keep bringing that up. People pay for entertainment for their kids all the time. Thats essentially what you are doing in your situation. Paying 25 bucks an hour for a couple hours is not that nuts.
It still has nothing to do with the worth of your child though. Thats like saying your child isnt worth 2-3 bucks, but 25. lol Childcare rates should not have anything to do with the monetary value of your kids. Monetary value. There should be no monetary value. Im not saying you cant pay more if you think the service is worth it. I was only saying that phrases like "my child is worth more than x amount, so I pay x amount" are silly. Just in general. Its not an only you thing. 

Priv82- I never said she said I did anything wrong I was just discussing .
And for the record there was an agreement between hours and pay and the pay was ok with me but when they decide to not follow that and on a daily basis have different hours with out a phone call to let me know you get tired of it after a couple of months.


I agree. That is wrong to change the agreement.

In your first post it sounded like you were upset for getting paid an amount that you agreed upon, and only later found out how much you were getting. Even though it would have been your fault for not doing the math sooner lol. There was a communication breakdown and you have made yourself more clear. You don't sound like an idot when it is put this way. You sound like you were taken advantage of. I would be upset too. 

Thanks Priv 82.... 

Thanks Priv 82....