Hi I am going to start babysitting soon, and I wondered what I should charge. I though 6 dollars per hour and 50 cents for every adittinal kid, (7 dollars for infants) but my mom thinks 4.50 an hour, I think that's cheap but niether me or my mom has any experience babysitting so please if you've babysat what should I charge?

Here's a great link to a BABYSITTER CALCULATOR website:

Babysitter tips, how-to's, advice: How much should you pay a babysitter?

Use that, reduce it about $3 from what it suggests and that IS the rate you should be quoting.

The hardest thing any new babysitter ever gets over is "talking about money". It's a skill. My daughter NEVER learned it. The one time I got on the phone and quoted a rate FOR her, she got paid twice what she would've asked. But she still couldn't do it herself.

Oh well, no one can state your worth for you. Learning to honestly ask for the amount you want to be paid without apologizing is a necessary skill. Learn that now over babysitting, and you will also do well later when negotiating pay for regular jobs.

Get a speech together, when asked how much you charge, READ the speech so you don't stumble over it:

"My base rate is $6.50 per hour plus $1 for each additional child. Four kids is my max, and if the hours will go later than midnight, a 20% bump is appropriate. We can work out the exact amounts on a night-by-night basis, if that's better for you, and of course I'm willing to consider flat rate offers for an evening. The first night is a "trial" so we can make sure we can all work together. Sound fair?"

Lastly, be able to list off your references, skills (CPR?) and rapport with children.

Glad to help, remember, it's better to work half as often at $9 an hour than twice as much at $5. TRULY better.

When I was babysitting I got paid $10 an hour, for three kids, one was in diapers but nearly pottytrained.
I think my friend made about the same for 3 kids too.