Au Pair - Asking for more than the stipend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

[Anonymous]

OP, our last au pair tried to negotiate for higher pay. We said no but we were in the middle of the pandemic and we were stuck with her, otherwise I would have sent her back.

Our current au pair is unbelievable. She is older (24) and really wanted a gap year before she started working. Her real desire was to travel. So, we have given her a great deal of time off - several weeks - so she could see various places. On those weeks when she is traveling, I usually send her extra money for the trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

Funny. I posted on DCUM that I was paying my live in nanny $18/hour with the same benefits the au pair gets. On top of that, my nanny’s husband and kids also live for free with us. People here almost called me a slave owner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

It depends on the family. Not all provide cars, phone, cable and some are limited on food and meals vv

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

It depends on the family. Not all provide cars, phone, cable and some are limited on food and meals vv

The room and board, phone, insurance, and food are part of the au pair contract (well, the contract between you and the agency). The car admittedly is not included. I'm assuming that families will let the au pair use the internet and watch TV without charging them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

So do many nannies, but most of them still make well above minimum wage...au pairs are cheap labor and sometimes you get what you pay for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

Funny. I posted on DCUM that I was paying my live in nanny $18/hour with the same benefits the au pair gets. On top of that, my nanny’s husband and kids also live for free with us. People here almost called me a slave owner

They should train their ire on the employers of au pairs who are paying 300$/week (i.e. $7.50/hour). It really is half minimum wage...it's really shockingly low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

Funny. I posted on DCUM that I was paying my live in nanny $18/hour with the same benefits the au pair gets. On top of that, my nanny’s husband and kids also live for free with us. People here almost called me a slave owner

They should train their ire on the employers of au pairs who are paying 300$/week (i.e. $7.50/hour). It really is half minimum wage...it's really shockingly low.

Shocking. As is the free rent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And entertainment only means the entertainment that includes the entire family - like going to the movies. I'm not paying for an aupair's happy hour tab.

Who would host an aupair if food, clothing, tuition and entertainment was part of the cost? Why wouldn't you just hire a nanny at that point. It would be considerably cheaper.

Ah, but you are getting 45 child care hours for half minimum wage.

And they are getting free room and board, free meals, free use of car, free phone, free Internet, free cable.

Funny. I posted on DCUM that I was paying my live in nanny $18/hour with the same benefits the au pair gets. On top of that, my nanny’s husband and kids also live for free with us. People here almost called me a slave owner

You should call you congressman to complain about the limited rights of foreign workers.

They should train their ire on the employers of au pairs who are paying 300$/week (i.e. $7.50/hour). It really is half minimum wage...it's really shockingly low.

[Anonymous]

Netting $300 a week - or even $200 - after all your necessities are paid for is actually pretty good for a 20 year old with no education. I think the Au pair experience is actually a pretty good financial foray into adulthood. They can learn to manage their money while all of their necessities (housing, food, car, health insurance, utilities, data plan, etc) are handled. If they blow their disposable weekly stipend, it’s not like they’ll face eviction or go hungry. Actually seems like a gentler experience than paying them $25/hr but they have to pay rent, utilities, car payment, insurance premiums, etc etc.