Pros and cons of being a live-in

[Anonymous]

To be happy as a live in, you almost need to want to be a live in if that makes sense. If you are taking a live in job just because you are not getting other offers then chances are that you will go in with the wrong attitude. Live in positions are a great way to relocate to an expensive area or a way to save money for school or just savings.

A live in position is not a renter or even a roommate situation. You should have privacy in your own room but the rest of the shared areas don't belong to you. You may get to use them but its not your house. You can't just make yourself at home the way you would if you were equally splitting all costs with roommates. You can't have guests over. You don't get snow days though most live out nannies don't really get these either. Its harder to turn down an evening babysitting offer just because you don't want to do it and stay in your room all night. As a live out you can always just say you had other plans. You also have to maintain your professional appearance which means no smoking or stumbling around drunk if you are into those things.

[Anonymous]

Amazing what you can do IF the price is right.

[Anonymous]

It all depends on the family. Like the current familly I live with, they do not give me an ounce of privacy... but hey it just varies from household to household as well.

Gosh, I can't "wait" for this job to end. This family has been horrible, the worst I have ever worked for (and I have never had any complaints about families I have worked with before).

I'm just waiting to hit the 6-7 month mark so that at least my time here wasn't a complete waste. If I work with them for 6 months then I can at least have them as a reference.
Anyways, as a live in long-term nanny anything less than 6-7 months generally doesn't look good on your own part, nor does it typically count as a legit reference when it's less than that amount of time (or at least with the agencies I go with).

[Anonymous]

I agree, you want to either do a trial and quit after the few few weeks of the trial, or try and stick it out until at least the 6 month mark. If it is not that bad, but not ideal, then I try for a bit longer. I give myself some extra time to find something new before giving notice and to earn some extra cash for the transition. It will look better on my resume if I stick around for 9 months and ended up leaving due to me wanting to "change location" or "try a different schedule" etc, than after 3-5 months.

[Anonymous]

oops, that should be *first few weeks* not few few weeks.

[Anonymous]

Nannies really should get paid more to live-in. You're giving up your privacy. Or it'd have to be Completely separate quarters, including entrance and kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nannies really should get paid more to live-in. You're giving up your privacy. Or it'd have to be Completely separate quarters, including entrance and kitchen.

Yeah but no one is forcing us to be live-ins. You take the live-in job knowing the pay is less. If you want more privacy, you take the live-out job. I'm a live-in and think I'm compensated fairly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure to get some kind of agreement in writing in regard to your living quarters separate from your work agreement. You need to protect yourself in case things don't work out and they try to put you out immediately.

This. Make SURE they can't kick you to the curb, if they suddenly fall apart. I've seen it happen, ladies. Don't kid yourselves. It CAN happen to YOU if you don't protect yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nannies really should get paid more to live-in. You're giving up your privacy. Or it'd have to be Completely separate quarters, including entrance and kitchen.

Yeah but no one is forcing us to be live-ins. You take the live-in job knowing the pay is less. If you want more privacy, you take the live-out job. I'm a live-in and think I'm compensated fairly.

No, my rates stay the same, Ms Troll.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised so many of you nannies don't understand simple economics.

If you live in, your accommodations have a market rate that figures in your total compensation.

You will earn less per hour because you are being paid in accommodations.

How is it you fail to understand this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised so many of you nannies don't understand simple economics.

If you live in, your accommodations have a market rate that figures in your total compensation.

You will earn less per hour because you are being paid in accommodations.

How is it you fail to understand this?

If I live-in, all your hubby fights deprive me of my right to peaceful accommodations, not to mention your kid pounding your bare floors on top of me.
You shall get no discount for that. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised so many of you nannies don't understand simple economics.

If you live in, your accommodations have a market rate that figures in your total compensation.

You will earn less per hour because you are being paid in accommodations.

How is it you fail to understand this?

If I live-in, all your hubby fights deprive me of my right to peaceful accommodations, not to mention your kid pounding your bare floors on top of me.
You shall get no discount for that. Sorry.

So you don't want to live in. Don't.

But the accommodations are still valuable perks in total compensation.

It doesn't matter if you don't want the perk. It is still a perk not to pay rent and everyone who lives in or employs someone who lives in knows that you earn less because you are compensated with your free rent, food, and other perks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm surprised so many of you nannies don't understand simple economics.

If you live in, your accommodations have a market rate that figures in your total compensation.

You will earn less per hour because you are being paid in accommodations.

How is it you fail to understand this?

If I live-in, all your hubby fights deprive me of my right to peaceful accommodations, not to mention your kid pounding your bare floors on top of me.
You shall get no discount for that. Sorry.

So you don't want to live in. Don't.

But the accommodations are still valuable perks in total compensation.

It doesn't matter if you don't want the perk. It is still a perk not to pay rent and everyone who lives in or employs someone who lives in knows that you earn less because you are compensated with your free rent, food, and other perks.

I have never reduced by rates if I lived in. It'd have to be an amazing place, with no racket from you, your husband or your kids.
When I'm done work at the end of my day, I don't care to hear you. Or on early weekend mornings, either. You just have no clue.

[Anonymous]

You are the one with no clue, 8:47.

If you don't want the perk of not paying room and board, don't take a live in job.

Pretty simple, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are the one with no clue, 8:47.

If you don't want the perk of not paying room and board, don't take a live in job.

Pretty simple, really.

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