For nannies who drive the kids around...

[Anonymous]

Can you please explain the driving arrangement? Do you use your own car, or does the family provide a car? If in your own car, are you compensated for mileage, gas, for wear and tear, or in any other way (frequent car washes)? Do you have your own carseats or do you pop them in and out of cars as needed? We don't have a third car, so I'd prefer to find a nanny who is comfortable using her own car. I suppose the alternative is that the nanny drive my car when needed, but then I would be carless. I'd like to hear how these arrangements have worked out. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

You mean you'd be at home with the nanny?

[Anonymous]

I use my own car, but require that car seats get permanently installed there. I get reimbursed for mileage as well.

[Anonymous]

I use my own car. We follow the standard mileage rates as a guideline:
http://www.irs.gov/uac/2013-Standard-Mileage-Rates-Up-1-Cent-per-Mile-for-Business,-Medical-and-Moving
Currently 56.5 cents per mile.
Although my employers round up. They give me a set amount per month, and my mileage has always been under, which is appreciated.

They bought a third car seat so that I could keep it in my car exclusively. VERY nice to have. It's a pain to constantly remove the car seat and properly install it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You mean you'd be at home with the nanny?

Yes, I work from a home office. I'd like our nanny to be able to take the girls to activities during the summer, as I think they'll be very bored hanging around the house all day long. I suppose they could drive my car, but then we would be limited to the days we could coordinate when I didn't need my car.

I have 2 girls, which would require 2 additional carseats if we were to buy them for the nanny's car. I don't mind the expense, but I assume that a nanny would be irritated with 2 carseats taking over her backseat on a permanent basis?

[Anonymous]

In my current position I use my own car. My employers reimburse me for mileage. They purchased an extra set of carseats that stays in my car. I only need to uninstall them a few times a year so it's really not a hassle to keep them in there. I'm not the least bit irritated that the carseats are in there. I've gotten used to them, and I've been a nanny for quite a while so having carseats in my car is the norm.

[Anonymous]

I use my own car and my employers reimburse me for mileage. They purchased car seats specifically for my vehicle. As far as wear and tear, I keep all receipts for any of my vehicle's expense and write it off on my taxes.

At times, it is a pain for the car seats to be in my car during the weekends. In most cases, I pop them out and put them back in when I return to work on the weekend.

[Anonymous]

For my current job, MB and I trade cars since mine cant hold all four kiddos safely. She reimburses me .55/mile for the gas/wear and tear she puts on my car. Maybe this arrangement can work for you.
In the past, I've used my own car and insisted on an extra set of seats that mostly stays in my car (with the exception of when grandparents come into town). I never minded having them fill up my backseat. It was very convenient having them in there for my nieces/occasional babysitting kids to use on the weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use my own car, but require that car seats get permanently installed there. I get reimbursed for mileage as well.

+2

I drive my own car, I get reimbursed at IRS rates for mileage, and also require permanent car seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean you'd be at home with the nanny?

Yes, I work from a home office. I'd like our nanny to be able to take the girls to activities during the summer, as I think they'll be very bored hanging around the house all day long. I suppose they could drive my car, but then we would be limited to the days we could coordinate when I didn't need my car.

I have 2 girls, which would require 2 additional carseats if we were to buy them for the nanny's car. I don't mind the expense, but I assume that a nanny would be irritated with 2 carseats taking over her backseat on a permanent basis?

Not at all! It's much easier to have car seats in my car vs putting them in and out of the car every day. I rarely have people in my back seat on my off time. If I did, I'd just take out the car seats for that time.

[Anonymous]

MB worked at home, I drove their car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean you'd be at home with the nanny?

Yes, I work from a home office. I'd like our nanny to be able to take the girls to activities during the summer, as I think they'll be very bored hanging around the house all day long. I suppose they could drive my car, but then we would be limited to the days we could coordinate when I didn't need my car.

I have 2 girls, which would require 2 additional carseats if we were to buy them for the nanny's car. I don't mind the expense, but I assume that a nanny would be irritated with 2 carseats taking over her backseat on a permanent basis?

Not at all! It's much easier to have car seats in my car vs putting them in and out of the car every day. I rarely have people in my back seat on my off time. If I did, I'd just take out the car seats for that time.

They should pay you a back seat rental fee. LOL.
Hope they appreciate what you are letting them do.

[Anonymous]

I use my own car and require the carseats be permanently installed. I'm reimbursed gas and mileage. I ask for two details a year to help with the mess the children make. If I drove more I'd ask for half oil change reimbursement. I absolutely hate using my car and having no backseat but unfortunately I accepted a position that didn't offer a family car.

[Anonymous]

I use my own car. I get a flat fee equivalent to one tank of gas per week, one run through the car wash per month, and detailing twice a year. They have also helped with car maintenance expenses. My regular checkups/oil changes are covered by the warranty, but they always ask how it went and offer to pay for part of any repairs or parts replacements, including buying me new tires as part of my christmas gift last year. They also give me a half-day off every 6 months to get these oil changes. I pay for my own insurance.

They bought separate car seats that "live" in my car. On weekends, I rarely have other people in my backseat, so it's mostly just shopping bags and things, which can sit on an empty car seat as well as on the bench. They bought me seat covers for the entire backseat and kick matts for the back of the front seats and had the rear windows tinted.

I am fine with this arrangement, and really enjoy getting out and about with my charges.

[Anonymous]

Be sure you offer to provide (i.e., reimburse nanny) and/or that the nanny gets a business rider on her insurance policy. Otherwise, if there is ever an accident, there could be serious issues in terms of the MB's liability since the nanny is technically driving her car for a business purpose while driving your children.