Why the ultimate penny-pincher mom would NEVER haggle over the nanny's established fees

[Anonymous]

I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

[Anonymous]

As a nanny in the $20-$25 hourly range, I've never had a potential employer try to "haggle" with me over my fees. I have had potential employers tell me that they cannot afford my rate and I have thanked them for their honesty (it's not easy to admit you can't afford something) and wished them all the best.

[Anonymous]

I had a nanny quote me $25/hr recently, far above our budget. When I said so, she asked me if I could do $20. I could, but I didn't hire her because I figured she would always feel underpaid. So, OP, I guess I agree with you. But I suspect most people are willing to negotiate for the right job and right set of benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a nanny quote me $25/hr recently, far above our budget. When I said so, she asked me if I could do $20. I could, but I didn't hire her because I figured she would always feel underpaid. So, OP, I guess I agree with you. But I suspect most people are willing to negotiate for the right job and right set of benefits.

If the nanny was already established at $25, I agree that she'd feel underpaid/undervalued at anything less than that, UNLESS you could compensate in some other way. That is key, PP. I have often been inspired to discount my fees, if the family offered some sort of fair "exchange," hence creativity can easily be a win-win. Always try to think outside the box. -OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a nanny quote me $25/hr recently, far above our budget. When I said so, she asked me if I could do $20. I could, but I didn't hire her because I figured she would always feel underpaid. So, OP, I guess I agree with you. But I suspect most people are willing to negotiate for the right job and right set of benefits.

I bet she reads this board and thought she deserved that much because so many nannies claim to earn that amount on here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a nanny quote me $25/hr recently, far above our budget. When I said so, she asked me if I could do $20. I could, but I didn't hire her because I figured she would always feel underpaid. So, OP, I guess I agree with you. But I suspect most people are willing to negotiate for the right job and right set of benefits.

I bet she reads this board and thought she deserved that much because so many nannies claim to earn that amount on here.

Please just stop with your nastiness already. You haven't the slightest clue, how many nannies earn what. For God's sake, employers all can't even agree to put their nannies on the books, and pay them legally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

What were those exceptionally high rates and how long did the job last?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

What were those exceptionally high rates and how long did the job last?

Higher than you could ever afford, and longer than you ever had.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous



I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

I'm so sure your mythical MB said this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous



I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

I'm so sure your mythical MB said this.

They moved to where childcare was more affordable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a nanny quote me $25/hr recently, far above our budget. When I said so, she asked me if I could do $20. I could, but I didn't hire her because I figured she would always feel underpaid. So, OP, I guess I agree with you. But I suspect most people are willing to negotiate for the right job and right set of benefits.

If the nanny was already established at $25, I agree that she'd feel underpaid/undervalued at anything less than that, UNLESS you could compensate in some other way. That is key, PP. I have often been inspired to discount my fees, if the family offered some sort of fair "exchange," hence creativity can easily be a win-win. Always try to think outside the box. -OP

Like I said, we could have paid the $20/hr. But to add a lot of extra "extras," like tons of additional PTO (which we'd have to cover somehow), or full health insurance, or a car of her own, or a very flexible schedule for her, ... all of those things would have again brought her price above what we could afford, and seem like the kind of perks you add when an employee has proven herself. If she would genuinely have been happy to start at $20/hr, she shouldn't have quoted a price 25% higher. And if she wouldn't be happy at $20, then we'd all be unhappy after a couple of months. I have no way to know that, so have to go by my own feelings, which are that if you want $25/hr, you're not going to be happy with $20, and you're going to bitch about all the work your cheap boss expects you to do. In any case, there was nothing so fabulous about her that we felt like we couldn't keep looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a nanny quote me $25/hr recently, far above our budget. When I said so, she asked me if I could do $20. I could, but I didn't hire her because I figured she would always feel underpaid. So, OP, I guess I agree with you. But I suspect most people are willing to negotiate for the right job and right set of benefits.

If the nanny was already established at $25, I agree that she'd feel underpaid/undervalued at anything less than that, UNLESS you could compensate in some other way. That is key, PP. I have often been inspired to discount my fees, if the family offered some sort of fair "exchange," hence creativity can easily be a win-win. Always try to think outside the box. -OP

Like I said, we could have paid the $20/hr. But to add a lot of extra "extras," like tons of additional PTO (which we'd have to cover somehow), or full health insurance, or a car of her own, or a very flexible schedule for her, ... all of those things would have again brought her price above what we could afford, and seem like the kind of perks you add when an employee has proven herself. If she would genuinely have been happy to start at $20/hr, she shouldn't have quoted a price 25% higher. And if she wouldn't be happy at $20, then we'd all be unhappy after a couple of months. I have no way to know that, so have to go by my own feelings, which are that if you want $25/hr, you're not going to be happy with $20, and you're going to bitch about all the work your cheap boss expects you to do. In any case, there was nothing so fabulous about her that we felt like we couldn't keep looking.

Sounds like you have a plan. Just because other families found her to be worth $25., doesn't always mean that you would to. And if her price is far out of reach, it's good to just keep looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous



I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

I'm so sure your mythical MB said this.

+1. I believe that some people are willing to pay $25 per hour for childcare without complaint. I don't believe for a minute that any of those people would speak the quoted words, and especially not "an educated PhD person." For one thing, paying less would increase the value of the relevant childcare, not reduce it.

[Anonymous]

How sad that there is a poster out there whose only source of self-esteem seems to be her "exceptionally high rate." Keep patting yourself on the back, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous



I'll always remember (and respect!) my MB who told me,
"Why would I try to reduce the quality or value of my child's care?"
She was an educated PhD person, who with husband saved half of their combined income. Yet they never complained about my exceptionally high rates. Very smart lady indeed. They had my services as long as they wanted, until they moved out of the area.

I'm so sure your mythical MB said this.

+1. I believe that some people are willing to pay $25 per hour for childcare without complaint. I don't believe for a minute that any of those people would speak the quoted words, and especially not "an educated PhD person." For one thing, paying less would increase the value of the relevant childcare, not reduce it.

In your dreams. I feel sorry for whoever has to live with you. You sound like a real peach.