Am I charging too high of a rate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That rate does not seem crazy especially for an American pursuing higher education.

Ideas -
do you need to leave at a specific time each day for class? Could be an issue for some.

Are you only a year left from being done with your degree and so would become a teacher after just a year? I definitely would not hire someone for only a year unless I was replacing a nanny for the final year before preschool / school.

I possess 8 years of full-time infant/toddler nanny experience. I take Saturday classes, and one evening class at 7:30pm. The jobs I am looking at have an end time of no later than 6pm. I will be working as a nanny for 3 more years.

That would be an issue for me. I need to know you can stay late when I need you to.

I can stay late and always did in former jobs. Right now I'm open all weeknights, but there is a possibility for me to take one evening class a week. If a family needs that much OT, they are mistreating and over working their nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Good to know. I've been thinking of moving back. My bf is reconsidering DC. I usually work in Lakeview or LP area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

[Anonymous]

I don't think you're charging too much if your credentials, etc are as you say. I live on Capitol Hill and pay a nanny $24/hr as part of a share; the single child rate if she's working OT for just one of us (and the rate she used to make when she cared for just the other child before we joined the share) is $18. We pay legally (so SS/medicare get taken out, but we pay 1.5x for OT and guarantee 10 hrs/week).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I must suggest that you learn and use proper grammar and punctuation. This could definitely be a deciding factor for some families. Should we hire the candidate who can put together a sentence or the one who can't?
The fact that you are in school to become a teacher and can't put together a sentence is frightening.

Nonsense

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

The problem is not people charging $12/hr, it's people who want to drive a nice car and live in an apartment of their own without roommates while also having the newest iPhone and everything else but also work a simple, flexible job as a nanny. The market for nannies is $12-15, just because you need more than that to buy a house and drive a new Acura doesn't mean you are owed anything above market rate. You are welcome to try to charge that, and maybe you will find occasional wealthy people to pay that rate, but if you want all those adult things you need to go back to school, get a degree, and look for an adult job with normal hours and no flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

The problem is not people charging $12/hr, it's people who want to drive a nice car and live in an apartment of their own without roommates while also having the newest iPhone and everything else but also work a simple, flexible job as a nanny. The market for nannies is $12-15, just because you need more than that to buy a house and drive a new Acura doesn't mean you are owed anything above market rate. You are welcome to try to charge that, and maybe you will find occasional wealthy people to pay that rate, but if you want all those adult things you need to go back to school, get a degree, and look for an adult job with normal hours and no flexibility.

The market rate here in Seattle is 18-23/hour with a good agency. I not only nanny, I cook, tutor, work with any and all ages, and do household management as well as nanny. I'm raising a child of my own and we still qualify for the food bank at 20$ an hour. Many of us have past degrees, careers and certainly don't own much, especially in areas like D.C. , where the cost of living is insane. Think about what your nanny is bringing to the table and pay accordingly. This whole get a degree and you'll be on easy street is not a qualified statement nor does it take into consideration the reasons many of us are working in childcare. People that work with children in any capacity are grossly underpaid and unappreciated by many of the very families that cannot operate without them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

The problem is not people charging $12/hr, it's people who want to drive a nice car and live in an apartment of their own without roommates while also having the newest iPhone and everything else but also work a simple, flexible job as a nanny. The market for nannies is $12-15, just because you need more than that to buy a house and drive a new Acura doesn't mean you are owed anything above market rate. You are welcome to try to charge that, and maybe you will find occasional wealthy people to pay that rate, but if you want all those adult things you need to go back to school, get a degree, and look for an adult job with normal hours and no flexibility.

This is the PP. I make $18 an hour. I do not drive a "nice car." I live paycheck to paycheck, and live in a studio apartment. I have a college degree so have student loans. It just so happens the cost of housing is extremely high here, therefore more money is needed to survive. It sounds like you're either an extremely bitter MB who doesn't want to fork up enough of a comfortable salary for her nanny, or someone with a lot of jealousy around the fact that they're not making as much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

The problem is not people charging $12/hr, it's people who want to drive a nice car and live in an apartment of their own without roommates while also having the newest iPhone and everything else but also work a simple, flexible job as a nanny. The market for nannies is $12-15, just because you need more than that to buy a house and drive a new Acura doesn't mean you are owed anything above market rate. You are welcome to try to charge that, and maybe you will find occasional wealthy people to pay that rate, but if you want all those adult things you need to go back to school, get a degree, and look for an adult job with normal hours and no flexibility.

This is the PP. I make $18 an hour. I do not drive a "nice car." I live paycheck to paycheck, and live in a studio apartment. I have a college degree so have student loans. It just so happens the cost of housing is extremely high here, therefore more money is needed to survive. It sounds like you're either an extremely bitter MB who doesn't want to fork up enough of a comfortable salary for her nanny, or someone with a lot of jealousy around the fact that they're not making as much.

Get out of the studio and move in with roommates. Living alone is something people with college degrees get to do. You are welcome to live alone if it works for you, but then please don't complain about it and your rate of pay. At $18 you are overpaid as it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

The problem is not people charging $12/hr, it's people who want to drive a nice car and live in an apartment of their own without roommates while also having the newest iPhone and everything else but also work a simple, flexible job as a nanny. The market for nannies is $12-15, just because you need more than that to buy a house and drive a new Acura doesn't mean you are owed anything above market rate. You are welcome to try to charge that, and maybe you will find occasional wealthy people to pay that rate, but if you want all those adult things you need to go back to school, get a degree, and look for an adult job with normal hours and no flexibility.

This is the PP. I make $18 an hour. I do not drive a "nice car." I live paycheck to paycheck, and live in a studio apartment. I have a college degree so have student loans. It just so happens the cost of housing is extremely high here, therefore more money is needed to survive. It sounds like you're either an extremely bitter MB who doesn't want to fork up enough of a comfortable salary for her nanny, or someone with a lot of jealousy around the fact that they're not making as much.

Get out of the studio and move in with roommates. Living alone is something people with college degrees get to do. You are welcome to live alone if it works for you, but then please don't complain about it and your rate of pay. At $18 you are overpaid as it is.

Oh good lord. How do YOU know the pp is overpaid? How do you know what her job entails, what she does? I'm sorry, but the market rate for a good nanny is 16-22 $ an hour, higher for household management jobs. And this bs about only people with degrees get to have a studio apartment? Wth? You are aware that a studio is about the same price as sharing a two bedroom, right? 18 an hour doesn't get much in DC and it sounds to me like the pp is working hard and doing everything right. Why the snark towards nannies? Do you realize how hard WE work, to make your life easier? I've never once, ever, been told I charged too much, or treated like I was lesser. Oh wait, did you forget, many nannies have degrees? Families? But you're so much better than us. *bow*

[Anonymous]

Op. I recommend working with an agency. They will help you negotiate the amount that you need and match you with a family happy to pay it.

[Anonymous]

Second contacting any agency.
Also - it is a big area. Are the jobs you are interviewing for in DC or near in suburbs? Or are they further out? If the latter the rates will be lower.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not at all. I have no idea how you'd make ends meet living in DC on $16/hr if you were living alone with an apartment, car payment, health insurance, etc. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and still live paycheck to paycheck on $18/hr. It's rough out there. So no, don't sell yourself short.

I live with my boyfriend. We moved here for his new job. I hear you about Chicago. I am born and raised. Moved to NY when I was 21. What's the market rate for Chicago these days?

$15-$20, although leaning more toward the lower end lately. You could get up to $25/hr from the very affluent families. I was fortunate to get the job I did. Problem is salaries here don't at all match the cost of living, which is just outrageous. I've been tossing around the idea of moving out of state as well.

Yes, you are charging too high.

I put up my care.com posts and get so many responses that I can't count them. There is always someone who seems just as good as the one wanting $18 but is asking for $12 instead. And yes, I've hired the expensive people the cheap people. Expensive people did not provide better childcare so now I pick the person who is asking for $12 if they seem just as qualified and good with the children. And there are many.

Yes, there are always people out there who can somehow manage to live on $12/hr (living with parents, 3 roommates...however else they manage to do it) willing to undercut the market, making it very difficult for those who need to live independently to earn a living.

The problem is not people charging $12/hr, it's people who want to drive a nice car and live in an apartment of their own without roommates while also having the newest iPhone and everything else but also work a simple, flexible job as a nanny. The market for nannies is $12-15, just because you need more than that to buy a house and drive a new Acura doesn't mean you are owed anything above market rate. You are welcome to try to charge that, and maybe you will find occasional wealthy people to pay that rate, but if you want all those adult things you need to go back to school, get a degree, and look for an adult job with normal hours and no flexibility.

This is the PP. I make $18 an hour. I do not drive a "nice car." I live paycheck to paycheck, and live in a studio apartment. I have a college degree so have student loans. It just so happens the cost of housing is extremely high here, therefore more money is needed to survive. It sounds like you're either an extremely bitter MB who doesn't want to fork up enough of a comfortable salary for her nanny, or someone with a lot of jealousy around the fact that they're not making as much.

Get out of the studio and move in with roommates. Living alone is something people with college degrees get to do. You are welcome to live alone if it works for you, but then please don't complain about it and your rate of pay. At $18 you are overpaid as it is.

Did you not read? I do have a college degree. Thanks.