How to counter without being insulting.

[Anonymous]

I interviewed for a weekend babysitting job today for 3 children under 5 y/old for 15 an hour. During the interview the mom asked if I would be interested in nannying one of her children One morning a week for 10 dollars an hour on top of the occasional babysitter. She said that is what she pays her curre t nanny who is leaving for a retail job. I said yes but now I am regrething it. I currently nanny for another family with one child for 13 dollars an hour.

I am going back later tonight to meet the children. How can I counter offer her without pissing her off. I definately want to babysit for her on weekends but I feel like nannying in the morning is going to make for a long day (since I nanny for another family in the afternoons) and 10 an hour isn't worth it to me.

Help please I am still new to this.

[Anonymous]

You can't. The time to counter was when she asked if you wanted to do it for $10. You screwed yourself by saying yes.

[Anonymous]

Do you want a higher rate? Or to not do it at all?

By the way, where do you live? It seems like your rates are incredibly low. I hope you're not underselling yourself.

[Anonymous]

You can't. The time to counter was when she asked if you wanted to do it for $10. You screwed yourself by saying yes.

PP here. That's not true. Don't listen to that person. Chin up!

[Anonymous]

Just tell her your hours at your other job changed or that someone else offered you $14 for mornings so you're going to do that instead. Let her counter if she wants but there's a reason he other nanny left for retail. Retail sucks... Read between the lines.

[Anonymous]

OP here

I don't mind babysitting at her babysitting rate 8 just don't like the nanny rate. I'm on the west coast. Socal. I don't want to lose her for the babysitting gig by countering her nanny offer. I feel dumb. I initially said yes because I was just glad to get the offer since it fits so well with my schedule. She is also foreign so I am even more worried she will be offended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed for a weekend babysitting job today for 3 children under 5 y/old for 15 an hour. During the interview the mom asked if I would be interested in nannying one of her children One morning a week for 10 dollars an hour on top of the occasional babysitter. She said that is what she pays her curre t nanny who is leaving for a retail job. I said yes but now I am regrething it. I currently nanny for another family with one child for 13 dollars an hour.

I am going back later tonight to meet the children. How can I counter offer her without pissing her off. I definately want to babysit for her on weekends but I feel like nannying in the morning is going to make for a long day (since I nanny for another family in the afternoons) and 10 an hour isn't worth it to me.

Help please I am still new to this.

If $13 is worth it to you then $10 is worth it. You make it sound like you make $50 an hour and $10 isn't worth getting out of bed. You are talking about a difference of $3 an hour for ONE MORNING A WEEK....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed for a weekend babysitting job today for 3 children under 5 y/old for 15 an hour. During the interview the mom asked if I would be interested in nannying one of her children One morning a week for 10 dollars an hour on top of the occasional babysitter. She said that is what she pays her curre t nanny who is leaving for a retail job. I said yes but now I am regrething it. I currently nanny for another family with one child for 13 dollars an hour.

I am going back later tonight to meet the children. How can I counter offer her without pissing her off. I definately want to babysit for her on weekends but I feel like nannying in the morning is going to make for a long day (since I nanny for another family in the afternoons) and 10 an hour isn't worth it to me.

Help please I am still new to this.

If $13 is worth it to you then $10 is worth it. You make it sound like you make $50 an hour and $10 isn't worth getting out of bed. You are talking about a difference of $3 an hour for ONE MORNING A WEEK....

you're a complete idiot and I wish you'd fall off the face of the planet. The less you make, the more of a difference a couple dollars an hour makes. It's a gallon of milk and some gas, whereas the person who makes $40 is still earning a living wage when their pay was cut from $50.they still make rent, can still afford to eat and pay for transportation. I feel sorry for you that you're too stupid to get the difference between a pay cut for a $50 an hour employee vs a $15 employee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I interviewed for a weekend babysitting job today for 3 children under 5 y/old for 15 an hour. During the interview the mom asked if I would be interested in nannying one of her children One morning a week for 10 dollars an hour on top of the occasional babysitter. She said that is what she pays her curre t nanny who is leaving for a retail job. I said yes but now I am regrething it. I currently nanny for another family with one child for 13 dollars an hour.

I am going back later tonight to meet the children. How can I counter offer her without pissing her off. I definately want to babysit for her on weekends but I feel like nannying in the morning is going to make for a long day (since I nanny for another family in the afternoons) and 10 an hour isn't worth it to me.

Help please I am still new to this.

If $13 is worth it to you then $10 is worth it. You make it sound like you make $50 an hour and $10 isn't worth getting out of bed. You are talking about a difference of $3 an hour for ONE MORNING A WEEK....

you're a complete idiot and I wish you'd fall off the face of the planet. The less you make, the more of a difference a couple dollars an hour makes. It's a gallon of milk and some gas, whereas the person who makes $40 is still earning a living wage when their pay was cut from $50.they still make rent, can still afford to eat and pay for transportation. I feel sorry for you that you're too stupid to get the difference between a pay cut for a $50 an hour employee vs a $15 employee.

By your dumb person logic I am even more right because if she is so poor and hard up for money then she shouldn't think twice about taking the job because she needs every bit she can get. She currently isn't working that one morning a week so even if she does only 3 hours that's $30 she didn't have before. So grow up and get some brains.

[Anonymous]

OP here again

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

3 dollars is a big difference when you look at the long term. It is also a difference when I factor in the commute. also if she is paying legally then 10/hr is chump change and not worth it because I will be paying 3 to 4 dollars in tax. I have an elderly client I might drop because she only pays 10. it's a 20 minute drive to her home. so for three hours of work and 40 minutes of driving I only make 27 dolalrs. It just isn't worth it. My time is valuabLe to me. I love her to bits but I'm worth more than 10 dollars.

Now, saying that. I don't think I am going to counter. This isn't my first nanny gig but it is my first toddler gig so to me the experience is going to be worth the pay. I think I will ask for a raise in 3 or 6 months and se how it goes.

[Anonymous]

If you don't want to do it, say that after you had some time to think about it, you ran the numbers and it just doesn't make sense with the commute and everything. But tell her you know you said you'd do it and you don't want to leave her in the lurch, so offer to do it for 2-4 weeks so she has time to find a new sitter. Then she can decide if she wants to pay more or find someone else.

BTW, I don't know where you are in SoCal, but you are really working for cheap. Make sure you're taking care of yourself. If you're doing home care for the elderly, look into joining SEIU.

[Anonymous]

I understand where you are coming from, OP.
But I don't think it's going to look good for you to take ask for a $3 increase when you said ok to the $10.

I also wouldn't ask for a raise after 3 months.

Since you need the job for the age group experience I would take it as a discount towards padding your resume.
This job at $10 an hour could land you a better paying job with because of the toddler experience you have gained.

Now, if you truly think the day will be too long for you then you can contact her and say after further thought ... she may or may not keep you for the weekend deal.

In the future unless you are 100% on a job do not agree until you given yourself at least the drive home to think out the details.

Also, you may consider making $13 your minimum rate no matter what , and letting families know up front.

Good luck to you and whatever you choose to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

3 dollars is a big difference when you look at the long term. It is also a difference when I factor in the commute. also if she is paying legally then 10/hr is chump change and not worth it because I will be paying 3 to 4 dollars in tax. I have an elderly client I might drop because she only pays 10. it's a 20 minute drive to her home. so for three hours of work and 40 minutes of driving I only make 27 dolalrs. It just isn't worth it. My time is valuabLe to me. I love her to bits but I'm worth more than 10 dollars.

Now, saying that. I don't think I am going to counter. This isn't my first nanny gig but it is my first toddler gig so to me the experience is going to be worth the pay. I think I will ask for a raise in 3 or 6 months and se how it goes.

No one, not even the president, would pay "legally" and withhold taxes and crap on a one day a week half day job.

[Anonymous]

How about a compromise since you had second thoughts after you initially agreed to do it at ten dollars an hour?

Since you already accepted the job on her terms, it would be kinda rude to change your mind now even though if you did, you would be well within your rights morally.

But to keep on good terms, you could tell her that on further reflection you decided that the rate was a bit on the lower side and wanted to add two dollars an hour to make the rate more reasonable. Well since you already gave her your word, perhaps agree to work for that rate for the first say...three months or so, then have her up your rate after that to your desired rate to twelve dollars per hour if she is in fact satisfied with your job performance.

I think this would be a reasonable compromise for both ends and it makes good sense as well as keeps goodwill for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here again

Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

3 dollars is a big difference when you look at the long term. It is also a difference when I factor in the commute. also if she is paying legally then 10/hr is chump change and not worth it because I will be paying 3 to 4 dollars in tax. I have an elderly client I might drop because she only pays 10. it's a 20 minute drive to her home. so for three hours of work and 40 minutes of driving I only make 27 dolalrs. It just isn't worth it. My time is valuabLe to me. I love her to bits but I'm worth more than 10 dollars.

Now, saying that. I don't think I am going to counter. This isn't my first nanny gig but it is my first toddler gig so to me the experience is going to be worth the pay. I think I will ask for a raise in 3 or 6 months and se how it goes.

No one, not even the president, would pay "legally" and withhold taxes and crap on a one day a week half day job.

OP here.

The elderly woman was the first in home caregiver jobI took. I took it though a site called CareFamily. STAY AWAY FROM THAT SITE FYI Not only does the site charge the employer 3 dollars an hour, they also take taxes out of my pay. The actual job posting was for 12 an hour but after he found out the site charges him 3 (which means he would be paying 15 over all) he lowered my rate to 10. Also the son (the employer) is a jerk. I love working with his mom but he is so annoying to deal with ugh.

It does seem really dumb to pay legally for such a small amount of work. For instance, today she was too tired to do a full 3 hours so I only worked an hour and a half with her.