How do you inform clients of a rate increase?

[Anonymous]

I'm a nanny who babysits occasionally.
I've recently decided to increase my hourly rate.
It's been years since I've done so.
I plan to honor any dates already booked at my old rate, with the new rate in play for any dates booked from today on.
Is it customary to send an email to inform of such things?

[Anonymous]

How occasionally do you sit? For regular, like weekly to semiweekly, an email might be nice. Less frequent than that, I think it's fine to discuss when they contact you to book next or give a heads up when you are getting paid at your old rate for an already scheduled date.

[Anonymous]

Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

You're an idiot.

[Anonymous]

I just let them casually know. They still ask for care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

OP here. The clients that I have, have been clients for 5+ years...some for nearly 10 years.
If they're going to stop hiring me for occasional babysitting jobs for raising my rate $1/hour for the first time since 2009-that is fine with me.
I don't work for asses. I work for people who I like and who value what I have to bring to the table.
I would have NO problems finding new clients.
I'd smell you coming from a million miles away.

[Anonymous]

I would notify each family at the end of the next scheduled day that that day/night was at the accustomed rate, but the next time would be more as you are raising your rates, and I would emphasize that this is the first time you've done so since 2009.

For anyone that you haven't booked yet, but who you've nannied or sat for before, I would wait and let them know when they want to book the next time.

[Anonymous]

You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

[Anonymous]

nothing to lose. it's more of a supply/demand issue anyhow.
some might do it when they call you and are caught off guard, but then, like our neighborhood in Bethesda, we have tons of good babysitting options at $12/hour.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

OP here. The clients that I have, have been clients for 5+ years...some for nearly 10 years.
If they're going to stop hiring me for occasional babysitting jobs for raising my rate $1/hour for the first time since 2009-that is fine with me.
I don't work for asses. I work for people who I like and who value what I have to bring to the table.
I would have NO problems finding new clients.
I'd smell you coming from a million miles away.

What extra value do you bring to the table for that extra dollar as you watch TV while their kids sleep? You're a babysitter....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

Not so. I pay my maid $30/hr and when I still had babysitters, I was paying $18 an hour and that was 7 years ago. I am not cheap and I treat other people as I wish to be treated. I also cared deeply about my children and screwing their babysitter seemed stupid to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

Not so. I pay my maid $30/hr and when I still had babysitters, I was paying $18 an hour and that was 7 years ago. I am not cheap and I treat other people as I wish to be treated. I also cared deeply about my children and screwing their babysitter seemed stupid to me.

Being a maid is difficult blue-collar labor. They deserve $30+ an hour. But a babysitter who comes over at 7:30 and watches TV while the parents go out for dinner and just needs to be there if the baby cries to change him or give him a bottle does not deserve more than $15 an hour, and that is generous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

You're an idiot.

I have to agree with this PP.

Sounds like an absolutely selfish and horrid parent for not wanting to pay for a GOOD sitter.

Guess she would rather enjoy a lux steak dinner and hire a cheap babysitter for her kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

OP here. The clients that I have, have been clients for 5+ years...some for nearly 10 years.
If they're going to stop hiring me for occasional babysitting jobs for raising my rate $1/hour for the first time since 2009-that is fine with me.
I don't work for asses. I work for people who I like and who value what I have to bring to the table.
I would have NO problems finding new clients.
I'd smell you coming from a million miles away.

What extra value do you bring to the table for that extra dollar as you watch TV while their kids sleep? You're a babysitter....

CPR and First Aid certification
A Master degree in a child-related field
Homework help
10 years of experience
Punctuality
Reliability

The list goes on and on. I don't work with new families. I've worked with the same families for years and years.
They know they can trust me and know that I will show up.
I've been caring for their children since they were infants.
That extra dollar buys their piece of mind.
They will very happily pay it to retain my services.
I would never, ever work for someone like you.
I might be a babysitter, but you're just some a**hole who trolls a nanny forum.