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[quote=Anonymous]MB here.  There isn't a way in this forum to ensure you're only hearing from MBs, but as you said - talking with friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc... can do that.  The hourly rate issue can be more complicated (and answered differently) than one might imagine.

I have a nanny (in lower Montgomery County Maryland) whose hourly rate can be looked at a couple of different ways.  She works a 50 hr week.  Her overtime rate is just over $20 and her base rate is just under $14/hr.  She also gets a monthly stipend to cover health insurance costs which isn't taxable but is part of her compensation package and nets her a couple of thousand additional dollars a year.  If you factor that in as part of her hourly rate then she comes in at approximately $15.75/hr average.   This is a very affordable solution for us and enables us to provide generous bonuses, vacation time, PTO, etc...  It also is a rate level that enables us to give her raises and hopefully plan to have her with our family for many years (as opposed to hiring someone at our maximum possible compensation raise and then not being able to offer raises or significant bonuses).

We found our nanny through a neighborhood listserv.  All of her positions (for the past 15 years) have been family to family referrals - she has never gone through an agency, responded to an ad, or marketed herself.  I am sure this is why her prices aren't higher.

I would not expect to find, or feel comfortable paying, anyone less than $13/hr to care for my children.  The nanny we hired actually quoted us a rate of $11/hr and we paid her significantly more than that when she started.  I know the work involved and think it would be insulting and unfair to pay the barest minimum.  I want our nanny to make a living wage, to feel appropriately recognized and rewarded, and to have room to grow with us.  I also don't feel we need to pay someone $20/hr though I respect employers and nannies who are in that price range - there is certainly a place for that.

A great deal depends on your level of expectations, your flexibility, and your contacts.  It also depends on whether the work environment is one the nanny you hire likes and wants to stay in.  We are able to offer things to our nanny that she really values (non-monetary) and makes us attractive as employers.  So it's a total package consideration on both sides, beyond just the money.

But if your hope is to find an excellent nanny for $10 or less I really can't offer you hope or encouragement.  I don't think it's particularly realistic, wise, or decent.[/quote]

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