Also, because you're talking about individual employers, the farther you go up in hourly rate, the fewer potential employers there are for the simple fact that people will get priced out. This is not necessarily a reason in and of itself that nanny rates SHOULD be cheaper, but simply a reality of the market. There is even more demand and competition for those few families that can pay a full-time nanny $20/hour (which would cost the family about $45,000 a year for 40 hours).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people live on a $15/hr wage. It isn't the employer's business how a nanny chooses to budget.

If you know one, how does she do it? (I don't know anyone earning so little.)

While I agree you're not living in luxury at $15/hour, there are so so many people in the DC area that live on far less. If someone made $15/hour for 40 hours, that's $2,400 a month. The simple fact is that jobs for which there is no degree, education or certification requirement and for which there are tons of candidates and no barrier to entry, pay less.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people live on a $15/hr wage. It isn't the employer's business how a nanny chooses to budget.

If you know one, how does she do it? (I don't know anyone earning so little.)

Oh please. The air must be pretty rare in your part of town.

My college-degreed, thirty-four year old nanny started at a $15 per hour average rate in dc. Because she worked a lot of hours, she earned close to 45K. She got by just fine by living with a roommate and relying on public transportation instead of owning a car. She even managed to dine out with friends a couple times a week, take several nice vacations, and shop for new clothes almost continuously (yes, she loved to show me her bargain purchases). And she never once had to sweat a deadline or stay up past midnight trying to complete a deliverable.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people live on a $15/hr wage. It isn't the employer's business how a nanny chooses to budget.

If you know one, how does she do it? (I don't know anyone earning so little.)

Lots of people live on a $15/hr wage. It isn't the employer's business how a nanny chooses to budget.

Please tell us how your nanny lives on a 15/hr wage.