If You Want to Start a Babysitting Business

You have finally decided to take the plunge and start your own babysitting business. Now even though you are the owner, you have to set a few regulations. If you want to start a babysitting business, you will have to decide and setup a lot of guidelines for your business to be successful. First, you have to decide the hours you want to work. Do you want to work only weekdays or just weekends or both? This should be decided after looking at your other priorities such as school. You should be clearly able to tell parents that you can’t work weekdays because of homework or other responsibilities, if this is what you’ve decided.

Another thing to consider if you want to start a babysitting business, is the rates you are going to charge. I discuss that more here: How to Start a Teen Baby Sitting Business. The rates depend on what the current rates are in the neighborhood you work. It usually is $7-$9 per hour depending on the area you live in. Your rates could be higher if you have prior babysitting experience, especially in a daycare or if you have babysitting certification (see Making Money With Teen Babysitting Qualifications). It also depends on the number of babysitters available in your area. If there is a surplus of babysitters, you may need to keep your rates competitive and not very high. You could also charge a flat rate such as, $30 for four hours or such. You also have to decide the time you want to work. Are you willing to baby sit till late in the night or do you want the parents to be back by a certain time? These are all things that you will need to decide.

If you want to start a babysitting business, you also have to decide about transportation. Do you need someone to pick you up or will you make arrangements with your parents to drop and pick you up? Walking is never a good idea at night - even if you house is just a few streets away.

Also, if want to start a babysitting business, you need to have a plan for advertising and letting people know about your new babysitting business. And as a backup plan, you need to have a list of places you can register your services as a babysitter so you can get jobs. In future posts, we’ll be posting a nice list of sites where you can register for babysitting jobs in your area. So stay tuned!

Child-Care Service Business Startup Guide