The holiday season is in full swing and after all the caroling, cookie making, and gift wrapping, you could probably really use an adult night out. If you’re considering a date night to ring in the new year, you’ll want to check out this new report on babysitter costs for New Year’s Eve.
Hiring extra help around the holidays is not uncommon according to Care.com’s 2018 Holiday Hiring Report. Fifty-four percent of families surveyed for the report said they wished they had more help during the holiday season. The top three reason parents wished for a babysitter was to watch the children while parents finish holiday shopping (77 percent); watch the children while parents attend holiday parties (59 percent), and keep the kids entertained while parents wrap gifts (25 percent).
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photo: Nicole de Khors via Burst
It’s not always easy to pin down a sitter, however, especially when they are in high demand. According to the report, New Year’s Eve is the single biggest night of the year for babysitting jobs. Fifty-six percent of parents surveyed said they booked their sitter for the big ball drop at least two weeks in advance, so if you haven’t made your plans yet, there’s still time—but the clock is ticking.
How much can you expect to pay for that high-demand sitter? More than your regular rate, that’s for sure. The average hourly rate for a New Year’s Eve babysitter is $16.40—over $1 per hour more than the national average rate. Of course you can expect to pay much more depending on where you live. The top five most expensive cities for a New Year’s Eve babysitter are:
- San Francisco, California: $19.70
- Salinas, California: $18.90
- Boston, Massachusetts: $18.85
- New York City: $18.44
- Kansas City, Missouri: $17.73
Looking beyond the festivities and into 2019, the Care.com report found that more than half of families expect to hire a part-time sitter in the new year, with 60 percent planning to hire someone before the end of the year.
—Shahrzad Warkentin
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