Do you have a nanny? Come in!

mamaz27 · October 2013

DH and I are hoping to add to our family within the next year and are considering going the nanny route rather than daycare. Our oldest would be in full-day kindergarten, our daughter would be in part-time preschool, and then hopefully a new baby. It seems a nanny would better fit our needs as far as dropping off and picking up the older kids. I am looking for any information you can provide on how your nanny situation works? How do you pay her? Do you withhold taxes? Does he/she drive your vehicle to drive the kids around? Anyone have experience with the nanny being full-time during the school year and part-time in the summer (my husband is a teacher)? Thanks.

maple2 · October 2013

We found a nanny using sittercity.com. I was skeptical of the site initially, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the site and the quality of applicants we got. The site also has links to other information and tools to help you with things like taxes if you decide to go that route. We only have 2 kids, but, at least in our area, the cost of a nanny versus daycare for 2 kids were pretty similar. The added convenience of not having to do drop-off and pick-ups, make lunches, etc. plus our nanny's help with things like making sure diapers get washed (we use cloth) made the small cost difference completely worth it for us.

We write her a check every week. We are going to go through the tax side of things for the first time this year, so I don't have many insights to offer on that front yet. She does use our car to drive the kids around occasionally for outings, though they usually just walk to nearby parks, the library, etc. She is willing to drive her car, but it's just easier not to have to move car seats back and forth, figure out how to compensate her for gas, etc. I'm not sure what we would do if we needed her to drive daily to pick up/drop off other kids because we only have one car. In terms of scheduling, our nanny is the opposite of what you are looking for. She was full-time during the summer and part-time during the school year. She's a student, so that schedule works best for her and had advantages for us as well.

brij2006 · October 2013

I nannied all through college, and found the positions through sittercity.com.

The family I nannied for most of the time would take taxes out of my check, and I would get a W2 at the end of the year. It all depends on how it works for you, but the first family I nannied for provided me with a vehicle since mine was a 2 door car. The 2nd family did not provide me with a vehicle, but they would reimburse my gas expense each week on top of my regular pay. They would use the federal mileage reimbursement amount, and I had to keep track of my miles.

I was a student, and the mom was a principal. So she would be off over the summer months. It worked out well.

Apollo11235 · October 2013

I'm a part time nanny for a family I found through Care.com. I can't help much with tax questions, but they were writing me checks weekly for a while, and we recently switched to PayPal payments, which is working well. For a while they would install their carseat in my car on days I thought I'd need/want it (pretty easy to do with LATCH), but eventually they bought a second seat that stays in my car. I keep track of my mileage, and they add $0.55/mi (just under the federal rate, but it's an easier number) at the end of the week for anywhere I take her that I wouldn't be going anyway (for instance, if I drop her off at school on my way home from work, that really doesn't add any miles to my commute, but going to the park usually adds miles).

lifeonthehill · October 2013

I have been a nanny in the past. I have used both Care.com and SitterCity.com.

I was always paid in cash. Which I enjoyed personally. Now that I am older and married I would probably request taxes withheld so I could show some income. I made between 8-10 dollars an hour. Sadly in my area paying less than that means you are getting a low quality nanny.

I always use my own car. Spare car seat I could put in if need be. I am more comfortable driving my own car. Depending on where I was taking the child they would pay as they saw fit. Doctors 20 minutes away got me 10 bucks but a trip to the park 10 minutes away got me 5. Only one family ever had me shop for them but I was making 10 an hour with them so I was happy to do the grocery shopping.

Do you have a nanny? Come in!

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