Babysitting rates can vary depending on your age, experience, the number of children and your location. So how do you decide what to charge?

Many parents already know how much they are willing to pay a babysitter. Even in these cases, it is important for you to know how much your time is worth. Before you agree to a rate, do some research.

Ask your friends and family how much they charge, or would be willing to pay. Ask your parents to help you search websites like Craigslist where you can easily see what other people are charging.

Whether you are using the money to save for college or as extra spending money to go out with your friends, don’t try to get the job by being the cheapest. Instead, take babysitting classes to become a certified babysitter. The rate you set for babysitting is likely to stick with you for as long as you are sitting for that family. In the long run you will make more money by investing some up front for babysitting classes so that you can feel comfortable charging more for your time.