For what it is worth, I have a girlfriend who has a 15 yr old daughter who looks after my 6yr old sometimes. The agreement that we have with her is $50 per night. Flat rate.

My thoughts on the matter are that at 15yrs of age, they can either go and make their $7.50 per hour at Woolworths or McDonalds and have to deal with a snotty supervisor, pay tax and wear a uniform which they do not like, or they can sit on my sofa, eat my snack foods, watch my DVD's, and probably sit on MSN chatting to their friends all night, while only really watching a sleeping child for 5 out of 6 hrs...

The only reason that babysitters ask such high rates is because we keep paying them....

In your case, don't pay money. Buy her an eyelash tint or a mini manicure from a local beauty place.... Teenage girls love that sort of stuff... and it will not cost you more than $20.

Then offer her more regular babysitting gigs.....BUT YOU SET THE PRICE.

If she is not interested in working for what you are offering, then look elsewhere.

Ladies, lets take back some of the control..... At 15yrs of age would any of us questioned $20 per night???? I don't think so.... And it has nothing to do with inflation....it has everything to do with being greedy.