Save Money, Improve Life By Joining A Babysitting Club

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How We Saved Money and Improved Our Marriage by Joining a Babysitting Club

A babysitting club can be a real money saver!  It can also provide you with precious couple time so you can nurture your relationship with your partner! In this post I’m going to share some reasons why you might want to join a babysitting club, my experience using a babysitting club, tips for starting your own club, and how the money you save can boost your retirement nest egg.

I’m always on the lookout for creative ways to boost retirement savings, because I want to help people see that it’s never too late to start saving. If reducing childcare costs can free up money in your budget, redirect the money you save into your retirement account!

Are Babysitting Clubs Relevant for Baby Boomers?

Younger parents are often very concerned about the costs of childcare and babysitting.  However, it can also be an issue for older parents who have children later in life.

The average age of first-time moms has steadily increased as women delay having children due to career aspirations. Some women wait too long and may turn to adoption out of necessity or personal choice.

Baby boomers are living longer, healthier lives and many have chosen to begin or continue the parenting adventure through foster care or adoption of older and special needs children. It is not uncommon, either, for grandparents to raise their grandchildren if the children’s parents are not able to.

To be an effective parent, it’s important to take care of yourself, to make time for yourself and for your partner, and to take a break from parenting.

That’s where a babysitting club comes in!

Why Join a Babysitting Club?

For some working families, after paying preschool and childcare expenses, there isn’t much money left in the budget to pay a babysitter for an evening out. Parents also may feel more secure leaving their infants or young children with a trusted adult relative than with an unfamiliar teenage babysitter.

If you live near family, you may have “built in” babysitters – loving aunts, uncles or grandparents are often happy to help.

Wondering what to do if your relatives live too far away to provide free babysitting?

A babysitting club can be the perfect answer to help you save money while still enjoying couple time. Drop the kids off at the babysitting club and enjoy a date night together.

Is it OK to go on a date night when you’re trying to get out of debt? Yes! Couple time is vital to keep your relationship alive, even if you’re still trying to get out of debt. There are many free things to do on a date night, and a babysitting club doesn’t cost anything, either!

Life-Improving Benefits of a Babysitting Club:

• Keeps your relationship with your partner strong.

• You and your children will build lasting friendships.

• Save a bunch of money!

• The money you save on babysitting can be used for something more important, such as saving for retirement.

My Experience Using a Babysitting Club

When our daughter was young, one of the moms at the local preschool organized a babysitting club so that parents could enjoy regular date nights with their spouses. She cleverly named the babysitting club “Kid’s Club” which was instantly accepted by the older children.

There were about a dozen families that participated, with children ranging in age from toddlers to about 5 or 6 years old. It worked out great having children of similar ages in the club because they enjoyed many of the same activities.

Each family received a set number of coupons when the club was launched. Families with more than one child received an equivalent amount to match the number of children they had. Each coupon was good for one child, for half an hour. Because we used coupons, we didn’t have to worry about reciprocal trades – it all worked out without anyone feeling like they were the ones who always did the babysitting.

Families took turns hosting Kid’s Club each weekend (usually on a Friday or Saturday night). Parents contacted the weekly hosts directly to sign-up. For parents who dropped off children, payment for babysitting was done with coupons for the time the children were at the host’s home.

This was how you earned more coupons to use later. Once you ran out of coupons, you had an incentive to babysit for the other parents in the group!

Hosts provided food and activities, but of course, the kids all had a wild time just playing together. It was a fantastic way for the kids to have fun (they all knew each other), the parents all knew each other (or got to know each other), and each couple was able to enjoy many fun date nights without paying for a babysitter.

My husband and I really appreciated the special moments we shared when our daughter was at Kid’s Club. It gave us the time to reconnect as a couple, to relax, talk and laugh. I really believe it improved our relationship.

Tips for Starting Your Own Babysitting Club

1. Find a group of like-minded parents to form a babysitting club with. Consider other parents from your church, your local preschool, parent-toddler playgroups, etc.  Create a list of members with their preferred contact information.
2. Set any ground rules that are important to the group, including having a way to contact parents in an emergency, deciding if your club will require background checks, etc. Our club did not allow negative balances.
3. Decide how to assign and track value for those using the club – will you use tokens, coupons, points, or some other tracking method? Give each family a generous number of tokens or coupons to start out with – at least enough for two date nights.
4. Make a schedule and have members sign-up to host babysitting club nights or create a rotating schedule. Have one person coordinate the schedule and switch coordinators after 6 months.
5. Be sensitive to club members’ needs. Each host should be allowed to determine how many children they feel comfortable watching. Once the club is going, make sure to always pick-up your children on time!

You’ll Save Money by Using a Babysitting Club ~ Here’s How It Can Help You to Save for Retirement:

Be sure to figure out the amount of money you save by using a babysitting club and add that dollar amount to your retirement account! This is a great way to fund an IRA throughout the year.

Even tiny amounts invested and allowed to grow over time will make a dramatic difference to your retirement nest egg!

Did you get a late start at putting money aside for your retirement, like I did? One reason I didn’t contribute to retirement accounts earlier was because I didn’t feel like I had any extra money. Finding the extra cash to contribute to your traditional or Roth IRA is especially important if you need to catch up your retirement savings.

My Final Thoughts

A babysitting club can be a wonderful way for parents to enjoy a night out without breaking the budget. The money saved by participating in a babysitting club can be used to help boost retirement savings. Save the money you would have spent for a babysitter and add it to your IRA.

Question: What ways have you found to save money on babysitting? Join the conversation below.