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I drive my car 20 miles a day to go dogsit for 15 a day 5 times a week. There been a few times I was unavailable and they still paid me. The other people who I dogsit for when they travel thinks I am being underpaid. Plus normally I use to only spend 50 dollars on gas a month now I spend about 100 on gas.
So, figure out how much you net. I think the IRS mileage allowance is around 55 cents per mile. So, just gas and wear and tear and insurance, etc., to get to and from the job is costing you $11 according to the IRS. So, is it worth it to you to only net $4 for doing the job?
If you want to figure it out another way, that's up to you. But, the bottom line is, you need to figure out what it costs you to do the job, and deduct that from what they're paying you, and decide if it's worth your time. And, add in the fact that they pay you on days you aren't there. Does that make up for it? I seriously doubt it.
You really need to figure out what your time is worth. There is a poster on CD named runswithscissors who has a dog walking business, or used to. Might want to ask her how she figures out pricing. Good luck.
OP you said $15.00 a day? How much time do you spend there?
I pay a young man that lives down the street $15 p/day to feed, water and let my dogs out when we’re out of town. Most he spends here is 2 hours a day and the dogs can be outside most of the time (we have an invisible fence). I generally tip him $20 or more for the entire watch time.
Granted he is 16 and he is one of the Scouts in our troop.
Years ago I used a dog sitter when I would travel. When I was gone she would come by twice a day, feed the dogs and walk them and make sure they had water etc. She did increase her prices which was fine. I mean I get raises at work and cost of living does go up so why shouldn't a dog sitter be able to increase their fees? The only reason I no longer use her is she died suddenly.
If I recall just before she died her rates were $25.00 a visit so $50.00 a day ( 2 visits) and that was over 10 years ago. The area I live in is not that big so her drives were never long.
OP you said $15.00 a day? How much time do you spend there?
I pay a young man that lives down the street $15 p/day to feed, water and let my dogs out when we’re out of town. Most he spends here is 2 hours a day and the dogs can be outside most of the time (we have an invisible fence). I generally tip him $20 or more for the entire watch time.
Granted he is 16 and he is one of the Scouts in our troop.
OP you said $15.00 a day? How much time do you spend there?
I pay a young man that lives down the street $15 p/day to feed, water and let my dogs out when we’re out of town. Most he spends here is 2 hours a day and the dogs can be outside most of the time (we have an invisible fence). I generally tip him $20 or more for the entire watch time.
Granted he is 16 and he is one of the Scouts in our troop.
One time I needed my car looked and stuff and I asked can she add 5 dollars a day for 2 weeks and she didn't like the sound of it and asked me if I would be okay with 17.25 instead..
But she ended adding 5 dollars more.
Do some market research and see what other dog sitters in your area charge. Do you have insurance and are you bonded? Make sure you're comparing apples to apples when you do your bench marking.
What you're charging seems low to me for a professional pet sitter but I live in a major metropolitan area.
I drive my car 20 miles a day to go dogsit for 15 a day 5 times a week. There been a few times I was unavailable and they still paid me. The other people who I dogsit for when they travel thinks I am being underpaid. Plus normally I use to only spend 50 dollars on gas a month now I spend about 100 on gas.
I go through a service and pay $15 per weekday for a 20 minute visit (the service is licensed, insured, and the walkers are background checked). This month alone, I'm spending $345 for these visits. I can tell you that if my service raised its rates, I'd have to look for another service. Especially at a $5 per visit increase, with 23 weekdays in August, the cost just jumped to $460.
You say that you're spending $50 a month in gas for this client, so you're walking away with $295 for the month of August. How long does it take you to drive those 20 miles? (Where I live, it would take me an hour to go 20 miles - that's not worth it IMO. In other places, it might take 20 minutes to go those 20 miles. That makes it more tolerable.)
Have you considered shortening your visit and adding another client near that one?
I go through a service and pay $15 per weekday for a 20 minute visit (the service is licensed, insured, and the walkers are background checked). This month alone, I'm spending $345 for these visits. I can tell you that if my service raised its rates, I'd have to look for another service. Especially at a $5 per visit increase, with 23 weekdays in August, the cost just jumped to $460.
You say that you're spending $50 a month in gas for this client, so you're walking away with $295 for the month of August. How long does it take you to drive those 20 miles? (Where I live, it would take me an hour to go 20 miles - that's not worth it IMO. In other places, it might take 20 minutes to go those 20 miles. That makes it more tolerable.)
Have you considered shortening your visit and adding another client near that one?
It takes me 15 minutes to get there and 15 minutes to go back home
Have you considered shortening your visit and adding another client near that one?
Another client lives across the street from them..they only need me when they travel out town. I stay at their place and they pay me more. Even in there opinion I am not making much profit.
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