Money is such a hot topic when it comes to being an aupair. Recently the topic came up on what your host family is supposed to provide you while you are their Aupair and staying with them. Here is a list of things that they are responsible for:
Your stipend every week
Whether you are on the Educare; regular Au Pair or Au Pair extraordinaire, it varies but probably around $195,75 a week.
Food for you
There always has to be food for you so you can eat it at home. If you choose to eat out with them, they generally pay for you unless it is discussed beforehand or if you eat out with friends or something, you are liable for that.
$500 or $1000 for education
This includes transportation getting there. If you have to take a bus or something to your class, they have to pay for that. However, most times you have to take classes that are more than $500 or $1000 (Educare) so paying for your own transport is normal.
Expenses while you are working with the kids.
This includes gas, food for the kids and you as well as activities like if you take them to a zoo or amusement park, your ticket has to be paid too.
Things your family is NOT responsible for:
1. The family is NOT responsible for buying toiletries like shampoo; conditioner; soap etc
2. The family is NOT responsible for getting you a cellphone or phone plan. Most often they do give you a phone and a plan BUT they don’t actually have to. This is something that Au Pairs tend to forget. Another thing that they can do is give you money towards the plan or give them money towards the plan for your phone. Most Au Pairs have their own phone from their home country so your host family can sometimes just give you a sim card to put into your phone.
3. The family also does NOT have to give you a car to drive in your free time. If they let you use a car during your free time, you should be happy because they don’t actually need to which is another thing that Au Pairs forget. Having a car is a HUGE responsibility and costs a lot of money so they may not want to take that responsibility for you and that’s okay too.
At the end of the day, the best thing for you to do is to ask your host family what they will be covering in your year. Will you have a car? Cellphone? What food do they eat?
I personally do not eat at home a lot because they don’t always have food I can eat due to my allergies but my host mom does try and get me food that I can eat for me which is very kind. In my first year, I paid for my own phone plan and bought my own phone. Now, this time around they gave me a sim card. I am on their phone plan now, using my own phone. I also pay for my own gas wherever I go because I have a car that is only for me so I am responsible for gas.
Remember to ask these important questions as your interview. This could be the deciding factor for you when it comes to choosing a family.
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