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The Real Scoop On Care.com
Here is what we
found out
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What Does Care.com
Offer?
 Care.com was founded by mom/entrepreneur Sheila Marcelo
back in 2006. Since its launch,
Care.com has
become one of the largest and fastest growing
sitter and care service in the US. The service
provides families an online place to find high-quality caregivers,
as well as easily connect, share care-giving experiences and get advice
from the community of parents on the site.
» The company addresses
a wide-range of care needs that each family goes through — child care, special needs care, tutoring and lessons, senior care, pet care, housekeeping and more.
» The service helps families find and select the best care possible based on detailed profiles, background checks, and references for hundreds of thousands of mom-reviewed providers who seek to share their services.
» The site
also has special needs care services to help address the distinctive care needs of this significant yet often overlooked segment of the population.
» Through its Care.com for Recruiters service
offering, Care.com also enables companies to find high-quality caregiving employees.
» Care.com provides the following: a strict
screening process; free background checks, and
feedback from parents on a person's performance,
personality, character, etc.
Is Care.com Easy And
Safe To
Use?
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You can refine
your search with various search
criteria |
Depending on the requirements that you have of
someone you would like to care and watch your
precious little ones, the service provides a
platform for you to easily screen through
potential sitters within your area.
It's also very easy to use. You just go to the
site, plug in your zip code and choose what kind
of babysitter you want (example: nanny, child
care, etc.). You will then find hundreds of
results within your area.
Note also that these
sitters have also been pre-screened and
background checks have also been done to make
sure that people you will be dealing with are
safe and can be trusted.
You can
screen potential sitters based on various
criteria such as age,
experience, language-spoken, accessibility to
your neighborhood, hourly rate, gender, and
more. In fact, you might find yourself having
fun and continuously tweaking your search
results on the site. The screening platform
provided by Care.com is easy and fun to use.
Care.com provides a convenience that you
won't get from the traditional ways of looking
for sitters ... which as you may already know,
can be a very time consuming process. Now you do
not have to bother your neighbor, call on
family, or get recommendations from officemates,
or post jobs in college campuses. Care.com
really makes it that easy to find babysitters,
pet sitters, and other caregivers most
especially when you need them most.
How Much Does Care.com
Cost?
Care.com has tiered billing plan, which means that
you can choose your preferred membership
depending on your needs. A one-month
membership goes for $35; a 3-month
membership goes for $70 (which comes out to $23.33/month); and an annual
membership goes for $140 (this is the best deal
at $11.67/month).
Obviously, it makes more sense to register for
the annual membership because of the savings
that you will be getting.
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Care.com's
tiered subscription |
Our Final Thoughts On
Care.com
Based on what we have seen and experienced with
Care.com, this site has a lot to offer parents
who are looking to find trusted and
well-qualified sitters and care-providers.
Care.com makes it easy and convenient to look
for the type of care provider that you are
looking for. Whether you are looking for someone
to care for your child or other members of your
family, chances are that you will find them in Care.com's expansive database.
Keep in mind that
Care.com is nationwide so regardless of whether
you live in a metropolitan area or in the
suburbs, Care.com can help you find a babysitter
for your kids or a caregiver to look after other
members of your family.
One of the features that we like about Care.com
is that they do the all the legwork when it
comes to screening and
background checks. Other sitter and care
services provide these features for an
additional fee. With Care.com, you get unlimited
free background check requests.
Care.com
homepage
Another feature that we thought was worth a
mention is that you can receive notifications of
new caregivers within your area. If you are
looking for someone with specific skills or
criteria, you can prompt Care.com to send you
email alerts when matching caregivers join the
service. We thought that this was a very
convenient feature. You do not have to
constantly check Care.com if you are looking for
a specific type of caregiver with this
time-saving feature.
If you also want to connect with other parents
and people with common interests or needs, Care.com's
has some internal
community programs for this purpose such as Community Groups,
Care Co-Ops, and Care Exchanges. These groups
allow you to share common interests or fulfill
your caregiver needs through the support of
other group members.
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Screenshot of
Groups @ Care.com |
If you are interested in joining local and
national groups of parents with special needs
and interests, Care.com has also conveniently
provided a platform for people to connect with
one another.
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Screenshot of
some local and national Groups @ Care.com |
Please do understand that Care.com only provides
you with the platform to help you find and
screen potential sitters or caregivers. The
service
only acts to facilitate the process of searching
for you. You will definitely find issues with
the service
if you think that Care.com will do or should do everything
for you. You need to know what criteria you need
to use in searching for the ideal sitter. Also,
the ultimate responsibility is yours to make
when it comes to interviewing and deciding on
the right person to take care of your precious
little ones or your family.
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People always ask whether the Care.com
membership is worth it. Is it worth it? We do
think it is worth it. For less than $12 a month (based
on the $140 annual membership), Care.com makes
it convenient for your to look for a babysitter
(or babysitters)
right in the comfort of your home. Simply turn
on your computer, log-on to the site, and within
just a few keystrokes, you have access to
sitters and caregivers within or close to
your city that you can shift through and choose
from. You no longer have to
bother your family, friends, or neighbors on
whether they might know of someone to recommend
to take care of your kids. We really think that Care.com is
a must-have resource, most especially if you do
not have other people to turn to for babysitter
or other care provider recommendations.
Now that we have provided you with our thoughts
on Care.com, we'll leave the decision up to you.
PS. Check out some
success stories and additional
feedback from people who use Care.com.
PS2. In addition to helping families find
caregivers, Care.com also helps families save
money when they shop online at Care Club for
everyday items like diapers, children’s
clothing, pet supplies, school supplies, and
personal care items. Through Care Club, families
can find great deals and discounts from over 600
name brand merchants, including babygap.com,
Diapers.com, Lands' End, Overstock.com, PETCO,
Staples.com, Expedia.com, Barnes & Noble.com,
Walgreens, and more.
Disclosure: Compensated Affiliate
Instant 15% Discount on Care.com. Use promo code
SUMMER15
at check-out.
Visit Care.com Now
Please
Note: Coupon Code Only Applies
With
This Link
Offer Ends Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Visit Care.com Now
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Please
Note: Coupon Code Only Applies
With
This Link |
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People interested in
Care.com were also interested in
Sittercity
and Nannies 4 Hire. |
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Read what actual
Care.com
users have to say.
These are actual user feedback that we found on
Care.com. |
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"... a site that I found that I loved is
care.com. I am actually using it now to
look for a babysitter. There are a lot
of diff options on there, and the fee
isn't too bad to communicate with
potential nannies/babysitters. I agree
with another poster..craigslist can be
scary..."
» ferber,
community.babycenter.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"Yes, we used care.com to find a nanny,
as well as my girlfriend in Atlanta, GA.
However, of the three nannies she hired,
they all quit -- not sure if that is a
reflection of them or her."
» em-n-mo,
community.babycenter.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I also use Care.com. Imho, the quality
of sitters on the site is higher than
most online sitter services. I love the
free background checks (great for peace
of mind, because like you, I was
initially terrified to find sitters
online!). Finding good sitters used to
be a real nightmare-- for obvious
reasons, friends don't want to share
theirs, and it's downright painful to
try to find new ones. I wasn't even
having much luck with the many colleges
in our area. I feel like now I have
unlimited sitters at my fingertips. If
you do your homework and interview the
sitters, check references and have
background checks done, then what's the
difference between finding someone
online or another way? Probably goes
without saying, but I wouldn't hire an
online sitter without an interview
anyway."
» Margot,
blog.tampabaycom, feedback on care.com. |
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"love LOVE love care.com. I will say, though, that I had to interview A LOT of girls to find the perfect one for our family!"
» cindy_louslp,
community.babycenter.com, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"We actually hired our nanny from Care.com. We love her. Granted my kids
are older and so it's a little different, but she is awesome. She is in
our home which makes it more comfortable for the kids. When we hired her we also
made agreements about housekeeping and such. So she does do some light
housework in addition to being with the kids ... I highly recommend Care.com. You get to set the standard of care for your child that you desire. "
» Bbasgirl,
webmd.com, forum feedabck on care.com. |
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"I do think you should take the time to really fill out your profile. Ignored people who didn't have their hours listed or had no real profile. I also really hated it when people didn't know how to write even the most basic of cover letters.
You need to be on top of the job postings. I got 175+ applications to my 2 postings. It was nuts. I closed the listings after one week."
» hocus, community.thenest.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"Yes, I used care.com for my nanny. I had interviewed a few from there, and she and another were really good, came with good creds, etc. We don't have her anymore because she moved back to NY, but she was really good when C was a newborn. (Not so much once he needed more interaction.) But, I think care.com is a great site."
» lbtrixie,
community.babycenter.com, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"I've used care.com ... I found our
babysitter there, and she is wonderful.
Not all caregivers have background
checks though. I would recommend using
it if you can't find a babysitter."
» Jamie n
g, fertilethoughts.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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Instant 15% Discount on Care.com. Use
promo code
SUMMER15
at
check-out.
Visit Care.com Now
Please
Note: Coupon Code Only Applies
With This Link
Offer Ends Wednesday, September 15, 2010 |
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"... Searching, without diagnosis
specifics, and a 10-mile radius within
my zip code, I was provided with 95
prospects. Many of which fit within the
home and community based waiver
attendant pay base. I did have the
option of choosing, provider age,
gender, language, hourly rate,
comfortable with pets, willing to care
for sick children, has own
transportation, non-smoker and several
other qualities. When I searched for
cerebral palsy as a diagnosis, I had 36
people to choose from, for developmental
delay, there were 55 choices. The only
thing I wished they had included as an
option was for physically challenged,
since lifting my son and transferring
him is a must ..."
» hamptonroads.com,
feedback on care.com. |
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"I'm in grad school now and have a few night classes. My dh goes out of town for work and also can't make it home for my earlier evening classes, so I do rely on babysitters to take care of my 3 kids. I've relied on care.com to find babysitters and have no complaints- everyone I've found on there has been great! Most of them have been college students at the same school I go to (I've even had class with one of my sitters!) The other ones I've used have been friends of the ones I've found on the website. I highly recommend it!"
» DisneyPrincess,
twopeasinabucket.com, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"I just joined care.com, onlyy for a month and have quite a few good leads. I joined on friday and so far I have 2 interviews tomorrow and 1 on thursday with local college age girls, and I have been able to see references and background checks on all of them."
» moma3girls, momslikeme.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"Care.com is a great resource for what you need. They do background checks and they will list when people are available. Its nice easy and free to look, until you are interested in hiring or interviewing people. I believe it is $25 a mo (I could be wrong). So look around and then pay the fee when ready."
» BCSpaMama,
twincities.momslikeme.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I looked at care.com and you have to pay for the contact information
..."
» Kierstin,
baby-gagacom, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"I have long admired Care.com’s work. I
covered this Waltham based company
editorially back in 2007 because I was
hugely impressed by their
multidimensional care tenets (not just
child care, but also special needs,
tutoring and lessons, senior care, pet
care, and housekeeping)."
» Christine
K., bostonmamas.com feedback on care.com. |
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"... They let you read the profile, and you can communicate with them through the site. I used it to set up interviews and do background checks and get references on all our girls. I could also use it to screen for experience and skills - like CPR certified. We used those when we moved out of state to a town where we knew NO ONE - and I mean NO ONE. So, we had no network to work through. I'd really recommend care.com - it had the best site and the best people."
» aj,
boards.msn.com feedback on care.com. |
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"I personally use the Care.com online
sitter search site and have found some
excellent sitters through them
(including one I’m using right now, whom
my kids adore). Online services like
Care.com allow you to either search
their huge database of sitters or post
an ad and let them come to you. Care.com
offers free background checks, which I
have done as well."
» Cindy
M., isismaternitey.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I highly recommend care.com for a resource. You can quickly see what care providers in the area are requesting for salary and what people are willing to pay in the area."
» littlemayb,
thebump.com, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"I really like care.com before we moved out here and it's much better. They also do background checks etc. I think they have a small fee but it's well worth it."
» kayteatrud,
community.thebump.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I found the most amazing nanny on this
site for part-time work!! I joined
Care.com and posted my “job” and within
2 days, I had 56 applicants!! I was
amazed how quickly people responded and
you can communicate with them through
the website so you never have to give
out your personal email/phone number.
It’s been a great find!"
» Sarah,
tinyoranges.com, feedback on care.com. |
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"Before I moved back to Chicago I have
to admit I considered Craigslist but
never went through with it. We moved
away from our family so we didn't have
anyone to watch the kids. I also
considered Care.com but never went
through with it. I am so scared to let
anyone I don't know watch my children."
» TheToyIsMoms,
chicago.momslikeme.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I definitely feel for people who don't
have family available to watch their
kids, but referrals from other parents
or even care.com seem to be better
options than craigslist to me ..."
» AprilB23,
chicago.momslikeme.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"We used care.com and found our nanny. She is great, very good references, etc, crp traned etc, no criminal history, etc. It was a good experience for us."
» BBAKA,
community.babycenter.com, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"I have used Care.com to find a baby
sitter for us and it's worked pretty
well. The site is easy to use and you
can quickly narrow down your choices
will filters such as "has own
transportation" means. The background
checks also made me feel more at ease. I
would recommend this service to others."
» Daisy,
coolcomputing.com, feedback on care.com. |
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"We found our nanny on www.care.com and
it was the best thing we ever did ... I
highly recommend care.com..."
» seansmommie,
inspire.com, feedback on care.com. |
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"
I was having the same problem, I used care.com and found two great sitters that my daughter loves! The $30 is def. worth it, you can find alot of sitters in the area."
» beth84,
momslikeme.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"fyi, I just looked at that care.com
site Margot recommended, and it’s US
only, so I don’t see how that helps
those of us here in vancouver."
»
Michelle, yoyomama.ca, feedback on
care.com. |
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"i used care.com to find my sitter. it
was a great resource!!"
»
Chinchla77, community.babycenter.com,
feedback on care.com. |
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"I used care.com last year and found a good babysitter. They have a number of search options and they do background checks. It is free to search, but you have to pay to become a member."
»
rldcarolina,
city-data.com,
forum feedback on care.com. |
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"i've used care.com and a lot of people cross post their ads on sittercity as well, but care.com is cheaper. it's $30 a month. they do background checks and you can read references and reviews. i found a couple of fabulous babysitters, one is a 4th grade teacher and the other is a college student."
»
cleeksock, community.thebump.com,
feedback on care.com. |
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"When I first heard of care.com I
thought it wasn’t for me. I assumed it
was babysitters, nannies, tutors, and
adult caregivers – none of which I need
at this stage of my life, but I was
wrong. care.com also hooks you up with
pet sitters and housekeepers and the
best part is that all of the providers
are pre-screened! Background checks are
also available ..."
» Connie,
miscellaneousfind4u.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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" You should try out www.care.com This site has certified daycares, nannies, in-home care centers, etc. I plan on using it when the time comes to find care for my little one. I just can't seem to find any other place I feel comfortable with (or can afford)!"
» kelleylk,
community.thebump.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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" I like Care.com. I found an in home
helper there."
» gottfrie,
columbia.momslikeme.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I checked out Care.com when I was
looking for a nanny. I never used them
because I stumbled onto to one that I
ended up sharing with another family ...
I think care.com is a decent site but if
you know anyone who can do a background
check I'd have that done in addition to
anything the site provides ..."
» Tracey6767,
community.babycenter.com, feedback on
care.com. |
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"I used care.com when we lived in a different city and I couldn't afford to send both dds to daycare. We offered to pay $7/hr and I interviewed someone who wanted to be able to bring along her 2 year old son. It worked out for her because she could earn $ while spending the day with her son and it worked out for me b/c I didn't have to get my kids up and out the door early in the morning and pay the outrageous daycare fees."
» alinne1026,
justmommies.com, forum feedback on care.com. |
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"... I would suggest Care.com. You can
post a job for free stating that you
want someone for only 4hrs or whatever
you decide. You can then see who
responds & if you decide you'd like to
follow up with any of them you can run a
free background check. I have used
Care.com with good success & I know my
friends have too. Good Luck!!! You
deserve a break!!!"
» bradymommy,
nj.com, feedback on care.com. |
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Read More Care.com Feedback |
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People interested in
Care.com were also interested in
Sittercity
and
Nannies 4 Hire. |
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Instant 15% Discount on Care.com. Use
promo code
SUMMER15
at
check-out.
Visit Care.com Now
Please
Note: Coupon Code Only Applies
With This Link
Offer Ends Wednesday, September 15, 2010 |
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