Is $400 a week fair with free room, board, internet?

Mormongirl, what did you decide? I think the pay is very, very low for the Denver area. But it is much better than a position my mom's caregiver was considering, and then thought better of it. She was to cook, clean, and care for a older man AND pay HIM $400.00 a month for rent. And it is a wealthy family, no benefits, no withholding, she would have had to pay taxes on the value of a place to live. She said no to the offer. More commonly, in the Denver area cost would be $150.00 a day to $200.00 a day. You could then look at the cost of an hourly caregiver from an agency then you are looking at $400.00 a day. There are many people out there ready to take advantage.

Who will be with her the shifts you have off? Will you be expected to do "catch up" when you return? For example, will you need to get her breakfast before you leave and bathe her and put her to bed when you return? What exactly are the 3 days you have 9 hours off going to be like?

Does she often need assistance during the night? How likely are you to need to get up during the night?

According to what I can find online, typical live-in care costs are $160 to $250 per day. Google caregiver costs by state and find a list by caregiverlist. Look up Colorado on that list. This would not be what you are paid -- it is what an agency charges. The agency handles tax withholding, vacation, may offer health care benefits, etc. You might go check out an agency to see what you would be paid by them for this kind of work and what you would be expected to do. That will give you a better basis for considering the current offer.

Pam has very good advice about getting it in writing if you accept this offer.

It is not a question of fair, but a question of what the market will bear.
In an area like Miami, were there is an abundance of unskilled, questionably documented workers, I can tell you that the going rate for 5 days a week for a live in nanny or caregiver for the elderly was $300 two years ago. I can also assure you these folks have no formal agreement and are not paying taxes.

I know numerous people who have live in housekeepers, nannys or elder caregivers(not medically skilled, just experience with the elderly). Fair? Probably not, but fairness is not what determines wages.

If this is the job you want or you need then do it proudly.

Best of luck to you.

First of all get the whole thing in writing, including who is responsible for the payroll taxes. Second, include a clause on how to terminate the agreement and how much notice one gives the other. Be sure you get 8 hours off per night and one full 24 hour day off per week.
Your duties need to be spelled out. Too many sign up just to feed and bathe then the employer adds cleaning, cooking, laundry, chauffeur service, etc.
Get it all in written form and both of you sign it.

Depending on your circumstances that would allow you to live-in... I think the wage is fair, depending on what all you have to do..... I once worked live-in for $400 a MONTH..... worked 18 hr days, hated the persons daughter before it was all over with.... so if this guy is already testy about you storing some stuff, sounds like you might want to find out what all is going to be expected of you and I would suggest you get and sign a Caregivers agreement....... ! I will never work live-in again, regardless of how much money they wanted to pay me......

Math is not my thing but let's figure this out:

$400/week divided by 7 days in a week = $57.14/day

$57.14/day divided by 24 hrs/day = $2.38/hour

If you're a live-in I'm assuming that you'll be either working or on-call 24 hours a day minus your days off which I haven't figured in.

You may be only saving about $750/month is room, board, and WiFi but you're still going to be making just $2.38/hour.

This is not a good deal and this person who's offering this is trying to get away with highway robbery.

If you worked 140 hours a week (which is 24/7 minus your days off) at the competitive wage of $10/hour you'd make $1,400/week.

If you worked 40 hours a week x $10.00/hour that's $400/week. Which is what you're being offered only you have to work 100 more hours a week.

Don't do it.

You'd be on call around the clock, and who's paying for your health insurance? It doesn't sound like that's included in this oh-so-generous offer. Are you expected to clean, do laundry and prepare meals, too? Double the $400 a week, and you'd be more in line for what the going rate is for the kind of work you'd be performing.
If "he" is unhappy with you storing boxes in the garage, then chances are he'll soon find other things to complain about. This sounds like a nightmare waiting to happen. Run away! Run far, far away!

It's a bargain for the person hiring you, that's for sure. The last time we had an unskilled caregiver round-the-clock (it was for a family friend), the charge was $5,000 per month.

So. "Not happy about" storing your personal items in his garage? That's a pretty good indication of how your services are valued, in my opinion.

Still, if it works for you? *Shrug* Personally, I wouldn't want a loved one doing it; and most assuredly wouldn't do it myself. It's a great deal of responsibility; and sure sounds like it's starting out with this "his" not appreciating what you're doing,

I don't see this ending well, frankly.