What does it cost you for child care?

24

Replies

  • ninjakitty419
    ninjakitty419 Posts: 349 Member
    The daycare I used to work at it was $525 per month per child, no matter what their hours were. My child did not go there.

    Most places around here are $100 per week per child, sometimes more for infants. This is a base fee no matter if your child is there 1 day that week or 5.

    The place my kids go to is $2 per hour per child. My kids are there an average of 3 days a week for about 10 hours per day. So for me for 2 kids it works out to about $480 ($240 per child per month).

    ETA: I live in South Dakota

    Also, after reading the other responses, I will no longer complain about daycare costs!
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    It was $10 an hour for the 2....we were friends.
  • crazorbaq
    crazorbaq Posts: 74 Member
    This has been a common discussion recently in my house with a little one on the way...HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO AFFORD THIS?!?!?

    We have been looking at daycares and for the most part it is about $250/week for full time. This is our only option. We have explored having my wife stay home but when we bought our house we bought it based on us both working full time. I wouldn't be able to take on all of the expenses.

    The only upside is my mother-in law and my mother are both retiring next year so we will be able to cut down from full time to a few days a week. I do believe the social interaction is important even at a very young age.


    Our answer to this was me opening my own daycare. I was able to stay home and still earn a living while enjoying my own kids! It is a great idea, especially if you can't afford just one income.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Nothing.

    I lock my kid in the cupboard under the stairs.


    JK.
  • Momf3boys
    Momf3boys Posts: 1,637 Member
    We pay around 2k/month- that's for 3 kids in a home care place- 2 full day, one after school, plus transport from school by another provider. We live just outside a major metro area (Washington DC), and that's actually fairly cheap for 3 kids- many friends I know pay that for 2.

    ^^^ This...I live in the same area...was paying $1600/month for 3 kids...that was because I was getting a discount for multiple children. The DC area is expensive.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    My son first went to my church daycare. They REQUIRED bottles with disposable sleeves (there was no sink for them to rinse the bottles) and on top charged me $150/week. I found a family friend that offered to watch him at home for half the cost. After I left the church, they called my parents and said I owed for two weeks that were not paid. I showed my parents the checks had cleared for every week and the church got this as well.

    The director of childcare ran her mouth about it and said I owed the church money, so my family no longer goes there. A 4th generation family that attended that church, driven away by greed and gossip. Sadly, my son was the first in 2 generations that did not go to school there either.

    I did end up at a nice place just outside of town. A great woman with 2 horses and she taught and fed the kids well. Only $80/wk and now that he is in school, we miss her!
  • Fitnin6280
    Fitnin6280 Posts: 618 Member
    Wow, I guess I really shouldn't complain about my day care! My provider charges $2.00 per hour. She never charges me when they are not there. However my youngest goes to a private preschool and I am charged $5.00 per hour he is in wrap around care there. Usually comes to about $220.00 a month for preschool and $300.00 for day care.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    Nothing, because I quit my job to raise my kids.:happy:
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Nothing.

    I lock my kid in the cupboard under the stairs.


    JK.

    With these prices I can see why that would be an option. Some people are paying more than a mortgage.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    I'm due in March. So far, I have two friends who are SAHMs and homeschool their own who are willing to watch my infant as well (for money) and my mother who wants the baby at least one day a week (for free). DH's mom will take the baby from time to time as well, I'm sure.

    Even with this cost-saving approach, I'm still going to have to rearrange my whole budget.
  • Momf3boys
    Momf3boys Posts: 1,637 Member
    Having kids sure isn't cheap...believe me...I can't wait for the day that my paycheck is actually for me :) not sure that will ever happen :tongue:
  • smiley245
    smiley245 Posts: 420 Member
    I was lucky enough to get accepted in a program for subsidized daycare, (because I am a single mom).
    Every year I get a review and based on my previous years salary they decide how much I will pay.

    This year for my 10 yr old I pay 8.50 a day (last year was 6.25). She can miss up to 12 days and I do not get charged extra. When we pass the 12 day mark I get charged the full day care fee of $27 for full days or $16 for school days.

    Its a public daycare, located in the school, so for us its perfect. They provide breakfast, and afternoon snacks. I provide lunch and morning snack.

    I have zero complaints
  • JamieM8168
    JamieM8168 Posts: 248 Member
    100/week for before and after school care
  • mrob04
    mrob04 Posts: 88 Member
    Soooo.... Reading this makes me feel a lil bit better. I have one child in daycare (2 more in school) and in Nov. my daycare rate is going from $75/week to $90/week. Its an in home daycare. Ive been really stressing about it but I guess it could always be worse!
  • tiffanyletnes
    tiffanyletnes Posts: 14 Member
    both of my kids are in school now and I just payed my LAST full time day care bill!! my 5 year old full time was 800$ a month in Spokane, WA! now both kids are in school and me and my husband split up days off so we can avoid after school care costs! for both kids full time before they went to school was 1400$ per month!
  • mcjmommy
    mcjmommy Posts: 148 Member
    i charge my husband his weekly paycheck... i figure hes getting a really good deal...

    Love this!!!! I'm gonna use it next time :laugh:
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Child care was out of my budget when both my children were small, it's even more expensive now :ohwell:
    I worked the 3-11 shift (veterinary technician) at a local 24 hour Animal Hospital while they were both too young for school and switched to daytime once they were able to go to school full time.

    It was cool because I had the option to work the overnights from time to time too...though I only did that when DH could be off during the day.

    We worked opposing hours on purpose so that one of us could be home with the children. When the youngest left middle school, I went to daytime hours.
  • prettigirl01
    prettigirl01 Posts: 548 Member
    if I didn't get vouchers it would be 700 a month but I only pay 145 a month with vouchers. I would have to quit my job if I didn't have them
  • megalin9
    megalin9 Posts: 771 Member
    For two kids, ages 5 & 2 & 1/2, we pay about $800/month.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    I'm curious how much you have to spend for child care while you are working?

    Here locally I've heard $500 a month!

    Wife was a director of a daycare .. even with her employee discount, we were still paying $300/week for 2 kids
  • danwood2
    danwood2 Posts: 291 Member
    It was cheaper for us to have my wife be a stay at home mom than to go for daycare... So that is what we are doing and we now have a 2nd on the way at the end of November. 2 daughters... one is 2 and will be 2 1/2 when the second is born. Let the fun begin! :)
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
    When we looked into it two months ago, the cheapest we found was £855 per month for my one year old - that's for five days per week (higher per-day fee for part-time places). After 3 years the government contributes 15 hours per week so it goes down.

    It's actually more to send them to a basic nursery than it is to send an older child to any of the fairly exclusive private schools round here.

    Edit to add: that's about $1450 per month
  • tabbykat6802
    tabbykat6802 Posts: 233 Member
    Our daycare/school care costs are astronomical! $752/mnth for the older 2 for before/after/track out and $500/mnth for my youngest in daycare. Unfortunately w/ all of the other expenses in our lives, staying home is not an option right now.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    I'm curious how much you have to spend for child care while you are working?

    Here locally I've heard $500 a month!

    $20 a day when I take Lucy in.
  • BeccaB1981
    BeccaB1981 Posts: 456 Member
    I'm in Richmond, VA and I pay $115 per week for my 3 year old daughter to go to an in home day care. I'd love to move her to a "real" day care but they are about $200+ per week and just can't afford it right now.
  • LankyYankee
    LankyYankee Posts: 260 Member
    I paid my mother $500 per month year round for before/after school and summers from the time my children were about 4 & 2 until they were 10 & 13. She fed them, I knew the care they were getting and the cash helped her out. Altogether a beneficial situation, and cheap for my area.

    Still definitely not upset that expense is over with!
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    We are paying $450 a month for my fulltime and then $100 a month for after school care.
  • HealthyWarrior
    HealthyWarrior Posts: 394 Member
    I do home daycare in my home and I charge $150 a week. I'm in Rhode Island
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    $180/ week for my almost 2 year old.
  • staryful7
    staryful7 Posts: 33 Member
    195 a week for a 3 year old. I was paying 240 before that. I was not in my right mind for some time there! I am glad it will go down again once he turns 4. When we have the next one, it will go to 230 for newborn. By then he will be there part time because he will be in school!

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