What does it cost you for child care?

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  • Needachange84
    Needachange84 Posts: 310 Member
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    I have a 5 yr old and before he was in school it was costing me $300 a month (which is not bad at all compared to some places). Then when he started pre-school, we got into an income based daycare and he was only there for 2 hrs a day so that was about $160 a month. Now we pay $200 a month and I still won't complain :)
  • djeffreys10
    djeffreys10 Posts: 2,312 Member
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    i charge my husband his weekly paycheck... i figure hes getting a really good deal...

    Funny, my EX wife used the think that every dime I made was acceptable payment for her being a stay at home mom. I got a much better deal through divorce court.
  • BaackOnIt
    BaackOnIt Posts: 26 Member
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    $120/week or $480 a month for a toddler.
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
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    It's over $200 for infants around here. Thankfully I had my sister for my oldest and a friend from church for my 2nd....they were both under $100 a week!!! I pay $20 a week for my son to go to before school care now. I would have seriously considered quitting if I had to pay $200+ a week!!!
  • iamanadult
    iamanadult Posts: 709 Member
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    $700 per month for one child.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    I don't have kids, but my brother and his wife have a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old, and they pay $1200/month, but they live in a small town. I'm sure it's worse in bigger cities.
  • TheSlorax
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
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    $500/mo is cheap for infant care in my area of CA. My mom was a daycare provider for a very long time and before the economy tanked she charged $35/day per child (although she did give sibling discounts). After that she was lucky to get $25 with so many parents out of work.\


    eta: one of the countless reasons I don't want kids..... childcare is a huge consideration.
  • DrunkenFaeGirl
    DrunkenFaeGirl Posts: 107
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    I homeschool and work nights so thankfully I don't pay for childcare. I was an daycare/preschool teacher up until 6 years ago, however, and the centers I worked for all charged approx $250 per child over age 2, until they started K, per week. Younger than 2 was higher and over 5 was cheaper. Some offered sibling discounts but not all.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    It costs me $172 a week for my 5-month old here in Austin, TX. I'm lucky I found my place because other places are upward of $220.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
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    Over the summer it was $310 a week for two school age kids. Less now because they're back in school

    The younger they are, the more expensive they are.
  • ninjakitty419
    ninjakitty419 Posts: 349 Member
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    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
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    It was $10 an hour for the 2....we were friends.
  • crazorbaq
    crazorbaq Posts: 74 Member
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    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
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    Nothing.

    I lock my kid in the cupboard under the stairs.


    JK.
  • Momf3boys
    Momf3boys Posts: 1,637 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Nothing, because I quit my job to raise my kids.:happy:
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    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
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    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.

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