FTM - Daycare sticker shock

gmk1784

I'm a FTM and I've started looking into daycares.  Where I live the weekly rates are around $215-230, which would be over $11,000 a year.  Did anyone else have sticker shock the first time they looked into daycares?  This just blows my mind that will be an extra $11,000 out of our pockets every year.

DH and I both have good, stable jobs, so I know it's possible, it's just kind of scary to think about on a Monday morning

amc1087

I recently moved from NYC to the midwest, where daycares will cost roughly the same as what you have been quoted. But I had the exact opposite reaction! I will be paying at least 1/3 of what all my friends and family pay for the same service. Be grateful you live where you do, if possible, though I know it's still a lot of money!

BarefootContessa

Oh yeah. We should have mentioned that. It is not uncommon for a year in daycare to cost more than the current college tuition rates. Super bummer.  

Having two in daycare (with our discount) will be 21K a year. FUN!

Mackalack

Ha, I wish ours was that cheap - we're close to 17k for an infant rate.  We're looking at nearly $2500 monthly for both of our kids to be in daycare - I'll bring home MAYBE $200 a month after paying for their school.

Tgrrl10

Just started our search, although we only need help 2 days/wk & every 3rd week will need 3 days. Not sure if it's worth to find a nanny or try to find part time day care. Definitely feeling a little overwhelmed.

expletive baby

Cost of daycare and not procuring a spot fast enough with either of our preferred caregivers (my fault) were two of the main reasons I decided not to go back to work. When a few budget changes made up for the minimal take-home pay I would get after paying for daycare, It just made more sense for us to become a one income family. 

Mackalack

@officedronette is that per month? 

petrichor14

Yeah the mid-range places around here I was looking into were around $16k a year. We potentially only need part time, since I've self-employed and have a flexible schedule, but NOBODY does part-time care for infants around here. So we're trying to explore other options.

pixiepink24

I am in the same boat! Here in Atlanta they are mostly over $300 a week. Im freaking out! Even debating if its worth it and just be a SAHM.

Young_Love

I'm around $300+ a week, too, and it seriously makes me want to cry. 

Mackalack

That sucks @officedronette.  We're in the Denver Metro, so it's pretty expensive, but not as expensive as larger metro areas (obviously).  We have some friends who looked into a nanny and they're just as expensive here as the centers, so we'll just suck it up and pay.  We do get a sibling discount, but it's 10% off the lowest rate - so maybe a $100 break.  Ugh.  We had thought about using an in home for this one, but I only trusted one gal who closed her center and went to work for a montessori school, so that's out too.

I'm with ya on the career thing too - we both have advanced degrees as well, and me being a SAHM would not be good for the children or for me.  When I got laid off last year, there was a chance I would've had to take on that role and I would've done it, but I'm glad I got my job.

expletive baby

officedronette said:

Yes.  I think it's actually $2925 monthly, but I rounded down.  There's another center in our neighborhood that when I called last year was $2400 or $2500, but we didn't like it as much and it's further away, so we are hoping we will get into our preferred center.  It will get better as baby ages out of the infant room, but we're still looking at the low-2Ks until Kindergarten.  

A nanny might be slightly cheaper if we were willing to pay off the books, but I'm not willing to do that, so a nanny is just as expensive if not slightly more than daycare.  

My husband and I both have advanced degrees and neither of us are willing to put our careers on hold for 5-7 years to stay home (and that would be a much bigger financial hit, especially long-term).  There are significant costs to leaving the workplace, so even if you think it's an even trade financially, 10 years down the line, if you're in a professional position now, its definitely not.  (I'm not saying there aren't reasons to SAH, but would caution those who are considering it for purely financial reasons.) 

I totally agree with this. It only made sense for me to leave my career at the time because we knew we would be moving states at least three times in the next four years. Had the circumstances been different, I would have probably gone back to work or looked for a better job with more pay.

Mackalack

officedronette said:

@Mackalack  It is what it is.  I'm not trying to sound like a whiner; I'm fortunate to have an option that's close and safe, and that we should be able to afford.  

I was just trying in response to the OP to point out that yes, the prices are high, but also that I did expect and plan for that.  

Oh, I didn't take you as whining at all  It's still amazing to me that centers can charge that much, yet the government hasn't caught on that $5000 pre-tax set aside for childcare doesn't cut it anymore.

jekasi

Yeah I would be in the negative if I lived in some of your areas! I do live in a big city but I think daycare can be had for $800-$1000 a month, not sure if those places are any good though. I already left my career that I have a degree in to pursue another, currently working a "between" job that pays the bills while doing school for the next career. I might go part time in the new career if I can work it out financially...If a daycare won't do the part time I would consider a nanny.

yelah250

Centers are expensive here - we went that route with the first two....planning on sending this baby to an in-home caregiver til they are 2 or 3 and then sending them to a PreK center. I just know more people this time around and can make this less expensive option work with people I know and trust already (I'm an early interventionist so my network of providers is pretty extensive at this point).

taylormiran

I had this scare early on in pregnancy (I'm a hairstylist) and I know I'll be working cooky hours, so finding a daycare was challenging. I finally took to social media and found out my cousins son is going to a babysitter instead of daycare for the first few years. So I contacted her babysitter (she has 20 plus years of experience) and got her locked in for when I can go back to work. I'm excited my kid will be able to spend the day with family all day... So moral of the story is, sometimes at home daycare is less expensive and more personal.

Emeraldeyed315

Yup. It sucks. Tax returns are nice though. 

I am 90% I will be leaving my job to sAHM with our 2 kids until they go into school themself. 

erpiccy

We called before we started TTC as well. It is going to be $1300/month for 5 full days a week in Northern NJ. Looked into having a nanny and that just didn't make sense. 

Emeraldeyed315

It is interesting because daycare sticker shock should be based off % of your take home pay, not the cost outright. COL impacts so much. I used to live in NYC and NNJ and may pay was literally double what I make where I live now...so it makes sense that daycare also costs more. 

mommabmb

We're in a relatively low COL area, but that means salaries are a little lower, too! DC costs us $135/week for one and will cost us $250/week for two. Overall, it's expensive- but I'd rather pay more and have them where I'm comfortable! Sure, I could find a center for half that.... but would I want to leave them there?

Our foster daughter's DC is covered by the state, but the center they stuck her in is not a place where I like to leave her. Their rates run about $90/week for one or $150/week for two. I've gotten more comfortable with it over time, but that doesn't mean I like it! If I'm able, I'll pay the extra!

sschwege

I always wanted to be a SAHM anyway, but financially I would actually be working at a loss if I went back to work with two in daycare.  I used to be a Catholic school teacher.  So now I stay home and watch another little boy in our home.  By doing this I make about 50% of my salary as a teacher and given the fact that we don't have daycare costs we come out ahead. 

RachyDC

Oh girllll, daycare by us runs $400-450 consider yourself lucky!!! And yes, we had major sticker shock!!

hjhmomma

We are looking at $1800/month for both baby and DD to go to daycare.  We are seriously considering me staying home until DD is in Kindergarten.

mrssnyder83

You guys are making me so excited that I work at a daycare. I pay $15 a week for baby to be with me. If not it would be $150 a week.

kacdanz

I was just about to post something very similar! I started looking today and it's expensive where I live as well. I would love to find a home daycare but don't know the best way to go about starting the search. Angie's list, Care.com?