Average cost of infant childcare

MAtoMN

I am not due until this March, but am trying to get a sense of what to budget for infant childcare.  I know it varies a lot depending on a center vs. in-home care, but if you don't mind, please post what you are seeing as the cost per week.  Also, how far in advance have you found that you need to get on lists for centers?

Thanks in advance.

stayawaketill311

New Horizon $293 per week full-time for 5 days, it's less depending on how many days she needs to be there

mbgreenwalt

I got a quote for $185/week for full-time in home daycare.

madalynnsmommy09

We are using an in-home center and her price is $150 a week

vfolk

It can be hard to find a home day care for an infant unless you know someone.  I looked up licenes in my area and had like 40 within a few miles.  Only 4 were taking infants and 2 of them were only M-TH, the prices were like 250 for 4 days, hrs were only 8-5, and I didn't know the people.  If you know someone, that will help.  Ask you friends and family.  The centers were about the same price as home daycare so we are using one of those.  Places like Kindercare have different prices depending on the demographics of the area (different funding), some offer free food and formula others you have to pay for that, and the weekly price differs.  So check out a few places.  You may have to drive a few miles more but will save money overall.  The centers told us sign up early they don't have infant vacancies for long.  One place we wanted doens't have an opening until Feb.

mrs.mkd

I'm looking for DD right now, and have found that we should probably budget about $1200/month. Places do vary, even as PP said about Kindercare and similar being different prices depending on the area. That said, my favorite places so far have been around $300/week, and I even found one for $466/week (which our budget does NOT allow!)

I don't know much about home daycare because I do not feel comfortable doing that for infant care unless I know the person well.

You may also want to check out Minnesota Childcare Resource and Referral. They will give you all kinds of great info and you can even request someone to help you scout places out!

www.mnchildcare.org/

kammirae

I work at a Child Care Center, I would suggest taking some tours and getting on a list as soon as possible.  Waiting list for infant room fill up quickly.  I would say for the Cities an average of $325-$375 would be a typical weekly tuition rate for infant care.

preg_amy

I also work at a daycare, and it seems to me like there are a lot of infant openings at a lot of reputable places.  There are still some that have waiting lists, but with the economy the way it is and people losing jobs, there are a lot more openings in different rooms.

Nichole Wike

I work in a child care center as well...and for our infant care it is $273/ week... we are in South Minneapolis.  But I know that we are on the low end of cost for infant care.