Childcare sticker shock

*sparky* · February 2014

DS is 8 so I haven't dealt with daycare costs in a long time. Now I am due with #2 and have been looking at my options. I only work 3 days/week.

At the DC I like, which is convenient for me, they do not have PT infant spots, so I have to pay the FT rate of $360/week. Then I have summer camp for DS. The one he went to last year was just under $300/week. Which means in the summer I will be paying close to $2,700/month for childcare, or I need to look for cheaper alternatives.

Holy crap my head is spinning...

Helenahhandbasket · February 2014

It's crazy, I know.

I only have 1 right now, but we pay 360 a week as well.

Can you look into a more affordable day camp option for your older child? Like a rec center or local Y?

*sparky* · February 2014

That is what I will have to look into. Problem is we live in the boonies, and I work in a different section of the boonies, so my options are limited. I do all drop off and pick up so I can't drive all over the place.

That is why I am limited to two DC centers, one of which I did not like at all. And there are just a couple of camps that work for us.

*sparky* · February 2014

PrivacyWanted said:

Will the DC you like work with you if you can find an infant to fill the other 2 days?
Do they have any summer care for your DS where you'd get a discount?

Holy crap is right. I've been paying about $2k a month for my kids, this month DD moved up and we're only paying 1800 and next month DS will move up and it'll only be 1600 and that feels so cheap!

No, each infant gets their own crib and they don't split weeks at all.

And DS is too old for their summer care program - he will be 9 this summer and they only go through 1st grade.

*sparky* · February 2014

PrivacyWanted said:

How do you feel about a nanny or au pair? Because I think they would probably be cheaper when you factor in the camps

I am going to look into that as well. Since I only need three days, I think I may break even with a nanny, without all of the hassles of dropping two kids at two different places.

roo1oo · February 2014

I'd also look into in-home daycare. They can be tougher to find but word of mouth or care.com might help you with that. I live in a HCOL area and my daycare rates for an infant are $210 a week at an in-home daycare. The daycare centers were at least $250, most were over $300 a week.

jf198400 · February 2014

If you do go the nanny route, keep in mind you may still want your DS in activities in the summer.

*sparky* · February 2014

jf198400 said:
If you do go the nanny route, keep in mind you may still want your DS in activities in the summer.

That is a good point...there are a couple of sports camps I would still do no matter what. But I could do just 2-3 camps instead of the whole summer.

MickeyM04 · February 2014

We have a nanny now but when DS was in daycare it was about $1650 a month, so $360 sounds completely normal to me unfortunately :-/

jennyelf · February 2014

There are a few daycares in my area where $2700 is the price for one full time infant...
Daycare sticker shock is right, I don't know how many working families do it!

*sparky* · February 2014

@jennyelf - that is a crazy amount of money!

mittensonkittens · February 2014

Part time infant care is hard to find. I would look for an in-home daycare or a SAHM on care.com who wants to watch another kid part time. We're in a low COL area and pay $2700/month for 3 kids in a center. The lady who does the tax statements at daycare said she sent her son to a private university for less than some of us with multiple kids are paying per year!

anderson92207 · February 2014

I am glad I don't live where you guys do. I pay 135 a week for my 3YO and it will be 150 a week for the baby. I just wouldn't work if I had to pay $2000 or more a month. Were even considering me not working after this baby comes because of cost of childcare.

*sparky* · February 2014

I did send an email out to some other moms asking if anyone had suggestions for in-home day cares or nannies. It seems crazy to pay so much money to work PT. My after school care for DS during the school year is really reasonable but the summers will kill me.

cecilyandgautam · February 2014

Wow those are some high rates! I'm surprised because I live just outside DC which is crazy expensive but in my close-in suburb, infant in-home spots are $250-300/week for full time. If I paired up with another family needing alternate days with me, most in-home providers would be willing to split the cost with an added nominal fee for dealing with two families. There are also drop-in places that are $100/day so that's cheaper than what you're being quoted.

Centers are more $250-365/week depending on the new-ness of the facility, staff experience and training, etc. The center closest to my work in downtown allows you to split an infant spot but it costs ~ $400/week.

aibrean · February 2014

My 3/day a week is $445/mo. We put her in our area rather than around where we work (grandma lives near it though in emergency events) so the C-O-L is lower. It's also through a church.

tarynh75 · February 2014

I can't imagine a nanny will be less expensive. We are in a medium COLA location and will pay $1200 a week or $4800 a month for a nanny. It's nuts, I agree. That is like $90,000 in pretax dollars...

*sparky* · February 2014

tarynh75 said:

I can't imagine a nanny will be less expensive. We are in a medium COLA location and will pay $1200 a week or $4800 a month for a nanny. It's nuts, I agree. That is like $90,000 in pretax dollars...

I only need a nanny for 30 hours and the rates in my area are roughly $15/hr for a nanny, so that would be about $450/week. Nowhere near $4800/month.

lizok22 · February 2014

Just lurking and I saw this thread and I am wondering the same thing. I am also in a high COLA-NY, and don't make a lot of money. daycare costs 2400 a month for 2 kids. Where does everyone else live?

tarynh75 · February 2014

We are in West Palm Beach, FL. The nannies make $20-$25/ hr and I need someone 40+ hrs (8-5, m-f plus a few hours on evenings or weekends). There is just no way around it. It's giving me heart palpitations, but I don't see any other option....I love my job and its an amazing company and opportunity and will hopefully help secure our financial future.

jennyelf · February 2014

Boston area, good centers around here are all 2000-2700 / month for infant (6week-15 months). Mid-level centers are 1800/month, in home is 1600/month. It sucks. The only way we manage is that our daycare is subsidized.

Iblamethebeer · February 2014

tarynh75 said:

I can't imagine a nanny will be less expensive. We are in a medium COLA location and will pay $1200 a week or $4800 a month for a nanny. It's nuts, I agree. That is like $90,000 in pretax dollars...

I'm really curious about these numbers (admittedly, it makes no difference, I'm just budget-gawking).

I would call my area MCOL and nanny rates around here average about $15/hr.... which would mean an 80 hour work week to get to $1200/week. Or if your nanny is working a more standard 50 hour work week then you're paying $24/hour, which seems like a whole lot to me.

What's the story? Crazy work hours? World's most experienced and awesome nanny? quintuplets? You're counting Manhattan as MCOL? My area is actually really cheap and I'm just out of touch?

Iblamethebeer · February 2014

tarynh75 said:

We are in West Palm Beach, FL. The nannies make $20-$25/ hr and I need someone 40+ hrs (8-5, m-f plus a few hours on evenings or weekends). There is just no way around it. It's giving me heart palpitations, but I don't see any other option....I love my job and its an amazing company and opportunity and will hopefully help secure our financial future.

Ah, never mind. you already answered. I think that qualifies you as HCOL

emberlee3 · February 2014

Last year with a nanny share for DD plus full time daycare/preschool for DS, we paid $2700/month including nanny salary, taxes, etc. MCOL area, nanny 50 hrs per week.

This year, two in daycare = $2000/month.

Next year, nanny for average 30 hrs per week, I expect we will spend $1600-$1800/month.

MarieNV · February 2014

Spam

MommaP12 · February 2014

I'm in downtown Chicago and we pay just under $1900 for our kids to go Part Time on M/W/F. With DS in the preschool room and DD in the toddler room.

I will probably be the only mom THRILLED for her son to go to Kindergarten for the slash in daycare costs alone!

:-O

skibunny59 · February 2014

Have you looked into a good in-home daycare for your younger child? They tend to be much cheaper. The daycare center may have all the bells and whistles but I honestly prefer a really good in home. My SIL is an in home provider and she treats those kids like they are her own.

*sparky* · February 2014

skibunny59 said:

Have you looked into a good in-home daycare for your younger child? They tend to be much cheaper. The daycare center may have all the bells and whistles but I honestly prefer a really good in home. My SIL is an in home provider and she treats those kids like they are her own.

I have started trying to research that by asking around. I think that may be a good option for us if I can find the right person. I did find a center I like that is only $300/wk vs. $359, but it is a little out of my way so I'd be looking at 1.5 hours commuting (counting drop off time) each way. I am keeping it as an option, but it is certainly not ideal for me to be on the road three hours a day.

Unknown · February 2014

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