So I have a 2 year old son at home. Now I'm expecting twins. With daycare costs in my area, I'm looking at a minimum of $300 a week for just daycare. That's almost half of my bi-weekly paycheck. So basically 95% of my check will go to daycare. I'm thinking about dropping down to part time, working while my husband is home to watch the kids. But if I do that, I lose my insurance. My husband can pick us up on his insurance but that's half of his paycheck. Are any of you in similar situations? What are you doing? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
That's a tough one. Have you tried care.com or looking for in home care? We have found that to be a bit cheaper. But with two infants you are going to pay more. Good luck!
In my area, daycare for ONE child is over $300/week, so $300 for 3 kids sounds awesome, but I know COL varies so much.
Have you looked into a nanny or au pair? Maybe it would be cheaper for 3 kids to have a nanny vs daycare?
Mom to P (12/7/10) Step-Mom-to-be to H (05/29/13) BFP 10/13/14 TWINS! 20 week loss of both twins, Scott Feivel and Miles Conrad BFP 06/19/2015 16 week loss, Penny June 2015 Working with RI; Diagnosed with thrombopheiia and celiacs BFP 03/12/16 TWINS AGAIN! PLEASE BE OUR RAINBOWS
Yeah, we tried care.com, but nothing for this area. We are in a home daycare right now and those are the rates. For a daycare center in my area it was $160 a week per child.
Hmmm, that is difficult, but it seems like your best option is to keep working if you need the healthcare. I know I have done it and half of my check has gone to childcare. Now with baby#3 on the way I am going to work from home and pay health insurance out of pocket.
I'd say stick with your full time job. The reality is that kids are expensive! & as a full time nanny, $300 is a steal for 3 kids!! Think about it like this: You can keep your job to pay for daycare AND have insurance AND hubby's paycheck, or you can live off just 1/2 of your hubby's paycheck...
Yeah, but as @GirPipley said COL is different. You pay more than me but also probably make way more than me too. 95% of my paycheck would go to daycare. I have thought about starting my own daycare or something I could do at home too. Insurance is a major thing. I just hate the thought of working full time just to pay for daycare and not being able to spend that time with my kids. Just trying to figure out what's right for my family.
We pay approx $300/week for the 2 in day care now. With the baby is will be close to $500. It's going to be tight for the first year, but then my oldest will go to kindergarten, the baby will move out of the infant room, and we'll be back to about $300. It's a bummer.
If I were you, I would keep working for the insurance and see it as a net financial gain, even though I can completely commiserate with how awful it will feel to turn over basically all your earnings to daycare.
That said, I am so freaking grateful that DD will start kindergarten next year, right as my summer home with Baby is ending. One kid in daycare at a time is all we can swing at the moment.
Re: Working moms with more than one child come in
In my area, daycare for ONE child is over $300/week, so $300 for 3 kids sounds awesome, but I know COL varies so much.
Have you looked into a nanny or au pair? Maybe it would be cheaper for 3 kids to have a nanny vs daycare?
Mom to P (12/7/10) Step-Mom-to-be to H (05/29/13)
BFP 10/13/14 TWINS! 20 week loss of both twins, Scott Feivel and Miles Conrad
BFP 06/19/2015 16 week loss, Penny June
2015 Working with RI; Diagnosed with thrombopheiia and celiacs
BFP 03/12/16 TWINS AGAIN! PLEASE BE OUR RAINBOWS
The reality is that kids are expensive! & as a full time nanny, $300 is a steal for 3 kids!!
Think about it like this:
You can keep your job to pay for daycare AND have insurance AND hubby's paycheck, or you can live off just 1/2 of your hubby's paycheck...
Baby 1 - November 2009
*loss* - March 2010
Baby 2 - January 2011
Baby 3 - June 2015
Baby 4 - April 2017
Baby 5 - May 2019
That said, I am so freaking grateful that DD will start kindergarten next year, right as my summer home with Baby is ending. One kid in daycare at a time is all we can swing at the moment.