Middle class-can't afford day care

Re: Middle class-can't afford day care

• EverythingsBetterOutside member

  August 2016 edited August 2016

  Are you in the US? Call 211, they can get you hooked up with social services.  Look into subsidized childcare, WIC, subsidized housing. Do you work daytime hours or is there flexibility? You may be able to find another mama who works opposite hours who you can exchange childcare with. Look into Early Head Start near you. Change your student loan payment plan into an income based plan or go into economic hardship deferrment. Move into cheaper housing and/or get roommates. If family would be able to help, move near family. Sell your car and get a cheaper one or use public transportation/walk/bike. If you belong to a church, ask the pastor for resources (church members may step up to help). Ask for a raise. Take a hard look at your expenses and cut everything you can. Make sure you have a firm grasp of wants vs needs. You're in a tough spot but you will make it work, just tap into local resources. Good luck! 

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• cataleya82 member

  August 2016

  Even though you got pregnant abroad the father still needs to be held responsible for financially supporting the child. I'm not sure how you go about getting support from someone in another country but you need to start with your local friend of the court and find out. I'm sure they could help you. I agree with the previous response in that you need to find more affordable housing. In my state of Michigan there's a housing program called section 8. There's usually a wait list and I'm not sure if it's offered in all states. If that's not an option I would be trying to move closer to family. Good luck, sounds like a tough position to be in and I do hope you will pursue child support. 

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• 20thirteen member

  August 2016

  Also, insurance for LO.  Go to www.allkidscovered.com and you can get health care coverage for your LO (and I think you can for yourself while you're pregnant if you don't already have insurance).
  
  I started grocery shopping at cheaper stores and also went to thrift stores for clothes, especially for my DD since babies grow so fast, your LO will be in and out of each size pretty quick (or at least my DD was, she's already in the "big kids" section at some places and she's only 3!)
  
  Good luck!!

  

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• oneblessedmess member

  August 2016

  Also what kind of child care are you looking into? A lot of times smaller in home daycares will be more affordable than larger child care centers.

   
  

   
  

  

  

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• 20thirteen member

  August 2016

  I didn't fully read your original post, I'm sorry.  When you say you make too much to get help from the state, what help have you already applied for?
  
  When I was pregnant, I tried to apply for WIC but I made too much for that.  When I applied for subsidized daycare I got a very low rate for a center that was approved on my state's list.  There were people going to a top notch center (where we go) paying as low as $36/week ($144/mo).  It was weird to me that the state thought that I definitely needed help with daycare but not feeding my kid.  
  
  Also, allkidscovered.com provides coverage for all children, regardless of income.
  
  As for the car loan and student loan, is there a number to call to see if you can get your payments temporarily lowered until you can get some more money in?  I had a $225 car loan payment due each month up until DD was almost 6mo (car then was paid off) and that I chipped into my tax refund to pay off.  Also, I remember hearing (didn't research since it didn't apply to me) that student loans will stop being due if you continue being a student.  It's a shitty work-around and might add to the loan (again, no personal experience, so I don't actually know for sure), but maybe you could find an online course to stop the payments from being due...?  Again, I'm not sure how great of a plan that is, nor do I know for sure that's something that can be done, I just heard about it.
  
  There is a page on facebook I bring up now and then called The Penny Hoarder.  The admin usually posts a lot of ways to make extra money, stuff that he has tried or some of the followers have tried that have turned out to be not scams.  I also "like" Budget101, cheap recipes and DIY stuff, and BabyCheapskate, scours the internets for deals on baby items.
  

  

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• babymama619 member

  August 2016

  For student loans look into income based repayment. It's a life saver for me. 

  
  

  

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• thatsurfermom member

  December 2023

  Go get on wic right now. It started as soon as you’re pregnant. They can help you get setup with daycare vouchers. Hope this helps.

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