Another child care thread...

[BornToResist]

I don't know HOW I'm going to do this!!!! It's getting down to the wire and I'm starting to flip out...

 

I've been researching child care facilities and after calling about 4 pages of phone numbers, there were TWO that offered care to children under two years old. This place charges over $800 a month for full time child care.

 

How can people possibly pull this off??

 

Maybe just a rant, but any personal stories or ideas that I haven't thought of would be GREAT.

[avman]

$800 is a pretty typical rate for children under 2. Child care facilities are subject to extra restrictions at that age so the cost is higher.

 

You can look into some tax breaks to try to pay for some of the child care like the earned income credit and child care tax credit. Your employer also might have a program to pay for the child care expenses pre-tax which will save a little bit of money.

 

Check with your local human services department to see if they offer some breaks on child care costs. Depending on your income, many locations can provide some assistance.

[BornToResist]

I just did the math and I was wrong...it costs $1100.00 a month for these places. $275 per week.

 

The problem is, I make good money so I already don't qualify for most government assistance, but maybe things will change once I actually give birth.

 

I'm hoping maybe I can switch jobs and get one that offers childcare, there are a few around that are REALLY good. *sigh* It's going to be a hard few years.

[southerngirl]

Well, that seems kind of high to me although Im comparing it to what I paid in Florida. 105 per week when my oldest was abotu a year old. Now, I kept him out of preschool/daycare before that. The lowest I paid for preschool was 80 a week, and that was when he was four.

[DizzyDoris]

Its really hard juggling childcare and work

 

My kids are different ages and have to attend different places, my eldest childs place decided they werent running an out of school christmas scheme this year...grrrrr...so ive really struggled!

 

Do you have any relatives who could help out? If only for one maybe 2 days a week? That would lower costs. Alternatively have you looked into childminders? They dont charge as much as nurseries, but im in a different country so everything is different for me. I am a single parent and very lucky as our government provides working family tax credits, which covers up to 70% of childcare costs.

 

Do you know any other stay at home mums? Maybe you could pay them to care for your child a few hours a week? I have a friend who does this and she really appreciates the extra cash and takes great care of the baby.

 

As a lighthearted last resort, re-train and get qualified as a nursery nurse lol then you can take your kid to work with you!