Reality Check RE: day care costs

**Michelle** · 01-02-2006, 09:03 PM

I know other places have much higher costs, but I figured out today that it will cost $14,500 to put the kids in day care before & after school and then all day during vacations. Holy cow.

**cmu** · 01-02-2006, 09:34 PM

is that just for this year?
mine (for last year) was right around $12000 (that was for 2 full time and 1 before/after school and vacations)

**Sara Noel** · 01-02-2006, 09:40 PM

**Michelle** · 01-02-2006, 09:59 PM

Originally posted by cmu
is that just for this year?
mine (for last year) was right around $12000 (that was for 2 full time and 1 before/after school and vacations)

I'm not sure how to answer this one...it is that cost for the whole year. If I were to take a job next week, it would be somewhat less because 4 mos of the school year are over.

**Michelle** · 01-02-2006, 09:59 PM

Originally posted by Sara Noel

tell me about it!

**dhmunoz** · 01-02-2006, 10:18 PM

I'm not the *math whiz* in my house, but I believe it....I should ask DH (who loves to be the math whiz LOL) to calculate the costs here locally. I know when I called around, the lowest price I found was $4.50/hr PER CHILD and no one in town offers a discount for additional children. Needless to say, I'm still a SAHM because I couldn't possibly make enough to pay for the daycare much less anything else. Oh, and the daycares/home providers here all charge an additional transportation charge on top of that, if they have to go pick up your kids from school. I would have...1 full time, and 3 before-and-after school until who knows when--maybe 6, 7 o'clock? 4 kids @ 4.50/hr =$18/hr. My poor DH, who does have a great job, doesn't make quite that much an hour.

**Dixie** · 01-02-2006, 10:32 PM

Ouch!!!

**Kimberlina** · 01-02-2006, 10:34 PM

Yikes!

So glad I am able to stay a mostly SAHM. DH watches DD 15 evening hours a week,. which is perfect for us- he gets to spend time alone with her, I get some adult conversation, and we get health insurance and a little spending money. Also, I still get the opportunity to make a difference in my community.

Sorry for babbling. I just don't know how people can afford to put their kids in daycare. At the same time, many daycare workers (not necessarily owners) I know are getting minimum wage. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with it.

**forestdale** · 01-02-2006, 11:00 PM

It's the same here. It costs around $300 a week for day care. It sure takes makes a hole in the second wage.

**i.m.cheap** · 01-03-2006, 12:21 AM

That is exactly why I have always worked during hours that DH was home. We used to both work full-time, opposite shifts, for about seven years. I work part-time now, but mainly because he has added going to school to his schedule.

**AmyBoz** · 01-03-2006, 06:29 AM

It can definitely be expensive. However, if working is something that you want or need to do, my dh's aunt put it best. The one place you never want to skimp is on childcare. Finding someone/someplace you trust and where your children are happy is priceless.

**Michelle** · 01-03-2006, 07:20 AM

I am looking into another job (about 7 miles further than the one I am interviewing for this week), and if I get that job, I may be able to work some hours where dh will be the care giver, and that will save us some money.

Also, Dave mentioned to my fil (last summer) that I was looking to return to work, and there is a possibility that my fil & his fiancee could watch the girls some over the summer, reducing the cost even further.

I just hate things up in the air, and I wish they were more settled.

**celina** · 01-03-2006, 08:44 AM

i figured out if i got a job that paid 20/hr....add in daycare, work clothes (been home so long not much work clothes left) more convenience food since i'd be more tired, less child tax credit since we'd earn more, more income tax....and id make about 28$ a week.....for 40hrs work......didnt take long for me to decide to stay into my sahm roll....and i'm happier for it...that being said, if you get other fulfillement from your job..and then yes you should work

**halo475** · 01-03-2006, 09:52 AM

And as a daycare provider...
I can make more money working part time (20-25 hours) as a grocery cashier than I can make working 45-50 hours per week in daycare

Sad statement on the state of the world these days IMHO

**Deborah_Kate** · 01-03-2006, 10:16 AM

We're in the Chicago suburbs and our daycare for full time is $14,050.50 a year. We give her half wages for her vacation weeks. For this area, this is WAY cheap and she does so much for the kids including giving them all their meals during the week. They get breakfast lunch and dinner there with all their friends. They learn alot and Patrick can write his name, has been able to for almost a year now and Logan is starting to be able to write his and he's only 3.

I don't know how much she charges for before and after school or if it stays the same. We'll find out next year when Patrick starts kindergarten.

Out last daycare (the one where the kids especially Patrick were abused) was 19,000 a year and she didn't do anything with them and barely fed them.

Edited to add: the daycare centers in our area are about $190 a week per kid. More for infants. Five years ago when we put Patrick in Kindercare it was $213/week for infants. He was abused there too so I pulled him out. Why do people go into childcare if they aren't going to treat the children well? I don't get it.

Deb