Author Topic: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?  (Read 7538 times)

clarkfan1979

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Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« on: July 18, 2018, 10:50:29 AM »
I was just at a wedding and a friend told me there were paying $2400/month for daycare for a 5 month old in D.C. They don't make a lot of money and he considered the price to be "average"

I was just listening to a biggerpockets episode and a young couple said the pay $280/month because they are in a low cost of living area, but their sister lives in the D.C. area and pays $1,000/month.

$1,000 vs. $2,400 seems like a big difference.

slb59

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2018, 12:29:11 PM »
I believe it!

About five years ago, we were paying $1040/month for an in-home daycare near the very last station on the red line in DC (about an hour outside of the city). Going with an in-home daycare so far away from the city center saved us a lot of money over a center and a more central location. I've heard from other people more recently in the VA suburbs that they're paying upwards of $2k. If your friends are using a center and are in the city, $2400 sounds right.

I currently live in a low-cost of living area in the Southeast, and prices here are between $175 and $195 per week at centers for an infant. I was paying $160 a week for my four year old.

When we moved, we ended up paying less for two kids than we had for just one in DC :) Location makes a huge difference!

FIRE@50

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2018, 12:34:52 PM »
We are currently paying $170/week for my 8yo to go to 'summer camp' two days a week.

Jrr85

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2018, 12:36:06 PM »
I was just at a wedding and a friend told me there were paying $2400/month for daycare for a 5 month old in D.C. They don't make a lot of money and he considered the price to be "average"

I was just listening to a biggerpockets episode and a young couple said the pay $280/month because they are in a low cost of living area, but their sister lives in the D.C. area and pays $1,000/month.

$1,000 vs. $2,400 seems like a big difference.

We live in a low to moderate cost of living area and we pay about $2200 a month on average for three kids under 5.  We could do it as cheap as $1845 per month but that would be with them in a facility with no greenspace, just some playground area with the black rubber ground, which they basically woudln't be able to use for much of July and August. 

TVRodriguez

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2018, 12:53:50 PM »
The "D.C. area" can vary wildly, so it's impossible to compare those two situations without much more information, OP.

Infants are the most expensive for childcare regardless.  The care gets cheaper as the child gets older.  The ratio of caregivers to kids changes and the diaper and feeding situations change, too.

In South Florida in 2008, I was paying ~$1000 for a 5 month old.

Now, I am paying $180/week for full day summer camp for a school-aged child, which fee includes lunch, snacks, and field trips.  So, about $775/mo.

mm1970

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2018, 01:28:37 PM »
Coastal Southern California

$400/ week for a home daycare, infant, full time.  (It was $320 2 years ago and $250 6 years ago).

A center-based care would be more than that.  $1770 a month.

There are one or two care centers that might be less than that.  In general, infant care (<18 months) is very hard to find here.

Summer camp:
$170/week full day, no meals included is the absolute cheapest
$800/mo breakfast and lunch with the school district (basically, they run the after school program through the summer).

Most summer camps are half day or "full day" at 9 to 3, and they run $250-$500/week.

cats

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2018, 01:42:48 PM »
We have a 2 year old in FT daycare at a center, SF Bay area--it's currently about $1900/month, is closer to $2100/month for under 2, and drops to around $1700/month for the preschool program (~3-5 years).  For the infant (<2 yrs), our place was definitely more expensive than most in-home daycares (the cheapest one I looked at was $1300/month, the cheapest one I would have been comfortable with was $1400/month, but that was 2 years ago so they are likely a bit more now), but seemed comparable or even on the cheaper side compared to other larger centers.  We ultimately picked out place because we got off the wait list there first, but once we actually had our son in care we really realized what a huge difference the adult:child ratio could make and decided to keep him there vs. going to an in-home place that would have had more kids per adult.

Once you start comparing our place to options for 2+ years (i.e. a preschool with some "curriculum"), ours is generally priced as well or better, once you start to factor in that a lot of the preschools seem to have multiple weeks of closure days spread throughout the year (more than the vacation allotment of many younger workers, so parents will potentially have to pay for backup childcare).

In our area, care for <2 yrs old is also really hard to find--I know a number of parents who have wound up having to go the nannyshare route because they just can't get into any daycare by the time they have to return to work.  For us, it was initially all about just finding a spot and less about sticking to a certain budget--we knew that any of the options were within our means, but there were very few options readily available.

clairebonk

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2018, 03:05:34 PM »
Bay Area:

$1250 school for 9-3 M-F 2-year-old, then nanny at $20/hr for 2 kids 8-5

Mongoose

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2018, 06:32:09 PM »
When we had babies, we opted for an in-home part time nanny and different work schedules for me and DH. Worked out to $800/month. The centers had 2 year wait lists for infant spots. ??????? Never did figure that one out.

Now I work part time and we use childcare swaps and camps that run ~$180/week to cover my work hours.

Emily2651

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2018, 07:16:23 PM »
My kids are older but we still shell out an arm and a leg for childcare. I have two elementary schoolers; we could pay $4K/year/kid for aftercare but instead we pay a nanny $22/hour to pick them up from school, supervise homework and drive to music lessons. She also does some housework, runs errands and will do dinner prep. She's more expensive than aftercare but is flexible and willing to pick up a full day of care when they have a random day off from school. She also does drop-off when my husband is traveling. And does some full time weeks in the summer, sparing us from a patchwork of summer camps all summer long. But -- !WHEW! -- so expensive. We'll spend nearly $23K this year for childcare. Even in our HCOL area (Bay Area), it's mind boggling.

nessness

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2018, 07:41:14 PM »
$2400/month for two kids, 1 and 3, at a center in a MCOL part of California. It's something like $1400 for the 1-year-old and $1000 for the 3-year-old. When we lived in Denver it was slightly more expensive and openings were harder to find.

gpyros85

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #11 on: July 18, 2018, 07:47:26 PM »
Suzhou, China; live in maid,cook and baby sitter, 10,000 RMB (1,562 USD/month). When my wife arrives it will go down to just cook and maid and no more living in, probably 3,000 RMB

cats

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2018, 09:44:05 PM »
Quote from: immattdamon link=topic=94773.msg2075581#msg2075581 date=1531961, so 482
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

I think some of us usually do?  I've definitely seen (and made) statements to the effect of "kids aren't expensive, outside of childcare", and this certainly isn't the first time I've shared our childcare costs on the forum.  I think among families with two parents working outside the home, the potential for high childcare costs is well-known.  There's only so far it's worth arguing with folks who say you can save a ton on childcare by having one parent stay home (not that this isn't a totally worthwhile thing to do with your time, but it does have a financial opportunity cost, so it's certainly misleading to present it as "great way to save money!").

Joel

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2018, 09:57:20 PM »
925/month for in-home daycare for an infant. Child care center was above 1300/month and felt more like a worse environment (imagine a chicken farm like scenario with 24 infants in a relatively small open room). Greater Sacramento area. M-F 7-5:30 hours. A minute early or late and the fees really pile up!
« Last Edit: July 19, 2018, 02:56:24 AM by Joel »

Erma

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #14 on: July 19, 2018, 12:05:21 AM »
In our neighbour village (Switzerland) it would be 2650 per child for 5 days/week. Where I work it can go over 3000 CHF.

gaja

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #15 on: July 19, 2018, 03:02:44 AM »
In Norway, kindergarten is capped at around $300/month, no matter where you are in the country, and the age of the kid. After school care is capped at around $270. For siblings, you get 30% off for kid #2, and 50% for #3. For low income families, childcare costs are capped at 6% of income.

Little Aussie Battler

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #16 on: July 19, 2018, 04:21:33 AM »
Sydney.

We pay $125 per day and supply lunch (they provide morning/afternoon snacks).

Jrr85

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #17 on: July 19, 2018, 07:41:06 AM »
Quote from: immattdamon link=topic=94773.msg2075581#msg2075581 date=1531961, so 482
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

I think some of us usually do?  I've definitely seen (and made) statements to the effect of "kids aren't expensive, outside of childcare", and this certainly isn't the first time I've shared our childcare costs on the forum.  I think among families with two parents working outside the home, the potential for high childcare costs is well-known.  There's only so far it's worth arguing with folks who say you can save a ton on childcare by having one parent stay home (not that this isn't a totally worthwhile thing to do with your time, but it does have a financial opportunity cost, so it's certainly misleading to present it as "great way to save money!").

Yup.  I made the mistake of spending several posts trying to explain to someone that a household with two working parents saying childcare costs a minimum of $10k per year, they can't reduce that cost by one of the parents giving up a $90k per year job.  Went from there to "well the parents could just work alternating times", as if every job has a graveyard shift option.  Went from there to "they can change careers" as if that isn't going to be a cost in itself.  Then went to "well they could have a family member keep the child" as if everyone has a family member living nearby willing and able to work for them for free.  It is weird how committed some people on here are to convincing themselves children don't cost money.  I would understand if it was somebody contemplating children with tight finances trying to psych themselves up, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  No clue what their motivation is or why they're so adamant about ignoring reality.

TVRodriguez

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2018, 09:08:48 AM »
Quote from: immattdamon link=topic=94773.msg2075581#msg2075581 date=1531961, so 482
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

I think some of us usually do?  I've definitely seen (and made) statements to the effect of "kids aren't expensive, outside of childcare", and this certainly isn't the first time I've shared our childcare costs on the forum.  I think among families with two parents working outside the home, the potential for high childcare costs is well-known.  There's only so far it's worth arguing with folks who say you can save a ton on childcare by having one parent stay home (not that this isn't a totally worthwhile thing to do with your time, but it does have a financial opportunity cost, so it's certainly misleading to present it as "great way to save money!").

Yup.  I made the mistake of spending several posts trying to explain to someone that a household with two working parents saying childcare costs a minimum of $10k per year, they can't reduce that cost by one of the parents giving up a $90k per year job.  Went from there to "well the parents could just work alternating times", as if every job has a graveyard shift option.  Went from there to "they can change careers" as if that isn't going to be a cost in itself.  Then went to "well they could have a family member keep the child" as if everyone has a family member living nearby willing and able to work for them for free.  It is weird how committed some people on here are to convincing themselves children don't cost money.  I would understand if it was somebody contemplating children with tight finances trying to psych themselves up, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  No clue what their motivation is or why they're so adamant about ignoring reality.

But that IS reality for them.  So they're not ignoring their own reality.  Only yours.  (Welcome to America!)

And the truth is that for some families, even giving up one parent's $90,000/year job may increase the income prospects of the other parent by more than $90,000.  The other parent can double down on work like it's nobody's business.  I've seen it happen.  I have not chosen that route, but I admit that it is possible.  So I don't get involved in those threads.  Everyone is in a unique situation.  YMMV.

Jrr85

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #19 on: July 19, 2018, 11:34:57 AM »
Quote from: immattdamon link=topic=94773.msg2075581#msg2075581 date=1531961, so 482
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

I think some of us usually do?  I've definitely seen (and made) statements to the effect of "kids aren't expensive, outside of childcare", and this certainly isn't the first time I've shared our childcare costs on the forum.  I think among families with two parents working outside the home, the potential for high childcare costs is well-known.  There's only so far it's worth arguing with folks who say you can save a ton on childcare by having one parent stay home (not that this isn't a totally worthwhile thing to do with your time, but it does have a financial opportunity cost, so it's certainly misleading to present it as "great way to save money!").

Yup.  I made the mistake of spending several posts trying to explain to someone that a household with two working parents saying childcare costs a minimum of $10k per year, they can't reduce that cost by one of the parents giving up a $90k per year job.  Went from there to "well the parents could just work alternating times", as if every job has a graveyard shift option.  Went from there to "they can change careers" as if that isn't going to be a cost in itself.  Then went to "well they could have a family member keep the child" as if everyone has a family member living nearby willing and able to work for them for free.  It is weird how committed some people on here are to convincing themselves children don't cost money.  I would understand if it was somebody contemplating children with tight finances trying to psych themselves up, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  No clue what their motivation is or why they're so adamant about ignoring reality.

But that IS reality for them.  So they're not ignoring their own reality.  Only yours.  (Welcome to America!)

And the truth is that for some families, even giving up one parent's $90,000/year job may increase the income prospects of the other parent by more than $90,000.  The other parent can double down on work like it's nobody's business.  I've seen it happen.  I have not chosen that route, but I admit that it is possible.  So I don't get involved in those threads.  Everyone is in a unique situation.  YMMV.

There is only one reality and they are ignoring it.  Bill Gates saying each person could just donate a ten million dollars and eradicate world poverty, and then acting like other people are being irrational when they say they don't have a feasible way to donate ten million dollars would not be an example of him ignoring "other people's reality."  It would just be an example of him ignoring reality.  Likewise, when someone claims any person who says they cannot find childcare for a cost less than $10,000, that is them ignoring reality, not just ignoring somebody else's reality.  The reality where they have a parent who will take care of a child for free is the same reality where the two worker couple does not have a parent or other way to avoid the costs of childcare.  Claiming either situation doesn't exist is ignoring reality, regardless of your personal situation.

Mississippi Mudstache

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #20 on: July 19, 2018, 11:47:28 AM »
We paid $125/week (~$540/month) for my 2-year-old this year. Our 4- and 5-year-old were in state-funded Pre-K and Kindergarten last year, so we didn't have any child care expenses for them.

brycedoula

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #21 on: July 19, 2018, 03:20:13 PM »
Manitoba, Canada.

Licensed daycare centres are subsidized by the provincial government, so there is a maximum rate that they can charge. For an infant (<2 years) the daily maximum is $30, and it goes down from there once the child turns 2. Our daughter is in a licensed centre & we make too much money to qualify for a subsidy, so our cost was $600 every four weeks when our daughter started daycare (just before she turned one).

Private daycares (Montessori places or otherwise) or home daycares that DON’T accept the subsidy can charge whatever they want. A private centre by my husband’s work charges ~$1600-$1800/ month for an infant (<2 years). That particular place had an in-house chef to provide all meals, and fancy cameras, etc etc; they have to charge more as their employees wages’ aren’t subsidized by the government, but expensive =/= better care.

Chrissy

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #22 on: July 19, 2018, 03:43:12 PM »
Chicago: the cheapest facility I liked was $330/wk, but there were so many communication issues, that I never could get on their waiting list.  The most expensive facility was $496/wk.  Since that time, a new place has opened, and it's even more expensive. 

We ended up with $395/wk ($1,711/mo or $20,540/yr) for certified Montessori daycare for a 2-year-old.  Its bilingual, soon to be tri-lingual.  Includes two snacks & lunch daily and music class 1x/wk.  They track everything our kid does and post it online, which we access through an app.  It's the closest facility to us.

Infant care -- $395/wk.  The wait list for infant care is a year long just about everywhere.  Once we start, we'll get 10% off the toddler.

We started with our first DD in a nanny-share.  That was $450/wk + food + substitutes to fill sick/vacation PTO.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2018, 03:45:50 PM by Chrissy »

tyrannostache

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #23 on: July 19, 2018, 04:59:36 PM »
I live in a medium-low COL area in the far north of the US. I pay about $850/month for full-time care for a 1YO year-round, plus $800/month in the summer for a full-time program for a 6YO and about $150/month for after-school care during the school year. The 1YO goes to a small Montessori-ish center. We could probably lower the costs by sending the 1YO to a home-based center, but the cost saving would only be about $100/month and the difference in care would be remarkable. The only good in-home caregivers in my town are booked solid for years. I'm STILL on a couple of waiting lists.

Altogether, child care for 2 kids costs us about $14K/year. If one of us went to part-time or gave up a job entirely, we would lose anywhere from $20-65K (not to mention the difficulty of getting back into the work force afterward...). I wish it weren't so expensive, but we are really happy with our daycare providers. We don't have nearby family, and the daycare has actually formed a hugely important part of our community here. My 1YO goes to the same place that my 6YO used to go to. Over time, we have made friends with some other parents and have developed a nice network of people who can do things like trade off playdates during school closures or trade date night care.

StarBright

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #24 on: July 19, 2018, 05:11:18 PM »
Triangle area of NC - we paid 1500 a month for an infant and 1300 a month for a two year old.

NW Ohio area- we pay 1000 a month for a  4 year old and $300 a month for full day public school kindergarten (does not include aftercare). Half day kindergarten is free but no one opts for half day because there is a ton of homework with half day.

I just checked and the center we use offers infant care at $1400 a month.

SimpleCycle

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #25 on: July 20, 2018, 04:34:40 PM »
For reasons that are too hard to explain, we do not pay full price at our center.  We pay $350/child/week, or $36,400 per year for two kids.  Full price is up to $515/week now.  "Average" in our area of the city is $2200-$2400 for an infant, and $1800-$2000 for a preschooler.

A ton of factors go into how much daycare costs, and what options are available to you.  Some people have work subsidized daycare, or can work split shifts, or are able to find a nanny share situation.  Others don't have those options.

Acorns

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #26 on: July 20, 2018, 09:08:37 PM »
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

A couple years ago a poster got ridiculed up and down and his thread moved to the "Hall of Shame" for suggesting that having kids would delay his retirement. I'm not sure which mod moved it, but I felt sorry for the poster, because having kids IS expensive and DOES delay retirement for many families, or at least parental leisure pursuits (at least if you raise them with a modicum of decency, I suppose you could lock them in their room and feed them once a week to save some money, then kick them out the day they turn 18).

In my area (HCOL, NW USA), childcare would cost anywhere between $1500-2000 for a reputable care center. I am currently a SAHP, which certainly saves us money right now (not that I do it for financial reasons), but the years of lost income and career progression, should I go back to work at some point, can never be recouped. BUT.... the kids are worth it :-).

Hula Hoop

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #27 on: July 21, 2018, 01:42:52 AM »
We're in a city in Italy.  We're currently paying 90 euros a week for 2 kids to go to a pretty bare bones summer camp held at their public school.  Kids from low income families pay even less.  Food is extra but I've been packing their lunches every day.  There are cheaper summer camps held at churches but we're not religious.

From age 9 months -3 years we paid around Euro 250 per month for government run day care - 8.30-4 every day and my husband was able to handle pick ups as his schedule is flexible. The fees for public daycare are also on a sliding scale according to income so lower income families were paying less than us and richer families more.   It was great - the teachers were wonderful and very professional.  Here public day care teachers are paid decent wages, get good benefits and all of have degrees in early childhood education.  From age 3-6 (kids start elementary school at 6 here) they went to public preschool (8.30-4 every day) which is FREE.  Now they're both at public elementary school which is also free although we have to pay for school lunches and things like excursions.


As an American, the cost of child care is one of the reasons I stay here in Italy.  Another reason is college costs.  My salary is lower than what I'd get in the US in my profession and taxes are higher but childcare, college and health care costs dwarf the bigger salary I'd get in the US.

chaskavitch

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #28 on: July 22, 2018, 08:36:37 AM »
We live in Fort Collins, Colorado, and we pay $1070 a month for 3 day/week child care for a 2 year old.  5 day a week care for that age is $1324/mo, and for an infant it's $1572/mo for full time.  They're increasing rates incrementally each year to keep ahead of the minimum wage increases in effect through 2020, which is alright by me.  It would suck to have a degree or 10 years of experience and be making barely more than minimum wage.

Our daycare center is middle of the road for costs here.  There are places where you can get infant care for >$1000/mo, or places you can spend twice that.  We get two snacks a day, lunch, a yard and playground, and help potty training :)  When we have another kid there, we'll get a whole 10% discount on the cheapest rate!  Woo!  Better than nothing, I suppose.

kanga1622

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #29 on: July 22, 2018, 09:47:37 AM »
We live in the Midwest is a college town. We paid $100 a week for full time care for one child. We paid about $150 a week when we had two kids in care but DH only worked 33 hrs a week so we had discounted rates. We also used a home based daycare so only paid on days we had a kid in care.

Irritating to me now that we will be paying $11 a day for after school care (this covers 2 kids). So much more per hour but we don’t have to shuttle them directly after school so we can work our usual shifts.

Teachstache

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #30 on: July 24, 2018, 11:12:41 AM »
We live in the Midwest is a college town. We paid $100 a week for full time care for one child. We paid about $150 a week when we had two kids in care but DH only worked 33 hrs a week so we had discounted rates. We also used a home based daycare so only paid on days we had a kid in care.

Irritating to me now that we will be paying $11 a day for after school care (this covers 2 kids). So much more per hour but we don’t have to shuttle them directly after school so we can work our usual shifts.

This is similar to us. Beginning in August, we will pay $125 per week for full time care 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, for our 3.5 year old son for 39 weeks per year = a bit less than $5,000 per year. This is for an in home daycare with 6 kids from 18 months old to 5 years old. Our son spends half of the day in a state sponsored public preschool with a school bus pick up & drop off at childcare, but we do still need to pay for full time rates at childcare, because he's there 5 days a week & the provider can't take another kid while he's away at preschool.

We live in a college town in the Midwest. Our rate is pretty standard for an in home daycare. Centers are around $1,100 per month for full time infant care. 

TVRodriguez

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #31 on: July 24, 2018, 12:04:10 PM »
Quote from: immattdamon link=topic=94773.msg2075581#msg2075581 date=1531961, so 482
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

. . .  I think among families with two parents working outside the home, the potential for high childcare costs is well-known.  There's only so far it's worth arguing with folks who say you can save a ton on childcare by having one parent stay home . . . .

Yup.  I made the mistake of spending several posts trying to explain to someone that a household with two working parents saying childcare costs a minimum of $10k per year, they can't reduce that cost by one of the parents giving up a $90k per year job.  . . . .  It is weird how committed some people on here are to convincing themselves children don't cost money.  I would understand if it was somebody contemplating children with tight finances trying to psych themselves up, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  No clue what their motivation is or why they're so adamant about ignoring reality.

But that IS reality for them.  So they're not ignoring their own reality.  Only yours.  . . .

There is only one reality and they are ignoring it. . . . .

I believe that reality is subjective.  You may disagree on that point.  I believe that we both agree that children actually do cost money to raise.

www.dingtwist.com/reality-is-subjective

Jrr85

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #32 on: July 24, 2018, 12:44:50 PM »
Quote from: immattdamon link=topic=94773.msg2075581#msg2075581 date=1531961, so 482
Wish you folks would come out the woodwork and share these figures next time the weekly "Kids aren't expensive; parents just make them expensive" type thread appears.

. . .  I think among families with two parents working outside the home, the potential for high childcare costs is well-known.  There's only so far it's worth arguing with folks who say you can save a ton on childcare by having one parent stay home . . . .

Yup.  I made the mistake of spending several posts trying to explain to someone that a household with two working parents saying childcare costs a minimum of $10k per year, they can't reduce that cost by one of the parents giving up a $90k per year job.  . . . .  It is weird how committed some people on here are to convincing themselves children don't cost money.  I would understand if it was somebody contemplating children with tight finances trying to psych themselves up, but that doesn't seem to be the case.  No clue what their motivation is or why they're so adamant about ignoring reality.

But that IS reality for them.  So they're not ignoring their own reality.  Only yours.  . . .

There is only one reality and they are ignoring it. . . . .

I believe that reality is subjective.  You may disagree on that point.  I believe that we both agree that children actually do cost money to raise.

www.dingtwist.com/reality-is-subjective

There are ways you can argue that reality is subjective, but not in a way that is relevant to this.  When Bill Gates says everybody could just donate $10M, to say he's not ignoring reality is to basically say the term "reality" has no meaning in the english language.  Similarly, just saying "you could have a relative keep the baby for free" is ignoring reality.  Maybe not to the same extreme as the Bill Gates, but a majority of people would immediately recognize that not everybody will have a relative willing and able to keep a child for free, and of those with personal circumstances such that they're fortunate enough to not immediately recognize this, the vast majority of them will immediately recognize their mistaken assumption when somebody points it out.

mtnman125

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #33 on: July 24, 2018, 01:05:37 PM »
Downtown Chicago, 1year old, $522 week

I dont know why, but the billing the weekly tuition annoys me vs. $2450/mo.  I wonder if they think it "sounds" like a better deal.

We did a bunch of research while my wife was on maternity leave.  We REALLY like this place, but was a few hundred dollars more/mo,  and had 7mo waitlist!  I'm generally pretty frugal, even cheap- but obviously I wasnt the only one who thought this place had added value.


MaybeBabyMustache

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #34 on: July 26, 2018, 08:52:16 PM »
We paid around $2k/month when we had infants in full time care. Now we have two middle school aged kids (one is just starting middle school), & need after school help to get them to activities & be with them after school. I have one child who really does not want to be alone at 11, so we will continue to use after school care for at least another year and/or I go part time. For a "nanny" who takes kids to after school activities (her own car, pays for her own gas, etc) we pay $25/hour. This is standard in our area - bay area

Stachetastic

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #35 on: July 27, 2018, 06:20:53 AM »
Midwest checking in. We pay $25/day for an in home day care. This includes all meals. We only pay for the days we use. Now that he is school age, we pay $5/day for breakfast and to put him on the bus. If provider gets him off the bus, we pay another $5. Luckily, I have been able to shift my work hours by 15 minutes so I'm able to get to the bus in time. Provider is there to get him if I get stuck in traffic or a meeting and don't make it in time.

letsdoit

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #36 on: July 30, 2018, 09:05:07 AM »
DC 2300/mo

LaineyAZ

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #37 on: July 30, 2018, 09:25:52 AM »
Phoenix AZ metro area, retired grandma of one 18 month-old.  I watch her for free 2 days/week at her house.  Parents have slightly split schedules so I'm only on for 7 hrs/day each of those 2 days.
She's starting nursery school 2 mornings/week next month which is at a church-run nursery school.  Cost is $210/month for 8:30 to 11:30 am Tues and Thurs. 

(am chiming in here because it's another point to say how much family support can really help tremendously when kids are young.  My parents, now deceased, watched my son for free for 3.5 years part-time, and never once asked me for a nickel or complained about it.  I'd told my son that I'd do the same for him whenever he had children, and now that's my part-time job in retirement.  I don't think of it as a job, though, because bonding with a grandbaby is priceless.  I honestly wish more grandparents would chip in a bit on babysitting and not nickel and dime the parents about it.)

boarder42

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #38 on: July 30, 2018, 09:28:42 AM »
Midwest - infant 32 bucks per day dropping to 28 per day when they turn 1 year old. and 25 a day at 3 years old -  We use an in home daycare with the ability to set how many days a week we want as long as we stick to the schedule.  works great incase i want to swap back to 5 day weeks in the future we can just add the extra day back on.

LaineyAZ

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #39 on: July 30, 2018, 09:33:37 AM »
boarder42,
does that drop in price at age 3 include them being potty-trained?  Years ago there was a local childcare facility here who wouldn't let the 3 year olds into the 3-year old room unless they were potty trained, and it was amazing the number who still weren't trained at that point.  If they weren't trained they had to stay with the 2 year olds.

boarder42

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #40 on: July 30, 2018, 09:34:26 AM »
boarder42,
does that drop in price at age 3 include them being potty-trained?  Years ago there was a local childcare facility here who wouldn't let the 3 year olds into the 3-year old room unless they were potty trained, and it was amazing the number who still weren't trained at that point.  If they weren't trained they had to stay with the 2 year olds.

its an inhome daycare there arent separate rooms.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #41 on: July 30, 2018, 10:18:51 AM »
I live in the Midwest in a mid-sized city (HCOL for my state, L-MCOL for the country; college town) and pay $260 a week, which includes 10-teacher holidays during the year. I get 1 week unpaid each year for vacation, so my yearly cost is $13,260 for one 1-year old.

There is a $30 price drop at 2-years, and a $10 drop again at 3-years.  That's just in theory though, because obviously they will raise prices year to year.


Daycare is the only significant cost we've had since having our daughter. 
« Last Edit: July 30, 2018, 10:21:06 AM by I'm a red panda »

Abe

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #42 on: July 31, 2018, 12:56:10 AM »
Southern California: full time nanny for a 2 year old. $3000 / month

elliha

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #43 on: July 31, 2018, 04:00:19 AM »
In Sweden daycare fees are capped at 3% of your income or a maximum of 158 dollars per month. For the second child it is 105 dollars or  2% and for the third it is 53 dollars or 1% and no fee for a fourth but having four kids below the age of 6 is rare so I guess very few kids go for free. 3-5 year olds get a 25% reduction too so if you don't have quadruplets these numbers would be even smaller for a family with 4 kids under 6. After school care is 2% of your income or 105 dollars for the first kid and 53 dollars or 1% for the second and third and no fee for the fourth. Daycares are allowed to be closed 2 days a year plus all national holidays and the care during 4 weeks of summer can be in another daycare or school and most people opt out of using care for those weeks. You can only have your kids at daycare for the hours you work and travel to work and if you have the day off you can't send them to daycare and stay at home on your own. You can have your kids at daycare if you study, work or if you are unemployed and actively applying for jobs. If you are on parental leave you can have your kids at daycare for 15 hours a week (some towns offer more time than this but mine does not) often at fixed times either 3 days a week 5 hours or 5 days a week for 3 hours. When kids turn 3 they can go to free preschool for 15 hours a week regardless if their parents work or not and kids with special needs like having another first language than Sweden may go for 25 hours.

littlebird

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #44 on: July 31, 2018, 06:31:08 AM »
Boston metro area, $2200 a month for an infant at a center. Some places we looked were closer to $3000. Outside of daycare I'd say our daughter costs us around $150/month.

letsdoit

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #45 on: July 31, 2018, 08:59:17 AM »
In Sweden daycare fees are capped at 3% of your income or a maximum of 158 dollars per month. For the second child it is 105 dollars or  2% and for the third it is 53 dollars or 1% and no fee for a fourth but having four kids below the age of 6 is rare so I guess very few kids go for free. 3-5 year olds get a 25% reduction too so if you don't have quadruplets these numbers would be even smaller for a family with 4 kids under 6. After school care is 2% of your income or 105 dollars for the first kid and 53 dollars or 1% for the second and third and no fee for the fourth. Daycares are allowed to be closed 2 days a year plus all national holidays and the care during 4 weeks of summer can be in another daycare or school and most people opt out of using care for those weeks. You can only have your kids at daycare for the hours you work and travel to work and if you have the day off you can't send them to daycare and stay at home on your own. You can have your kids at daycare if you study, work or if you are unemployed and actively applying for jobs. If you are on parental leave you can have your kids at daycare for 15 hours a week (some towns offer more time than this but mine does not) often at fixed times either 3 days a week 5 hours or 5 days a week for 3 hours. When kids turn 3 they can go to free preschool for 15 hours a week regardless if their parents work or not and kids with special needs like having another first language than Sweden may go for 25 hours.

i dont need more evidence that the US is set up in a horrible, unfair way

StarBright

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #46 on: July 31, 2018, 11:56:19 AM »
In Sweden daycare fees are capped at 3% of your income or a maximum of 158 dollars per month. For the second child it is 105 dollars or  2% and for the third it is 53 dollars or 1% and no fee for a fourth but having four kids below the age of 6 is rare so I guess very few kids go for free. 3-5 year olds get a 25% reduction too so if you don't have quadruplets these numbers would be even smaller for a family with 4 kids under 6. After school care is 2% of your income or 105 dollars for the first kid and 53 dollars or 1% for the second and third and no fee for the fourth. Daycares are allowed to be closed 2 days a year plus all national holidays and the care during 4 weeks of summer can be in another daycare or school and most people opt out of using care for those weeks. You can only have your kids at daycare for the hours you work and travel to work and if you have the day off you can't send them to daycare and stay at home on your own. You can have your kids at daycare if you study, work or if you are unemployed and actively applying for jobs. If you are on parental leave you can have your kids at daycare for 15 hours a week (some towns offer more time than this but mine does not) often at fixed times either 3 days a week 5 hours or 5 days a week for 3 hours. When kids turn 3 they can go to free preschool for 15 hours a week regardless if their parents work or not and kids with special needs like having another first language than Sweden may go for 25 hours.

i dont need more evidence that the US is set up in a horrible, unfair way

I was having a surprisingly productive conversation with a family member about Sweden's social net and taxes. I was trying to get the point across that those of us who long for some sort of gov option (specifically for childcare) don't want someone to pay for it for us - but that we are already paying through the nose to various private entities. Pooling our resources together and offering a non-profit option  means efficiency and a standard of care (and often times efficiency also just happens to be cheaper).

The problem with us middle class folks is that we often make too much to even qualify for non-profit childcare centers and we are stuck with the private entities and paying thousands of dollars a month.

When both of ours were under two we were paying over 30% of our gross income for childcare. Ugh. I'm so glad I've only got two more years of forking out for childcare during the school year. We'll probably have spent a couple hundred thousand on childcare by the time both kids are in elementary.

hoping2retire35

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #47 on: August 02, 2018, 07:29:50 AM »
Financially, the best place to live is near grandparents. Not us personally; though the dollar price is great, the social price can be daunting.

e34bb098

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #48 on: August 02, 2018, 10:27:10 AM »
Rural Northern CA.  $700/month.  $350/month to hold our spot during the summer (spouse is a teacher and has summers "off," to the extent that full-time childcare is "off.").

onlykelsey

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Re: Where do you live and what do you pay for childcare?
« Reply #49 on: August 02, 2018, 11:07:25 AM »
Manhattan.  2200/month for an in-home style daycare in Harlem for my 18 month old. The big chains are 3200, so this is sort of a steal.  chose a cheaper place close to home, rather than near my job.