https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:31:06 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306355 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:43:43 +0000 winniebee 2306355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: Those are all things that keep your sanity. It's hard to save, especially with daycare costs. Frankly, it's one of the reasons I'm working now! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306333 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 12:24:14 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2306333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@winniebee: @BandDmommy: Yea Florida isn't cheap either and I have my MBA :( But I am working for the state instead of private corporations. I've just been feeling down and behind because we live comfortable (eating out, shopping, vacations, etc to keep our sanity) but we aren't contributing like we should to college, retirement etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306280 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:55:49 +0000 jape14 2306280@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: totally agree with this point you made *the cost of daycare allows your partner to work as well.* in one of the recent articles about Anne-Marie Slaughter and her husband's work-life balance, they brought this up - basically, that childcare is a household responsibility and that the woman's role shouldn't be solely to provide childcare herself or to finance it if she chooses to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306279 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:54:07 +0000 Mrs. Carrot 2306279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: I totally agree with your comment. I recently had two people (one of them my mom, who also worked my entire life) comment on how my kid may feel neglected because my husband and I are both about to hit busy times at work (in different intervals, so as far as my daughter is concerned, nothing will change for her except a little less mom during the week when I have occasional early morning or later evening days, and a little less dad on weekends while he's in class). I didn't pick up the issue with either person but it really bothered me for a long time because no one once said the same thing to my husband. And no one asks him about who's watching his kid when he has to work early or late or on a weekend, but I get those questions nonstop. I love working and can't ever imagine being a SAHM but showing my daughter that it's possible to be a good mom and have a professional life is a huge deal to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306221 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 11:04:53 +0000 dagret 2306221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BandDmommy: what i meant was, and it's difficult to articulate online, is that no one *ever* questions if a working dad is a "good dad." because if he spends any time with the kids, well he should practically get a medal. I don't think my kids will love me any more or any less because I work, or any more or any less depending on the amount I bring home - what I was aiming for and articulated incorrectly is that for *ME* being a good mom includes working outside the home. It wasn't meant to be a judgement call on anyone's decisions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306128 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 09:53:46 +0000 MaisyMay 2306128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Currently I make about $1000 a month over daycare, but that is after our health insurance and other benefits are taken out, and when LO 2 is born in the spring, or insurance won't go up. I also have my own retirement ascot and life insurance, plus other benefits that are paid by the company. Once we are doing daycare for two, my pay will over childcare plus only a few hundred more a month, but the benefits make it worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306072 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 09:17:44 +0000 Rockies11 2306072@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: for me, another strong motivation is what would happen if my husband died. I had two friends in high school with SAHMs where the dad died, and in each case the moms ended up working retail jobs for minimum wage, downsizing, struggling, etc. </p> <p>The other thing that I think about is, even if forego a modest amount now to SAH, I am also foregoing my wage in 5 years and 10 years and 15 years, which is a considerably greater sum. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306027 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 08:56:11 +0000 BandDmommy 2306027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@dagret: I think you are a good mom whether you work at home, outside the home or stay home with them.. Your kids love you and respect you because you show them love. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2306020 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 08:53:35 +0000 dagret 2306020@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>as long as we broke even on the cost of one of our salaries it's worth it. because:<br /> *the cost of daycare allows your partner to work as well.*<br /> *retirement savings and benefits*<br /> *possible healthcare benefits - for us to go on my husband's insurance would cost $12k/year. Mine? less than 1/3 of that and with better benefits*<br /> *other perks like free lunches, cell phone service, etc.*<br /> *maintaining a career in case the worst happens. My former boss's husband passed away unexpectedly at a young age. She is so thankful that she worked throughout her daughter's childhoods -- one of the widows in her support group quit working and was subsequently in a really bad place.*<br /> *other, "priceless" benefits, like showing my kids that women can work and be a good mom; having disposable income for vacations and extras, etc.* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305927 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:45:01 +0000 yellowbird 2305927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's not even a question for me because I am the breadwinner and I make a lot more. For my husband though, he brings home around 1k a month above childcare and it is worth it. He doesn't want to be a sahd and any extra helps. Now if it was 500 or less I would really be questioning if it was worth it because he works long hours </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305909 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 07:32:42 +0000 bushelandapeck 2305909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work PT for my sanity and what I make covers childcare and my contribution to my 401k. Some days I really question if it's worth it but I really do like my job, so that helps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305885 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:57:59 +0000 BandDmommy 2305885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: @T.H.O.U.: I live in suburb of DC, super expensive area. And I'm a CPA. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305878 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 06:44:09 +0000 winniebee 2305878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: @T.H.O.U.: we live in New England which is pretty expensive...and we happen to live in a coastal town....super expensive. That said, I'm an attorney so lots of prior schooling and loans ; ) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305861 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 05:10:20 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2305861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jedeve: yes!! I'm thinking the same thing. And we aren't super low cost of living. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305801 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 21:27:56 +0000 jedeve 2305801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some of these take home after childcare salaries are more than I made in a month, before childcare! Incomes are really low where I live. </p> <p>I would have made about $200 a month after childcare, so I stayed at home. It's not exactly how I wanted things to work out. But my organization was in free fall, a raise wasn't an option and I was miserable. It was a wonderful job though. So I get kind of annoyed when people tell me how lucky I am that I can stay at home. Yes, if my husband made significantly less I would have kept working, but the kids would have gone to substandard unaccredited daycare. Is that really what we call "luck"??</p> <p>I feel like I can "make up" that $200 in other ways since I SAH. I don't need as many clothes, I can cook every night so we don't have takeout, less driving, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305712 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 20:04:52 +0000 namaste 2305712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sera_87: Agreed. Even though I WAH, DD is still going into daycare. Working is the life for me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305633 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 19:21:28 +0000 sera_87 2305633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Any amount because staying home is NOT for me. I'd lose my ever loving mind.</p> <p>ETA: I did specifically move to a province that subsidizes daycare heavily; so I kinda feel my response is kind of skewed anyway. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305615 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 19:02:02 +0000 KayKay 2305615@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since we don't financially need me to work anymore, "worth" would be based on how much I like what I'm doing (short-term) and/or whether it would allow me opportunities long-term. </p> <p>DH can take like one extra call night a month and make more than I would've (net) in a month, so....yeah. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305538 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 17:14:38 +0000 Ms. RV 2305538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Adira: Exactly what I was going to say! I've never known an engineer to take more than a six month break and have it not negatively impact their career. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305526 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 16:59:59 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2305526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Right now I'm making less per month than we are paying in child care, for multiple reasons.</p> <p>I am in school, so me working e/o weekends does help at least somewhat with childcare/groceries. </p> <p>I am staying relevant and continually gaining skills and contacts in healthcare. </p> <p>Once I'm working FT, I would say that making twice as much as daycare per/month is a decent amount. But there are so many other factors to consider too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305486 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 16:11:20 +0000 Navy_Mommy 2305486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BandDmommy: my husband is an aviation mechanic in the Navy. It's not the life I ever imagined for myself, honestly, but it's pretty awesome, lol. </p> <p>He'll be on shore duty starting this fall and my whole family is like, "does that mean you'll go back to work since he won't deploy for the next few years?" And I just laugh, not deploying doesn't mean not leaving. He'll still be gone all the time, just not for more than three months at once. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305474 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:56:20 +0000 Rockies11 2305474@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am in the big picture camp too - I work because I want to have a job after I am done having kids, because I like working, because the maternity leave benefits make me have enough money to have lots of fun with the kids on maternity leave. As well, even if I never make more money than I currently do, eventually daycare won't cost so much and we will have that money to do other things. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305471 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:52:01 +0000 BandDmommy 2305471@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Navy_Mommy: Story of my childhood, my mom worked odd jobs based on where we lived until my dad retired. My dad was Navy pilot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305460 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:36:21 +0000 wheres_c 2305460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my previous role I would have made about $2K after childcare expenses.<br /> That wasn't "worth it" to me for all of the stress at work and the loss of the time with my son.<br /> Now I make 7K/month after childcare. The additional things this allows our family to do is worth it.<br /> I think I wuld have gone back for anything over $4K month after childcare with good medical benefits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305437 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:19:48 +0000 Navy_Mommy 2305437@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would have to make a lot beyond childcare to be tempted to go back to work, but my situation is unique. </p> <p>For the most part my husband is gone more often than he's here and I need to flexibility to be with my kids (something I would NOT have in the field my degree is in). I worked 80 hours a week regularly before having kids, and that's just kinda standard for what I did. It wouldn't be fair for my kids to have a deployed father and a mom that works that much with their entire extended family on the other side of the country. </p> <p>Plus it's hard to find decent jobs as a military spouse because we move every three years. And I can't control where we go, so it's not like I get to look for an area with a good job market. </p> <p>I'm lucky enough I found something completely unrelated to my degree that I can do from home with minimal childcare that I find personally fulfilling, otherwise I would have lost my mind by now, lol. </p> <p>When DH retires in 6 years (I'll be 33) it'll be my turn to focus on my career, for now I'm thankful I get to spend this time with my kids. Even if they're driving me nuts today. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305423 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:57:39 +0000 littlebug 2305423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Once Baby #2 arrives and is in daycare fulltime, we will barely break even, with MAYBE $300/month extra. I don't care. I know I'm a better mother when I'm not around my kid 24/7. I do not have the patience to be a SAHM. </p> <p>Even without the non-financial incentive, and even if we broke even or less than, I'd still continue to work because if I didn't cover me and D through my health insurance, my husband would have to pay close to $1000/month to cover us. That's over the cost of what we currently pay for 1 in daycare, and not far off from what we'll pay for 2, sooo...yeah. </p> <p>Do I LOVE my job? No. But for right now, it's a necessity, both financially and psychologically. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305401 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:39:14 +0000 avivoca 2305401@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <br /><p><i>This comment has been deleted by the original poster.</i></p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305399 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:37:03 +0000 MrsKoala 2305399@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, breaking even is fine. I choose to continue working because I enjoy it and because my field is constantly changing and dropping out of the workforce would make it very hard to keep up and to get another job later on. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305393 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:26:23 +0000 LadyPantaloons 2305393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Right now I make about $1400 above childcare, this is one 3 year old in daycare full-time. On the weekend I work casually and teach art classes to people in the community - it's not steady but I rely on about 200-300 a month from this. I don't pay for daycare during this time because DD is either with DH or a grandparent. This doesn't seem like much but my contribution to the family can't be denied. </p> <p>The money I make (above childcare) goes towards all our utility bills, gas in my car, a big grocery run, contributions to my retirement and DD's education savings plan - and if everything comes out rosy at the end of month I squirrel away money for clothing a gifts. I can't help with debt reduction and the mortgage, let alone emergency savings - which sucks because with just DH working away on these, we will be in debt a long time. I've sort of come to terms with I'm not in a high earning part of my life. </p> <p>Once I have my second, and return from mat-leave, I don't believe I will feel like it would be worth it to return to work. Considering commuting to the office, which is half hour one way, and things like work wardrobe, I did the math and I'll have about $300 a month in my pocket after childcare for 2, which is mostly due to the high cost of care for an infant in my area. Might cover groceries? </p> <p>So I'm considering a career change or staying home for a few years and just continuing working casually on the weekend. Such hard decisions and leaving my full-time job is not something I will do lightly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-much-would-you-have-to-earn-above-childcare-costs-to-make-working-worth-it/page/2#post-2305362 Tue, 29 Sep 2015 14:11:19 +0000 lovehoneybee 2305362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even breaking even would be enough for me, because Ev and I have both thrived with me working. That said, the health insurance alone is probably worth me working, not to mention contributions to my IRA and other benefits. </p>