https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:09:16 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521733 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:22:36 +0000 LuLu Mom 1521733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit: We do an inhome and spend right at 500/month. My daughter LOVES her in home &amp; we had orginigally discussed moving her to a center when she got older, but no way we will do that now. She's advanced for her age (18 months) without spending the money on "school." I want her to be able to enjoy her early years and if that's playing to learn then so be it. Just bcause it's not a center doesn't mean your child can't get great day care! My daughter has another "nana" in our daycare lady, and she loves her like family &amp; so do we! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521728 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:21:24 +0000 mrbee 1521728@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SugarplumsMom: what is the maximum amount?</p> <p>*prepares to cry haha!* </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521726 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:19:59 +0000 PurplePumps 1521726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Right now we save a ton, but if/when we have to pay for day care we will either have to cut our vacations (we typically go on 2 international trips a year) and/or cut down on savings. The last option if it really came down to it would be to reduce our retirement savings which we are maxing out right now. In general, we've always saved a lot and bought a house that was well below the max of what we could have so that we would have more cushion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521724 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:18:41 +0000 mrs. mochi 1521724@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>you can use your DSA even if you have a nanny or unlicensed care provider as long as they have a Tax ID. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521708 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:07:37 +0000 MsLipGloss 1521708@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Same. Nothing changed for us either.</p> <p>@LilyAnn: Agreed - we are very fortunate! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521679 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:47:43 +0000 lilyann 1521679@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Same here as well. We are very fortunate! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521671 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:42:57 +0000 StrawberryBee 1521671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We can't afford it, that's why DH is a SAHD and works evenings/weekends when he can. My job is the one that's steady/pays the mortgage/has benefits. We're lucky that he's able to be so flexible with work, and that he has the personality to be a better SAHP than I would be. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521599 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 06:29:01 +0000 London Mama 1521599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sugarplumsmom: I'm Swedish and some days it kills me to know that back home I'd be paying $350 and over here I'm paying $2300 a month! State subsidized child care is a requirement to labor force participation and sustained economic growth, in my view. Sweden is a small country but it does well economically, and this is largely due to high labour force participation from both men and women made possible by generous paternity leave and subsidized day care.</p> <p>Unlike good old England which is stuck in the 1950's.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521583 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:46:43 +0000 blackbird 1521583@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlebit, I found our in home by calling all the licensed ones and when they said they were full, asked if they had any recommendations. One did and it was in our subdivision and we really liked it. Since then, I mentioned to a neighbor of mine (also a realtor) we were doing in home, and she knew a few more people who did that. I think you just have to ask around like crazy. Not everyone is comfortable with an unlicensed daycare and I wasn't until I met her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521579 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:37:02 +0000 MamaMoose 1521579@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Same here. We waited to have a child until we could afford all the costs associated with having a child without having to significantly change our other spending/saving habits. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521573 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:20:20 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1521573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The main reason why we choose to live in Sweden vs US is because of the many benefits we receive as parents. Daycare is ridiculously cheap compared to the States. Cost of daycare varies by income, but there's a cap and the maximum amount is almost robbery considering it also comes with food (breakfast, fresh fruit morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521563 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:00:03 +0000 London Mama 1521563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We pay $2300 a month for part time day care (4 days/week) in London, England. It's crazy expensive and it's our savings that take a hit. And also as many PPs have said, we don't go out as much or spend as much on weekends away, cinema, concerts etc. </p> <p>I'm pregnant with nr 2 and when I go back to work almost my entire pay check will go to daycare fees. I consider this a temporary investment, which will enable me to earn significantly more in coming years. If I take a break from work and stay at home I'll never get back on the same career track. So for now we'll just have to put holidays and other fun things on hold for a few years, and try and cut costs wherever we can. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521393 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 22:31:43 +0000 Purpledaisy 1521393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We can't! so we work opposite schedules and I'm part time. We make it work though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521189 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:19:03 +0000 Bookish 1521189@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to get a new job! Originally we planned to save up enough to cover the first 6 months, then we were just gonna have to make it work. I ended up getting a new job at 7 months pregnant, making 20% more, and it saved our butts. We are still on a budget, don't have cable, etc...but yeah, if I hadn't gotten this job, we'd have been in bad shape. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1521150 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:00:21 +0000 littlek 1521150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: same here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1520243 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 13:42:14 +0000 looch 1520243@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know how to answer the question other than we can afford it without cutting out extras and still saving for the long term.</p> <p>We still have cable, we still go on vacations, I shop. I don't know, we don't do anything special. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1520000 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:40:29 +0000 Smurfette 1520000@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: Yep! Sorry should have said that upfront! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519993 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:38:22 +0000 Mae 1519993@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It sucks but I think it's just one of those "what are you going to do" situations. We knew the costs of daycare prior to getting pregnant, and daycare costs factored heavily into our decision of when to have kids. If it wasn't for daycare costs we probably could have had them a lot sooner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519987 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:37:10 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1519987@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swedishfish: well... when I was a nanny, my employer had me sign a paper that basically said I provide child care services for her, and that's how she got her reimbursement.</p> <p>@Smurfette: oh I see! so you pay the daycare upfront, basically, and then submit the payment claims to get reimbursed from the flex account. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519983 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:35:22 +0000 deactivated_account 1519983@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@grizz: and @swedishfish: I'm hoping my husband's wonky schedule also benefits us in the same way! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519979 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:34:47 +0000 Cherrybee 1519979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are very, very fortunate to have family help so we only have to pay for a part time childcare place. Even that is almost as much as our mortgage! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519978 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:34:29 +0000 deactivated_account 1519978@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JennyLayneAZ: This is sort of why I've put off having kids sooner, as well.</p> <p>DH and I sort of structured our careers around being somewhat flexible enough to not have to use day care. I also live in the same neighborhood as my mom, sister and friends. So we hope we can just swing it that way with childcare. My stomach cringes when I think about paying for it otherwise. I'd probably try to find a trusted college girl to use as a nanny if I had to. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519966 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:30:34 +0000 Boheme 1519966@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Same as @swedishfish: here. My husband has a weird rotating schedule, and we only need a few hours a day. Our current sitter is moving though, so we have to start all over again. It will suck if we end up having to pay a full time center when we only need very limited part time hours. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519938 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:20:05 +0000 swedishfish 1519938@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: @Smurfette: we can't do an FSA for child care because we use an unlicensed babysitter. I don't know how a nanny would work though...? Maybe it depends on who you have your FSA through. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519932 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:18:24 +0000 swedishfish 1519932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Good freaking question. This is the only scenario where my husband's wacky schedule is a good thing. We only need a babysitter 3 days a week for 2 hours at a time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519926 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:16:16 +0000 JennyLayneAZ 1519926@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>...this is why I have no babies yet :( I completely understand your frustration! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519885 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:05:00 +0000 Smurfette 1519885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: We just pay day care on the 15th and 30th of each month. The FSA money comes back to you, so if you use it to pay for child care then you can. I usually just put in the savings when I remember to transfer it. It is more of the tax benefit. I don't think it limits on what kind of child care. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare/page/2#post-1519843 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:51:10 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1519843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: oh, I meant how you pay childcare. It sounds like the process of taking it out is just like how an FSA account is done. So if you have the dependent care account - can you use just like $400 of it each month to pay for childcare? Also, do you know if there are limitations to what type of childcare you have to use (center vs in-home or nanny)? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare#post-1519672 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:01:09 +0000 Smurfette 1519672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: Nope, they divide the $5K over every pay checks. I submit my invoice at the beginning of the month. I get paid every other Friday. So since I always have more invoices then what has been taken out. I get what was taken out on Friday back in my checking by Tuesday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-the-eff-do-people-afford-daycare#post-1519658 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 10:57:48 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1519658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: I haven't used it yet... but can you evenly space it out - like contribute just $400 a month? That would make it seem so much more manageable! </p>