https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 15 May 2026 09:24:47 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521740 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 08:23:59 +0000 MrsKoala 1521740@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In my area, in-home daycare is about $90-100/week cheaper than a center. We would have liked to use an in-home daycare but the hours of people recommended to us just wouldn't work with our schedules. Instead, LO will be at the center where I work even though it is much more expensive. But I think the convenience factor will make the cost a little less painful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521687 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:51:05 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1521687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: Agree with all this! :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521682 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:49:06 +0000 lovehoneybee 1521682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I looked at a couple of home day-cares online. The price difference wasn't insignificant (between $50-$75 less, which isn't a lot for some people, but is a lot for others), but I wasn't impressed by the pictures. I know I should have visited to get a real sense, but the pictures being used (and the descriptions of the sites) made us feel that it would be like going to a babysitter all day. Which would have been fine when he was younger, but at his age now we felt that he would benefit much more from a more structured learning environment. And I really liked the accountability of the director and more than one teacher (all of whom have a least a BA in Early Childhood Education, and several who have a Masters). </p> <p>The price for the center we went with wasn't outrageous, compared to some I looked at, it's close to my office, we loved it, and E seemed really comfortable there, so it won. He starts on Monday :) Overall we felt that we would be getting much more bang for our buck with the center. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521676 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:47:17 +0000 lawbee11 1521676@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: The price difference is about the same in my area (an in-home is $50-60/week cheaper). It was not enough to sway us. I think for me it would depend on what the in-home was like. If it's more like a center/classroom then I would be more comfortable with that than just someone in their home basically babysitting. At your LO's age I'd want somewhere with more of a curriculum. I think if he's the oldest and all the other kids are infants that's going to make it difficult for him to really get anything out of it. </p> <p>These may all be moot points because you may visit one and hate it while you love the other. We were fortunate that the center we loved was on the cheaper side of the range in our area, but I would've done whatever I needed to do to pay for a more expensive one if we hadn't been comfortable with the cheaper option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521667 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:39:22 +0000 looch 1521667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My answer would probably be different at different ages, to be honest. I feel like the deciding factor is age appropriate care.</p> <p>In an in home center, what are the age ranges of the currently enrolled children? I'd feel less comfortable if my kid was the only infant around a bunch of preschoolers, namely because in my state, the ratio requirements are different if you have all infants versus a mixed room.</p> <p>I'd also feel oddly if my son were the only toddler with all infants. I really prefer age appropriate segregation in the day care setting as it's easier to deal with all kids being in diapers or all kids using the potty.</p> <p>Hope that makes sense! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521659 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 07:25:27 +0000 SwanSong 1521659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Im in northern Mass. and found that there is a huge price difference, my little man goes to an in-home that is $200.00 per week, and the centers we looked at at ran from $400-$500 weekly. I felt too overwhelmed by the centers and felt in-home was right for us and out little one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521567 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 05:08:43 +0000 littlek 1521567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: I think you need to visit both and see which you like better. Personally, I would not make a decision based on cost. I'd base it in where you feel J would be the happiest. Daycare is a temporary expense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521521 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 01:41:52 +0000 Jewel664 1521521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Cost wasn't a huge factor for us. We looked at all options and went with our gut feeling. Ultimately we chose an in home daycare program. It's structured with a curriculum- I love it bc it's similar to a school where you can view " lesson plans and grades online." Our LO is only soon to be 7months, but they do so much with her already. DH said for us it was best to explore all avenues- center, nanny and in home. She has been in care since she was 4 months old. I don't regret our choice thus far. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521508 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:45:25 +0000 PurplePeony 1521508@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our center is $1675/month and most of the others nearby are more expensive than that. We only looked at one in-home because it is very close to where we live, and it was $1200/month. Both include food once the LOs are on solids. We liked the woman running the in-home, but she was just starting it and that made us a bit wary -- if she'd had it up and running for awhile, we may have gone with it but we didn't want to be guinea pigs with our newborn. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521492 Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:14:57 +0000 Boogs 1521492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Pen: Have you done pros and cons for each? Does the in home have more flexible drop off and pick up hours? Maybe that would be more helpful with your car situation?</p> <p>Either way, the easiet way to choose is to go and actually visit, I think it will help make your decision easier. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521413 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 22:52:53 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1521413@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: we haven't visited yet. I will visit both though :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521388 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 22:26:55 +0000 78h2o 1521388@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Centers here are $350-$375 for under 2. In-home is much cheaper, around $175-230.</p> <p>We moved from a center that was 15 min away (in the wring direction from work) to one that is 2 minutes away, and it has made my life a lot easier. However, we moved mainly because we liked the center better. Which site makes you most comfortable? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521365 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 22:12:53 +0000 Corduroy 1521365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're at our third daycare. The first was a center for $300/wk (cheapest center we found), then an in home for $200/wk that apologized for being expensive, now we're at an in home that charges $250/wk. We moved between daycare one and two. Centers here are $400/wk which we couldn't justify (and the waiting lists were too long so they weren't an option anyway). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521273 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:58:15 +0000 blackbird 1521273@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>$250/week for in home. I saw one that was $150 but it was junky. The center we considered was $212/week. Others are about $250-$300/week. </p> <p>It really wasn't a cost factor for us. We were just happier with the in home than the center. She'll go there when she's about 2.5 or 3. The in home is in our subdivision, which is nice. So I do pay more for convenience but I wouldn't if that were the only factor. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521270 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:57:20 +0000 yellowbird 1521270@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's about a 45$ difference here. If a center was more convenient/ideal I would totally send her there and not think twice. We use an in home because it's the best for her right now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521265 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:51:48 +0000 heartonastring 1521265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We'll be paying $37/day for in-home. Centres around here are mostly in the $45-$50/day range.</p> <p>Price wasn't really a consideration for us. We chose in-home because I didn't want it to feel like school since DD will only be one when she starts. I was raised with a nanny and DH went to an in-home daycare and we both have fond memories of the family-like environments. </p> <p>The daycare we're sending DD to is set up like a preschool and the caregiver does follow a curriculum and does amazing activities with the kids, it's just smaller (maximum of five kids) and more like going to a family member's house than going to school. So, in that regard, it's totally personal preference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521249 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:45:46 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1521249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't really priced it out. </p> <p>I think a big factor for me would be cost of just a in-home babysitter versus a real in home preschool. Aka is there a classroom like set up or just living space. Is there a curriculum and lessons or just go with the flow of the day. I've seen really cheap in home prices around here but I assume they are more just sitter type services which is understand ly cheaper. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521237 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:42:01 +0000 littlek 1521237@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't look at in-home daycares. We wanted our son going to a daycare center that had a curriculum. We see daycare as school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/price-difference-between-in-home-vs-center#post-1521218 Tue, 25 Mar 2014 20:31:48 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1521218@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm weighing my options. One in-home I looked at is $60/week cheaper than the center. That $60 a week is a huge difference to this working and student mama. But the convenience of the center (it is literally right next to our apartment building, since we share a car this would mean DH could assist in daycare pick ups/drop offs) is a huge draw. I honestly cannot decide which is more important to me. There are no in-homes within walking distance.</p> <p>What is the price difference between an in-home or a center in your area? What is enough of a difference to sway you one way or the other? </p>