https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:30:50 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2773033 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 16:34:35 +0000 jape14 2773033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you looked into a nanny? You could potentially have a nanny for the younger two plus she could meet your oldest off the bus or find a nanny willing to do the more part-time hours. Not sure what the going rate for nannies is in your area, but you may find it to be comparable especially if you consider what the reduction in your salary might be by going to a reduced schedule. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2773013 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:46:31 +0000 snowjewelz 2773013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My only thing would be about that 15 minutes each way. Currently our school is not even a 5 minute drive and since my mom picks up as well it's very easy for all parties involved to go to/from. BUT with that significant of a saving (we are running pretty tight with 2 in daycare/preschool also), I would seriously consider it, especially if you feel that everything about the new school would be on par with this one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772996 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 14:39:54 +0000 birdofafeather 2772996@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>that's significant savings, so i would absolutely consider it if it were an equal trade. i always look at different preschools and pricing, but with the hours we have, the quality of teachers, how close it is, the school we're at is a great quality for the price! all those things factor into our decision making process. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772962 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:31:30 +0000 HappyBaker 2772962@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Good point on the extra commute / time in the car! 15 minutes adds up! </p> <p>@Mrs. Dolphin: Glad your transition went well! </p> <p>Thanks everyone! I think I'll at least get on their waiting list and then we can decide if/when we get a spot next year! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772961 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:26:36 +0000 Mrs. Dolphin 2772961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Absolutely, if the new daycare is the right fit! We had to change daycares this year because our old one was closing (they lost their lease). Our oldest was 2 years, 9 months when he moved. A month later, we got a spot in the same daycare for our younger son who was 17 months. We have loved our new daycare and the transition really wasn't that bad for them. We were really nervous about transitioning our older one because he's very shy, but he loves it now. It took about 1 week for no more tears and probably 2 weeks for a full transition. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772960 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:26:20 +0000 babypugs 2772960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In this situation, definitely. I considered it when I had my second but in my case the quality would have dropped significantly, so I opted to stay put. Even that was tough to turn down for me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772956 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 12:13:49 +0000 avivoca 2772956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I considered this last year but ultimately decided to keep my kids where they are. It wasn't an even trade and the center I looked at wouldn't allow us to bring in our own bags/car seats because they didn't want bugs coming from home. Baby would be starting in January so that was a big "no" for me.</p> <p>However, we are planning on moving and will definitely be switching our kids to a preschool/center in our new town. It's much cheaper there and the school system offers a preschool that has daycare hours and costs significantly less per week for my older child. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772943 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 11:21:24 +0000 misolee 2772943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For that significant amount, I would switch too! Kids are reseilient and I'm sure your kids will thrive wherever they are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772930 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:45:40 +0000 psw27 2772930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For over $8,000 a year, I would make the switch if I thought my older child would be happy and content there and the quality was the same. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772927 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:25:03 +0000 gingerbebe 2772927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd do it if the extra commute time wasn't going to adversely affect your life. Depending on where its located in relation to work or home, that would be like an extra hour a day in the car for pickup/drop off, which over the course of a month is 20 hours. That's a part time job! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772921 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:00:48 +0000 youboots 2772921@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD goes to school 3 days a week at a school a little less than 15 minutes away. It's her 3rd fall there. We are considering moving to that town, but if not I'm not worried about her making friends at a new school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772920 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 09:57:06 +0000 StrawberryBee 2772920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would. I had the opposite problem: after we moved I chose to keep DD in her old daycare (and sign baby-due-any-moment for it as well) because of the cost savings when compared to the daycares near our new house.</p> <p>That kind of savings can translate into less finance-related stress, more after school activities, vacations, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772911 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 08:49:30 +0000 looch 2772911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would change, if I were exchanging like with like. </p> <p>I think we all run into this kind of thought process, where we want the best we can provide for our children, but we also have to factor in the very real costs. I would also factor in gas costs, I know 15 minutes seems like it's not a big deal in terms of distance, but it's extra wear and tear on the car (and unless you're electric), it's going to be more in gas. And you have to consider going there and back too, plus your distance to your employer.</p> <p>I also wouldn't worry too much about not knowing any kids at all in K, my son faced that last year and while transitions can be a big deal for him, he soon found his circle of friends. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772908 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 08:09:32 +0000 HappyBaker 2772908@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Thanks that helps! I should also have mentioned I don't love the infant teachers at our current daycare and we had a rough time with them when DS was in their class, so that adds fuel to the fire of moving them to a new place! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772907 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 08:07:27 +0000 Anagram 2772907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@HappyBaker: I would strongly consider it! If I thought both daycare centers were the same quality, then yes I would make the switch.</p> <p>My oldest started a daycare when she was 5 months old that I felt very Meh about, and it was expensive (2k a month, back 4 years ago.), So after 6 months there, I switched her to a daycare close to my work which was way out in the suburbs and a lot cheaper (1100/month full time). Then I switched her at 3 to our city's pre-k program because it's a free full day program, and then we had a nanny to pick her up each day and keep her till I got home. So she had a lot of school changes and adjusted fine every time.</p> <p>Now, on the other hand...my 2nd kiddo was home with a nanny from 4 months until now at 2 years. We just started her in full time daycare and she is having a ROUGH adjustment. Sobs every single day at drop off and pickup. But it's only day 5, so I'm hoping she adjusts soon. One of the reasons we switched from nanny to daycare is that it saves us over 1k a month. So although I question our decision after drop off every morning, an extra 12k this year is nothing to sneeze at. Not to mention that with daycare, we can deduct the 5k childcare expenses on our taxes, and we couldn't do that with our nanny since we paid cash. So really, it's saving us more like 17k this year. </p> <p>All this to say, I think saving money is a valid reason for making childcare adjustments, as long as you feel the new center is good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/switching-daycares-to-save-money#post-2772904 Tue, 12 Sep 2017 07:37:20 +0000 HappyBaker 2772904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Would you switch daycares just to save a considerable amount of money? Would it depend on the age of your child? </p> <p>Next year DD will be off to full day kindergarten and I'd really love to go part time / 30 hours at my job so she can take the bus and I can be home before and after school for her. We also have DS who will be 3 and baby #3 due in April. At our current daycare for the baby and DS full time it would be $715 a week (yes we live in a crazy expensive daycare state!). At this new daycare it would be $550 a week. </p> <p>The only cons I see are that the new daycare is 15 minutes away as opposed to our current which is in our town, so they won't meet as many kids who will be in their school once they hit K since its in a different town and most kids are from that town. I know the baby would be fine since it would be their first daycare, but I'm worried about moving my son at age 3 to a totally new place with new teachers / kids just to save money.</p> <p>Asking now because this daycare has a crazy waiting list!</p> <p>ETA - we could technically make either option work but obviously things would be much tighter if we keep them at our current daycare. </p>