I'm just going to lay it out there - we live in the suburbs north of NYC in a high cost of living place but we are dual income so I am not complaining about that in general. We couldn't buy a home so we bought a two-bedroom co-op apartment which we love. But we just got a notice that daycare for one toddler is increasing from $1800 to $1950 a month for one toddler. Ouch! How are we going to keep doing this? How will we ever afford two in daycare?
Any other cost vents out there?!
watermelon / 14467 posts
That is so expensive! I live in KY and we currently pay more than our mortgage to have one toddler in daycare. I don't know how we'll ever be able to afford two kids in daycare.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Ouch! Ours has typically had annual increases but its been like $20-$50 per month increase. $150 extra per month is tough for sure! Is there anyway you can talk to them and see if you can get grandfathered in at the lower rate?
Any other options out there for daycare that would be cheaper?
watermelon / 14467 posts
I agree with @T.H.O.U., we complained and got grandfathered in at the lower rate (ours was supposed to go up $20 per month).
grapefruit / 4321 posts
We typically have an annual cost increase of about 6.66%. Your increase is about 8.33%, so higher, but given that you're in NYC, I'm not surprised the percentage increase would be greater. Affordable, quality day care is becoming a myth in this country and it's insane!
pineapple / 12793 posts
That's what daycare is here. Nannies are much more cost effective once you have more than one.
pomelo / 5660 posts
That's a pretty big increase. Ours normally increases $50 a month each year.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@avivoca: @teawithpaloma: To do 2 in daycare we actually had to find a cheaper center. 2 in daycare was going to be like $1800 which we could have done but it would have been REALLY tight. They did a 10% discount for the second (cheaper) child. When we put in our notice we were leaving, they offered to do 10% off both children if we wanted to stay. They totally offered it without us even asking. So there is definitely flexibility in the rates. Maybe see too if you could offer to volunteer or donate toys/books to help offset costs if it comes to that.
apricot / 490 posts
@avivoca: This is also more than our mortgage and maintenance (which is required for a co-op).
@T.H.O.U.: I will discuss it with them for sure, if anything just to understand what this extra cost is going to. We were previously at a home daycare that was $1600 a month but it was in a VERY inconvenient location. This center is literally across the street so we are paying a bit for convenience.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
Our normal increase is about 5%...it just annoys me bc I wonder where the extra income is going?!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I feel ya. I'm from there but had to move out to LI where it's slightly cheaper!
apricot / 490 posts
@Truth Bombs: It is insane! Thanks for those percentages. @oliviaoblivia: I am pretty sure we will need to get a nanny with two.
@T.H.O.U.: This is encouraging - I definitely initiate a discussion.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
We are staring down two in Daycare in about 8 mos...luckily - DD1 will move into the 2.5+ room which has a small rate reduction associated with it. So we will never have 2 in the highest price category!
When we have two in it will be more expensive than our mortgage - which kills me but it is temporary. Plus - I plan to look into our public preschool options sooner for DD1...
apricot / 490 posts
@snowjewelz: DH job is in white plains and I don't want him to have the long commute. I have dreamed about LI because that's where my mom is though!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@Mrs D: Yes, that was a big factor for us too. LO1 was age 3 when the baby was born. So it was a toddler + infant rate. Now we have preschool +toddler rate and then she's off to kindergarten. If we were to do a 3rd child, we would have to do something similar.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
@teawithpaloma: I grew up in Northern Westchester and lived/worked WP too before I got married and moved out to LI. Honestly, I love Westchester. It just really sucks that it's so expensive!!
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
@Mrs D: Paying employees (they deserve cost of living raises too), increased cost of materials, their own rent increasing, etc. 5% is a pretty standard cost increase due to regular inflation.
Running a quality childcare center is expensive, and since most are not subsidized at the operations level, that cost has to be passed to the consumers. These people aren't price gouging....it is just really really expensive to run a center. It stinks though, for sure 
apricot / 490 posts
@Mrs. Lion: I 100% understand re costs of running a center. I especially am concerned about paying workers a living wage. But this is an 8.3% increase. Also, inflation is currently stagnate http://www.multpl.com/inflation/table.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
@Mrs. Lion: I only wish I got the same raise annually! 
DD is at a large national center (Kindercare) their prices are easily the highest in the area (except for a few fancy shmancy ones that promise your kid will be a genius by 5)...so I do get frustrated bc I know from discussing with many of the teachers that the increases do not trickle down. I understand they are expensive to run...but I do know mine is doing it at a comfortable profit as is! 
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
Ours hasn't increased yet, which surprised me! I thought we'd get notice of an increase when the new school year started, but we didn't.
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts
Ouch, that's a lot. Ours increased over the last year- from $35 a day to $40 a day, so I totally understand where you're coming from. Honestly, daycare for two is going to take up a huge chunk of my paycheque when I go back to work.
pomelo / 5573 posts
Wow, that is a) a LOT and b) a big jump! We're facing the same worry of having two in daycare at a time and paying more for daycare than mortgage, but I'm blown away by how high your daycare costs are. I don't have any advice but that sucks and I'm sorry! Hopefully there are discounts for 2, and maybe you could look into someplace that splits the difference between cost and convenience?
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
@teawithpaloma: Interesting. That does seem high, but like you said, you live in a high cost of living area. I am sure if you were kind and curious about the way you asked, the director would be happy to explain the increase to you. Maybe not all of the specifics, but if they are raising it that much they must have a reason. They may have hired more highly qualified staff (which costs more) or they could be pursuing a higher rating (higher cost of materials), or they could be upgrading the playgrounds etc. There are a lot of possible very reasonable reasons...then with the info you could decide if the reasons for the increase are worth your extra dollars....if not I am sure you could find another center that fits your budget better. You would have to do the same with any service you pay for...it just seems super exaggerated because of the big numbers!
squash / 13208 posts
@teawithpaloma: $150 a month is a huge jump! Did you ask why?
Ours is usually about a $50 increase
apricot / 490 posts
There is a 10% discount for siblings.
These are the new prices at our center:
Infant $2100
Toddlers $1950
Preschool $1775
apricot / 490 posts
@Mrs. Lion: Yeah, it's generally about understanding where it is going so I feel better about the monthly costs. When we signed for this new center we assumed more expensive costs so this increase is just something we should have anticipated.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@teawithpaloma: I wonder if the rent increased? That seems to be what's driving a lot of it in this area.
apricot / 490 posts
@erinbaderin: I honestly think the costs for daycare where we live centers is from 1800-2500. I think in home daycare is from 1400-1800.
blogger / grapefruit / 4836 posts
@teawithpaloma: I would be sketched out if a director was put off by your asking (assuming you aren't accusing or what not, but I dont think that was your intention). A good director should be happy to discuss it with you. She is running a business, and as a paying customer you have the right to understand what you are paying for
apricot / 490 posts
@looch: I was thinking that! They are in this building that used to be a CVS so it is a huge cost for them alone. Again, I am paying for convenience for this location. It is on the way to the metro north station (walking distance) so lots of families use this daycare and then park their cars or walk to the train. It assumes most of us are earning NYC-salaries which I am sure is not the case for every family.
grapefruit / 4988 posts
I totally hear you on this. We live in an expensive area as well and when LO started daycare as an infant, it was already about $2100 per month. In the 20 months since, they've increased tuition twice across all age brackets by about 10% each time. Luckily, our rates have still gone down a little as she's moved into the older rooms, plus they have let current families keep the old rates for an extra 6 months after each increase.
In terms of having two in daycare, all the families here that have had two under age 2.9 (the preschool age) have left and gotten nannies. Since our LO is already two now, we will at worst have an infant and a preschooler, plus a small sibling discount, so we will be able to handle it, but it will be tough for a couple years. Basically having two in daycare for us means not being able to move to a bigger house for another few years.
grapefruit / 4455 posts
Ouch! That's a lot. We live in a high cost of living area but found a gem of a preschool for a decent price. (We pay about $500 for mwf mornings preschool... I think ft is about 1100.) I have no idea what kind of increase we will see next year.
apricot / 490 posts
@catlady: Ah MA? The other highly regulated, expensive daycare state. It's kind of nice to hear I am not alone at least.
grapefruit / 4988 posts
@teawithpaloma: Yes, MA! So crazy expensive here. Our daycare is reasonably priced for the area, too. All the Bright Horizons around here are currently charging close to $3500 per month for an infant. That is just mind blowing to me.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@teawithpaloma: Yeah, that kind of explains it then. I feel like logic is thrown out the window in this part of the country because there are a lot of people for whom money is no object.
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
@Mrs D: @Mrs. Lion: I didn't get a raise this year. Even when I do it is never more then 3%. But day care went up 5% and I know for a fact that the teacher's raises weren't that high.
@teawithpaloma: Our director said the 5% covered: teacher raises, rent increase, utilities, and increase in food costs. But I know part of it is just going into the owner's pocket.
apricot / 490 posts
@looch: Average asking price for a home in $1.4 million in our town.
grapefruit / 4321 posts
@catlady: $3500 a MONTH? For one?! Thank you, I shall use this as ammo next time my MIL tries to guilt me into moving back to MA.
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