[spischer]

Hi everyone

Since this will be our first child, I have a child care question.

What is the "average rate" to pay per day/per week for child care. After my FMLA I will be going back to work and my husband will stay working as well.

Thanks for all your advice.

spischer

[aclee]

There is no "average" it depends on your area, and if you choose a family daycare, licensed or unlicensed, or a daycare center. They can vary anywhere from $100 a week, for $300 a week...

We pay $175 a week and that is the LOW end for Massachusetts. Most home daycares are at least 200, which centers running 250-300. My sister, just over the border in NH, pays 150, with her second kid being another $50 each week. Unfortunalty me niece started preschool, so now she pays that, the $150 for her younger daughter, and the $50 a week for the part time care on the days niece doesn't go to Preschool (she goes 3 days), which is $40 a day. $320 a week for two kids, with part being preschool....NOT bad for New England...

Good Luck!

[Yash]

Hello,

It depends on where you live. I live in Los Angeles and $125 a week seems to be the going rate. My sister lives in a small town in Louisiana and pays $70 a week.

[missw005]

Hi Sarah!
I pay $3.50/hr for the boys - so the daily/weekly rate depends on how many hours they're at daycare. I just realized, actually, now that Q is in 1st grade, he'll only need before/after school care like J, which will save me about $200-250 a month!!!
A friend in Cadott, Wis pays $3/hr for her kids - and it's based on how many hours the kids are there - her boys are older, too, so it's just before/after school care.
Some daycares require you to sign up for certain days/times - and you pay that whether you use those times or not. That's more the norm. And some charge you a vacation rate on top of your fees -to pay for their vacation time, which I think is goofy.

And some daycares do NOT include food - or charge extra for it. My $3.50/hr includes breakfast, lunch and two snacks a day. Plus she does a TON of arts-n-crafts with the boys. She has them make cute projects for the holidays, and they always make me a "present" for Christmas and Mother's Day.
Now my Cadott friend has to bring her own food for her boys. She and her hubby bring a box of cereal and a gallon of milk so the boys have breakfast before they leave for school - and she also brings a box of granola bars or fruit snacks for after school.

HTH,
Sandy

[trixila]

For high quality licensed day care in my area (Chicago) you can expect between $250 and $500 a week. Do alot of research and talk to other parents. It is a huge decision. I have found you get what you pay for. This is not an area to cut costs.

[spischer]

Thanks for the great, quick responses!

We are thinking about using a friend of a friend that only has her daughter in her home....her daughter is 14 months. She recently quit her job at a YMCA Day Care and is now a SAHM and has offered to watch our child. She lives about a mile from our house, we live in a very small town in Northern Wisconsin. My problem is I just don't know what to offer her.

Your responses have been great! Please keep them coming!!!

spischer

[minibus]

When we were researching day cares (Seattle), it was all over the board. An in-home daycare was $800/month. Another one we looked into was $1800/month.

[megaphonemo]

We pay $500/week for a 3 year old and a 7 month old at a big chain. Killing me to do it.... $2K a month - worse than a mortgage payment!!! As they get older the costs go down too.

We can't do an in home nanny b/c I work from home a lot, and am not disciplined enough to go downstairs and not poke my head out for 8 hours.... And the 3 year old hears me and wants to come visit...

Good luck, and good for you to start planning this now!

Mega

[makarios79]

Daycare centers where I live run about $150-$220/wk for infants....Most home daycares are about $125-$175/wk for infants. I live in Northeast florida.

I pay $200/wk total for both of my boys (ages 2 & 3)....Which is on the low end (but no the cheapest). However it is a LOT of money for this single mom with a very limited budget...lol This includes 2 meals and the parents take turns bringing snacks.

My oldest son, has a late birthday, so he couldn't go to FREE voluntary Pre-K this year because he won't be 4 until the end of October. I so wish he hadn't missed the cut off day, so he could have went to free PRE-K this year. But oh well, next year....

[emtb79]

I strongly suggest a liscened facility either home daycare or center. They are regulated by the state and they have background checks. Babysitters are not.

[Saya]

Well I live in NYC where things are prohibitively expensive, so hopefully my experiences are not typical! We pay $8 an hour for a small licensed family day care, and that's pretty reasonable for our area.

[slugbug0930]

One of my friend watches DD during the day. She used to have her own in-home daycare but now just watches DD and sometimes one other baby on occasion. I pay $125 a week. I did some research and found that the cheapest I could find a daycare for DD here was about $160 per week and was willing to pay that but my friend named the price and that is what we went with. She really wanted to watch DD. I provide all her formula, diapers, wipes and ect. Once she gets to eat "real" food I will provide that as well. Plus I pay her for all holidays that I get off paid and a week of vacation.

If your friend really wants to watch your baby. I would just suggest talking to her and finding out what she was thinking rate wise. Also do some research before hand so you can go into it with some prices in mind to discuss with her.

The only obstacle I have found with having a friend versus a regular daycare is that individuals need time off for vacations, emergencies and such and daycare centers don't. Luckily for me my mother is retired and is always willing to drive the 2 hours to come stay and watch DD.

[ocracoke]

I agree it is all area dependent. I currently pay $121.50/week for my daughter in NC. She is 3 years old at a large day care center (about 165 kids). I am starting to look at other options and if I opt to place her in care in the town I work in (as opposed to in the town I live in) I will be paying about $190/week.

Samantha

[fisbaby]

Wow, I thought I spent a lot on daycare! We pay $80 / week for our daycare. It is one of the less expensive ones, surrounding towns a little larger are about $125/week but thankfully we live in a small town. That's for an inhome licensed daycare.

[Eponine]

I'm in small-town Illinois and we pay $135/week which is on the low-end for our town. That includes food/formula but not diapers or wipes.

It's *SO* regional though - I've heard people have a huge difference in cost in the same city, just different neighborhoods....

ETA: that is for a daycare center where DS is in a room with 7 other kids.