Child Care - How much?

Mommy2Isabella wrote: As many of you know, I will not be returning to work after the baby arrives !!

However, I will be watching my step sisters newborn as well as caring for my precious bundle.

Sal and I were talking about it and seeing how it goes for a few months with me and the two of them and talking about possibly taking on another child.

One thing I was wondering is, what are the going rates for child care ... I have no idea. In the beginning of my pregnancy I watched to little girls, but I didn't get paid JACK to say the least. I have no idea what the going rates are, we are trying to see if it would even be worth it for me to take on another child after a few months ...

CantWait replied: If you're a registered dayhome, you can expect to get paid anywhere from $6-$8 an hour, not including overtime. Otherwise $5.

moped replied: Well my best freind has a dayhome and she charges $750/month and is VERY low......so I don't know where you live, but I would say at least $500.

Are you in a big city..?

Mommy2Isabella replied: We live in a SEMI big city.

My step sister is paying me 400$ a month, which works out to be $2.50 an hour at 40 hours a week.

Saying $400 a month would LOW for here.

We live in Charleston, SC I tried looking up daycare rates here, I know my niece and nephew when they were in daycare it was like 250 a week for each of them, so $500 a week ... but who knows ...

CantWait replied: $2.50. Please tell me you don't provide meals right.

You're walking away with nothing no matter how you look at it.

Mommy2Isabella replied: LOL, with my step sister, No, her daughter is on formula, and will bring the formula and her own diapers and such.

Since she is family, I didn't really ask for a certain amount, she just said that THEY WOULD PAY ME. And sal and I were like ALRIGHT! We weren't going to ask to be paid from them. But as far as outside people lol, I would not provide meals just the care!

CantWait replied: Even if you do provide meals, all you would have to do is charge an extra $100 a month to cover costs.

It's also a big bonus when looking for childcare, but not a make it or break it.

Cece00 replied: It depends on your area.

Around here, infant daycare is slightly over $400 a month.

luvmykids replied: Here it runs about $30 per day per child on the cheap end, so $600 a month. But average is about $750-900.

Hillbilly Housewife replied:
You know what... that sounds about right on for what I'm making. And I do provide one meal, as well as snacks...which are, of course, 100% deductible. And a % of my rent, electricity, heating, craft supplies etc... is deductible as well. For staying home with my kids, and having 2 extra kids around, brings me about 800 - 850 a month. They certainly don't eat 850$ worth of meals every month... so it's all good. And, I already have to get craft stuff for my own kids... what's getting 2 extra?

lesliesmom replied: Because I have 3 children in home, licensed day care, I pay $20 a day per child. So, that's $100 a week per child. Typically, for a full-time, single child she charges $25 a day. Meals (breakfast and lunch) are included in that if they are old enough to be on table food, otherwise the parents are responsible to provide formula or breast milk (obviously), baby cereal and baby food. And of course, diapers. For a few years she was asking the parents to bring in a snack and a bottle of juice every month to help her out; however, as some parents weren't doing that, she now asks for an extra $5 a month per child to cover the costs of snacks and juice.

coasterqueen replied: I pay $100 a week til age 2, after age 2 it's $90 a child. So I pay $190 (minus a small discount for having 2 children there) a week. The rates I pay are EXTREMELY cheap for around here. These rates are for at-home providers.

ETA: That the state reimburses my at-home provider a large portion of her meal expense (like deductions) and we have to provide diapers, wipes, formula (I send ebm) and any other items we wish the kids to have.

holley79 replied: Right now Annika is staying with a friend of the family till she goes back to school. She is only charging me 100 a week. I provide everything.

She is going to a registered dayhome and it's going to be 125 a week. She's a friend of the family also but this is what she charges everyone. We don't live in a big city though. I know in the daycare I use to work in it was 150 a week for infants. I don't know what it is now.

ZandersMama replied: I take care of 2 children, about 8 hours a day and get 30 dollars a day. Its not alot of money, but I take care of them in their home and am able to take Zan with me. THer is a girl born the same week as Zan and a 5 year old boy.

youngmomofone replied: Here daycare runs for $250/month.

CosmetologyMommy replied: Are u licensed? if so then u can charge more. If not, I am not sure. Daycares here are about 300 a week. But that is for licensed care.

C&K*s Mommie replied: The average here for most children seems to be $90-$110/wk for children. The higher cost of course tends to be for infants, and the lower for children 1 yr and up.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
It depends on how many hours a day and how many days a week. Infant slots around here go for as much as $220 a week full time, 40 or more hours a week. More or less about $40 a day, perhaps $45 a day.

Considering I do not take infants in my home childcare, I am not sure if this would help you or not, but here are my rates (for 2 year olds through pre-K):
$170/week for full time, full 5 days per week
$38 a day for full days (more than 4 hours per day)
$28 a day for half days (4 hours or less)

Being an in-home licensed center that is on a food program I provide food. If I was not on a food subsidy program to get $$ returned for food I buy, I would not provide all meals.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
$250 a month? Are you sure that's not per week or for a preschool program per month? That is awefully low.

Boys r us replied: Around here for child care, the costs range anywhere from 90 - 160/wk

I pay 90/wk for in home care and she is licensed. She provides 2 meals, breakfast/lunch and two snacks. I provide diapers/wipes/baby food/formula/EBM etc etc
My sitter charges the same for newborns as she does the older kids b/c she says it all washes in the end b/c newborns require more attention etc..but they don't eat her food/drinks..so it all evens out int he end!

The higher cost ones around here are for day care centers that have video cameras that the parents can log onto to check on their kids etc. etc..

My2Beauties replied: We pay $80 a week for Hanna, Brian's grandma watches her, so we get off dirt cheap, we don't really take meals neither She eats oatmeal in the morning normally and then whatever his grandma makes for herself for lunch, Brian's aunt helps her watch Hanna too and she cooks for them sometimes. But Brian also has Hanna A LOT when he doesn't work, he hardly ever takes her over there, she just stays at home.

ashtonsmama replied: I have paid my babysitters $10/hr, but that's out here in expensive California, so it could be anywhere from $5-$15 where you are Jess, I'd ask around...