Working Outside Of The Home vs. Childcare Costs

Would you work outside of your home if your childcare costs you $3000 a month?

Tawnya, a reader, just submitted the following comment about Stay At Home Wives Being The New Status Symbol:

Women are generally super-critical of our own sex. I think this is based in widespread insecurity and confidence in decisions and the desire to be seen as ‘right’.

I’ve done/been it all, SAHM, WAHM, WOHM - and I can say they are all hard and each presents its own unique challenges. I’m a SAHM now and I can honestly say it’s purely economics, although I am getting used to it. It used to drive me nuts. Where I live, it would cost me nearly 3K a month to have someone watch my children. Maybe I could get a job that would cover those expenses, but I would be keeping much less than I would be spending on child care. Just can’t do it. For me, working is a luxury. When I was working? Staying home was.
What say you? In this situation, do you think working is a luxury? How much does childcare cost where you live?

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Filed Under: Children • Women

Tags: babysitter • childcare • stay at home mom • Stay At Home Wife • Women • work at home mom

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Tawnya (8 comments.) | Oct 20, 2008 | Reply

Hi! I’m happy to join the conversation and look forward to seeing what others say. To elaborate - I live in Silicon Valley and most daycare centers I’ve looked into (that would be alot) charge $250 per week per child. Part-time is only about a $50 discount. Not much. I have 3 kids. So, even though my oldest is in school already, I would need after-school care and the total would be almost 3K a month. If I went the nanny route, I would pay $18-20 per hour at 40 hours a week. Just a little less for a nanny.

Now, I’m originally from Texas and could expect to pay $250 for an entire month for 1 child. Consequently, quite a few families have 3 children. Out here in CA? I’m in what appears to be the minority. If people have children at all, they seem to restrict themselves to 1, sometimes 2. Had I lived in CA before having children, I’m sure I would have less children as well.

So, when I think about State and Federal Taxes, plus deductions like 401K, I wouldn’t have too much left over. And if you start thinking about the fact that I would actually have to start getting my hair done again, buy new clothes, and eat out a lot more because I’d be so tired after a full days work - just don’t think it’s worth it.

I think once the kids are all in school, though, I’ll get back in the work force, even if just part-time.

Tawnya’s last blog post..ACORN Death Threats - What Monster Did You Create, McCain?
CreoleInDC (26 comments.) | Oct 20, 2008 | Reply

No I wouldn’t.
Ashley @ Wide Open Wallet (3 comments.) | Oct 20, 2008 | Reply

Daycare here in Phoenix costs about $150 a week. You can find it for less, or you can pay more, depending on what you are looking for. But either way, it’s expensive. Especially when you have several children.

I wouldn’t work if daycare was $3,000 a month. Heck it would *only* be $1,000 a month for my kids and it’s too much for me to work.
LAL (3 comments.) | Oct 21, 2008 | Reply

That’s what it is where I live. I would likely not be working after 2 children paying $2k/month each kid, so $4k. That’s way too much.

LAL’s last blog post..paying tuition to life
Toy (2 comments.) | Oct 27, 2008 | Reply

I’ve been home for seven years now and I must say that childcare costs had alot to do with it. Aside from the fact that I’m super picky when it comes to who cares for my children, my children are all close in age and I would have to pay three tuitions. That was way over our budget and in the long run it has been a real blessing. Now I work from home and even though I do not earn a large salary it is a little extra spending cash from time to time. Hopefully I will get back to work when the kids are all in school but, I don’t think that I will go back full time.
Miss M (11 comments.) | Oct 29, 2008 | Reply

I don’t have children yet but being a neurotic planner can tell you that childcare in Los Angeles is about the same. Two kids at the daycare center by our house is $30k a year! My parents are itching for grandkids and I think next time they bring it up I’ll tell them, if they’ll foot the daycare bill I’ll pop out the kid!! Staying home isn’t an option for me, I’m the main, practically sole, breadwinner. I told the other half he needs to find a job that pays at least $60k a year or he’s going to be a stay at home dad. We’ll see if that motivates him career wise, ha ha. I’d love to stay home but unless we win the lottery it’s not happening, I may be able to swing part time with my employer. I hate that this country makes it so hard for working families, the taxpayers helped fund my education and I want to give back and keep working. But high cost, low quality daycare really limits your options.

Miss M’s last blog post..Got a Sharebuilder Account? Want 2 Free Trades?
Jessica (1 comments.) | Nov 4, 2008 | Reply

It’s $1000/month per child where my child goes in Seattle. One more child would put us at $2000/month and that’s as high as I would be willing to go so no more kids. I don’t think working is a luxury in these economic times. I have stay at home mom friends who’s husbands lost their good paying construction jobs and now they are out of luck going from only one income to none. It’s nice to have another income to fall back on just in case. I enjoy working and I enjoy being with my family, for me it gives me a good balance. Personal preference.

Jessica’s last blog post..Potty Projects
Kate (2 comments.) | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply

If childcare cost that much a month, I would stay at home. However, I do love having some sort of “professional” industry to occupy my time. I would look into online or tele-commuting work, like freelance writing, transcription, etc. Or, I would use my home location to my advantage, perhaps selling hand-made scarves and hats on etsy.com or selling home-canned fruits and veggies. I like that idea, because your child could learn from observing you, and you could involve them in your industry.

Kate’s last blog post..Smells like soup

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Working Outside Of The Home vs. Childcare Costs

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