Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

In general I think daycare costs are insane. I use a daycare center and have no issues with using one but I know people do so they look for alternatives.

Talking with people and the amount of money expected for off the books IMO is insane and what is even more insane people out there are paying these prices.

So I ask you how much do you think someone should be paid to watch your newborn at their house where they will have either kids at home and/or watching other children for lets just say 10 hours a day 5 days a week and we will say all food, diaper etc. is supplied by the parent. This is all off the books so they don't pay taxes and you loose the tax break.

Next I ask how much you expect to pay to have someone come to your house and watch you newborn 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. For this situation we will say they are there just to watch you child and pick up after them no extra stuff. Again off the books so the don't pay taxes and you loose the tax break.


Just need to know if I am the crazy one to think what is asked is insane. You can tell me what you pay vs what you really think you should pay if that is different

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I was paying between $975-$1000 a month for two days per week, but I paid the teacher rate which was a bit higher so I didn't have to pay for school vacations. My child was older though (2 years). We paid about $1075/month for two days for newborn at a different center, no teacher rate.

If someone is coming to my house for 10 hours/day, 5 days/week, I would expect to pay them a livable wage. Probably $3000-$3500 a month.

Just as an aside, although the tuition is astronomical, the teachers get paid nothing. I taught for 10 months in a daycare and with a masters degree I was making $11/hour.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

IMHO, I would never pay someone who is not licensed and insured to care for my children.

That being said, if I were to be in that situation I would not pay more than $200 a week - which is $40 a day. That would be for them watching my child in their home while they are being paid to watch other children.

I am not really sure what I would pay for someone to come to my home and exclusively watch my child.

The daycare I currently use and have been using for the past 6 years is more than that per week BUT they provide food, drinks, snacks, wipes, and a toothbrush. The only items I have ever had to provide were diapers, formula, bottles and baby food.

Message edited 7/12/2017 1:23:23 PM.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I had a nanny at my house those hours off books and paid $500/week for one kid and $600/week for 2 kids. I also used a daycare center and paid around $2500/month for both kids. At the time those rates seemed market rate and I hear now nannies want more. Yes I know its off the books but even so at $2000/month thats only $24,000 per year so let's say that is approximately equivalent to $40,000 on the books, they are still working a 50 hour week, without benefits, and are responsible for a human life, so I felt that was more than fair.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Honestly one thing I don't go cheap with is my child's care. $200 to watch an infant full time is definitely not enough. A proper Nanny is more like 700 to 800 a week. I certainly cant afford that and that's why my kids are in a licensed daycare
You get what you pay for in my opinion.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I would only pay for someone who is licensed, insured, and passed a background check. I would think it would be $700 minimum and frankly, more for a newborn because they require so much care. To me, care for my kids was never something I would skimp on. I had to 100% trust that the person taking care of my kids has my kids best interest at heart all of the time, every time. I did not have anyone but immediate family or DH/I look after my kids until they were five months old. Caring for a newborn is exceptionally tough, tiring work. I fully recognize the privilege I had being able to be with my kids when they were so young so I did not worry.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I think it depends on the situation. Let's say a stay at home wife, no other kids, just looking for something to do while her husband is at work. She does it just for something to do. She only asks for $300/week. Because she knows how expensive daycare is and wants to help out a family. I don't think that the care provided would be any less worthy. This is not one of those you get what you pay for type of situations.

Currently I pay $120/week for a Stay at home mom of high schoolers to watch my 5 yo 5 days a week for 2.5 hours a day. For a full 40 hour week, when school is closed, I pay $400. She can come and go and she sees fit. She takes him out. I do not tie her to the house. She has no other responsiblities in my home, except let the dogs out. She is a godsend and I wish I had found her years ago. Could she make more, yes. But we came to an agreement and she does this because she is bored. She treats my son like her own grandchild.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Who could afford $800-1000 per week though? Not me. And I thought I made a decent salary. I would sooner quit my job. I think for at home, unlicensed care, I would pay $250-300 max per week. The person doesn't pay taxes, gets to stay home in their pj's all day if they want. And they likely have one or two other children they watch as well. I'd pay a bit more if they were coming to my home.

The best childcare providers I've ever had were home daycares. I had a summer sitter who watched both my kids are her home for 10+ years, she was like a second mother to them.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

While I'm not answering your question exactly, this is why we use au pairs. We pay a large upfront cost (i.e. $7-8k) and then pay them $200/week and provide them with room, board and access to a car. We have had several wonderful young women (between 18-26) join our family and it has been a wonderful experience.

They are insured and we get the benefit of the childcare tax deduction.

Message edited 7/12/2017 2:06:51 PM.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

DD goes to someone's house with a couple of other kids. we supply all diapers, wipes, food, etc. Currently, and for the last 15 years that she has been babysitting, she has at most 3 kids under the age of 2 with her (including DD), and at most 3-4 older kids that she walks to the elementary school in the morning, so they are gone by 8am anyway. For the majority of the day, she has maybe 3 kids at the house with her. She has a helper, her next door neighbor, as well. DD is there 4 days/week for a total of about 33-34 hours per week. I pay $200/week.

I also wanted to add to those on here that will only send their kids to licensed and insured places: My sitter just became licensed because someone on her block sold her out. It was an older couple selling their home, and didn't really get along. Anyway, while she was going through the licensing process, she found out she can have like 5-6 kids under the age of two PER PERSON legally. Could you imagine there being 10 toddlers and only two adults?? She was saying that while she was in the training classes, lots of women were there who intended on taking on that large of a crowd because they want the most money possible. She said she would never ever take on more kids than what she already has because this is what she is comfortable with, but said that when people go to places just because they are licensed, they should really be careful. This is not to say that a licensed place isn't good, because i like knowing they do fire drills and whatnot, but just because they are following the legal NY rules, doesn't mean it is necessarily "right."

Message edited 7/12/2017 2:46:45 PM.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

10 hours a day 5 days a week for a private "nanny", I would expect to pay roughly $10-$12 an hour or $100-$120 a day especially for a newborn.

If I were using an "in home" daycare setting where there were other children, I would think that $300 per week would be fair.

I have zero experience with center based care.

When I used to babysit in my home, I was paid $10 an hour for 4 hours a day for 1 child. She was the only one I watched and I brought her everywhere with me.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Posted by blu6385

Posted by nraboni

IMHO, I would never pay someone who is not licensed and insured to care for my children.

That being said, if I were to be in that situation I would not pay more than $200 a week - which is $40 a day.

The daycare I currently use and have been using for the past 6 years is more than that per week BUT they provide food, drinks, snacks, wipes, and a toothbrush. The only items I have ever had to provide were diapers, formula, bottles and baby food.

thank you my type of person I would probably consider go a little higher than that and if it was at my house only child I would pay but certainly not anything close to what the PP suggested especially off the books. That is a very good salary for someone esp. Since no taxes are being taken out!!

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Paying more money does not mean you get better quality care. I have had my children in private babysitters family dacarea and large daycare centers. There are pluses and minuses to each situation. But those of you who say that you pay more for better quality care it is not necessarily true. The place I paid the most for I called the state on.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Both my children are in a daycare facility (same one) and we pay $2,700/month which includes a 10% sibling discount on my youngest.

It seems like a lot of money but you get what you pay for IMO.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I pay 1500 a month for 50 hrs a week for an 8 month old. She has been in daycare since she was 3 months. There are definitely cheaper options near us but I refuse to have her in someone's house . The facility we use has cameras that we can check out throughout the day. The teachers are great. I definitely think it's worth the extra money

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Message edited 7/12/2017 8:35:27 PM.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

Message edited 7/12/2017 8:41:48 PM.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I have a little different situation, a family friend babysits my kids between 2-8 hours weekly. My schedule is very very flexible so I only go into work 3-7 some days. I work a bulk of my hours 2 days a week when my mom is home and watches them. For my twins I pay her $20 an hour. This wasn't something she asked for, I decided how much we were paying her and the first check I wrote her, her jaw dropped and refused it because she feels we are overpaying. To me though, to have this arrangement, I feel it's very fair. She's my moms best friend for over 30 years and lives next door to my parents. I cannot risk her ever giving up sitting. Her schedule changes weekly but I give it to her a month in advance what hours she's working and I also have had to call her at 6am to come over and she's never had an issue. So for me, I pay that much because she watches them only a few hours a week and it really helps me out more than she probably ever realizes

Message edited 7/12/2017 9:24:01 PM.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

We paid about 1200/mo for part-time daycare in a center. When you do the math, its only about $10/hr.

Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

I paid $300 a week for an in home daycare and the woman had other children as well...so she was making a a ton of money ...However I ultimately left because I felt there were too many kids and I didn't feel it was safe (she was a great person, not a licensed facility though). She probably pulled in about 60-70k CASH form10 months because she only did school months.

Re: Your opinion on how much should daycare cost

In Florida 4 years ago

Daycare: 800-1000/month
In home daycare: 600/month
Nanny: 2,000-2,500/month