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How do you afford childcare ?

Old Dec 7, 2011 | 05:48 PM
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Default How do you afford childcare ?

Before anyone starts, yes I decided to have child and yes I accept the costs ..

but FFS it's cost me about 1300 a month and its crippling us, we have no money to save and no money to do anything with..

Child tax credits are being claimed but don't really help as between us we earn "enough" ..

Any suggestions .. sorry, helpful suggestions ?
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 05:51 PM
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£1300 would be my entire basic pay packet...
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 05:51 PM
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What kind of childcare are you forking out £1,300 a month for?

For that money we had nursery four full days a week, a live in hot nanny and change!!!
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 05:53 PM
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You don't basically

I'm happy to suffer and let the wife stay at home bringing up the kids, she'll do a way better job than anyone we pay anyway.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:02 PM
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Compuserve childcare vouchers help. They are taken out of your salary at source (£243 per month) and therefore are not taxed so if you are a 40% payer, is a big saving! You give them to your childcare provider and they cash them like cheques.

Steve
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted by PaulJC
£1300 would be my entire basic pay packet...
I got a new job just as my son was born (if I hadn't, I'd not be able to live)

Originally Posted by Trout
What kind of childcare are you forking out £1,300 a month for?

For that money we had nursery four full days a week, a live in hot nanny and change!!!
Two children in 5 days full time childcare ..

Originally Posted by Funkii Munkii
You don't basically

I'm happy to suffer and let the wife stay at home bringing up the kids, she'll do a way better job than anyone we pay anyway.
Thought about that, we both have strong careers and although she would be willing to give it up (so to speak) we'd be a lot worse off .. we got bummed for our mortgage too
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve vRS
Compuserve childcare vouchers help. They are taken out of your salary at source (£243 per month) and therefore are not taxed so if you are a 40% payer, is a big saving! You give them to your childcare provider and they cash them like cheques.

Steve
I've got them .. she can't get them .. they save us about £70 a month I think ..
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:03 PM
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Send the child to the far east to work in a cheap labour sweat shop...he/she can pay for it his/herself.


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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by pimmo2000
Before anyone starts, yes I decided to have child and yes I accept the costs ..

but FFS it's cost me about 1300 a month and its crippling us, we have no money to save and no money to do anything with..

Child tax credits are being claimed but don't really help as between us we earn "enough" ..

Any suggestions .. sorry, helpful suggestions ?
That's about what we where paying, worked it out to £56k in total for our two! how did we afford it, helps to have decent salaries coming in and we still cut our cloth accordingly by not changing cars every couple of years, etc. Jenny was eligible for childcare voucher where she works which helped a bit Always worth checking.

Last edited by The Zohan; Dec 7, 2011 at 06:04 PM.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by subaruturbo_18
Send the child to the far east to work in a cheap labour sweat shop...he/she can pay for it his/herself.


They'd send them back, one just poos and feeds and the other would drive them crazy asking "why"

Originally Posted by The Zohan
That's about what we where paying, worked it out to £56k in total for our two! how did we afford it, helps to have decent salaries coming in and we still cut our cloth accordingly by not changing cars every couple of years, etc.
I have a 1999 plate Impreza I use now and then, when the main car is needed outside our daily route .. I owe nothing on it and it costs me £80 a month in insurance.

We also have an 08 plate people carrier, which we do pay monthly for, but that is full of baby crap, dog and well.. babies ..
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:07 PM
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We tried Childcare at first when they were young (childminders, day care, nurseries etc).

In the end we decided it wasn't worth it and my wife gave up work. Partly because it was costing so much but also to spend time with them when they were so young.

Now my two are older at school full time my wife has just gone back working, but I don't exactly know how we'll cope with holidays, but child care is a lot cheaper anyway for older kids - certainly during term time.

Not much advise there, other than we gave up trying to afford it and work. And just accept a few lean years.

Last edited by Miniman; Dec 7, 2011 at 06:09 PM.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:23 PM
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I think if mum is happy working, and you can get by then you will have to grin and bare it.
From working in a private nursery that's about the going rate, well it's the high end of rates to be honest. Do you get a discount for having two children there?

I loved my job despite it's long hours and poor wage, but when I had Tayla I quit. One reason was because of the cost. Another because I would rather look after them myself. I am aware that is somewhat hypocritical, but it's all down to personal circumstances. Some people need mum at work, some mums want to be at work.
Some days I wash I had been at work! Lol.

Have you looked at other nurseries? Different prices etc? Was there a reason you chose the nursery you have?
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 06:30 PM
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Dont work or split up, thats what the benifits system seems to want.
Nursery rates are a piiisss take


000;1 0368954]Before anyone starts, yes I decided to have child and yes I accept the costs ..

but FFS it's cost me about 1300 a month and its crippling us, we have no money to save and no money to do anything with..

Child tax credits are being claimed but don't really help as between us we earn "enough" ..

Any suggestions .. sorry, helpful suggestions ?[/QUOTE]
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Hysteria1983
I think if mum is happy working, and you can get by then you will have to grin and bare it.
From working in a private nursery that's about the going rate, well it's the high end of rates to be honest. Do you get a discount for having two children there?

I loved my job despite it's long hours and poor wage, but when I had Tayla I quit. One reason was because of the cost. Another because I would rather look after them myself. I am aware that is somewhat hypocritical, but it's all down to personal circumstances. Some people need mum at work, some mums want to be at work.
Some days I wash I had been at work! Lol.

Have you looked at other nurseries? Different prices etc? Was there a reason you chose the nursery you have?
We viewed quite a few and this one felt right, I couldn't mind them everyday, I have to work .. and I mean for my own sanity .. she would be a great stay at home mum, but she's worked hard to get where she is and we would be in trouble without her wage ..

We do get a discount and it was one of the cheaper places, next April we lose more childcare tax things, so we will be hitting negative spends each month ..

Grinning or not, we'll be in trouble.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:07 PM
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you are entitled to 15hours free childcare a week from the government you just have to find a group/nursery that enables you to claim that

my wife runs a childcare group 5 days a week they fill a form out and then they are entitled to 15 hours free anything above this they abviously pay for which i think is about £4 a hour might be worth searching in your area .

as we live in bristol and I dont no where your located

regards Ben
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by max1342
you are entitled to 15hours free childcare a week from the government you just have to find a group/nursery that enables you to claim that

my wife runs a childcare group 5 days a week they fill a form out and then they are entitled to 15 hours free anything above this they abviously pay for which i think is about £4 a hour might be worth searching in your area .

as we live in bristol and I dont no where your located

regards Ben
...only from the equivalent school term after they are 3 years old.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:11 PM
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Bloody hell that's expensive, we have our first on the way now, won't be having anymore if that's the cost, wife may as well stop working for that cost as that's her monthly wage after all deductions
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Trout
...only from the equivalent school term after they are 3 years old.
Correct. The 15 hours is what the gov provide in schools once a child turns 3 years old, so this is also funded in private nurseries.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by max1342
you are entitled to 15hours free childcare a week from the government you just have to find a group/nursery that enables you to claim that

my wife runs a childcare group 5 days a week they fill a form out and then they are entitled to 15 hours free anything above this they abviously pay for which i think is about £4 a hour might be worth searching in your area .

as we live in bristol and I dont no where your located

regards Ben
Originally Posted by Trout
...only from the equivalent school term after they are 3 years old.
Next September
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:53 PM
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I remember those days, at one stage we had 3 in nursery, forking out around £1600 on a good month. Glad they're now at school......
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 07:58 PM
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Our next door neighbours, couple 1 child ( she krout ) moved to Germany , this was a leading consideration
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 08:32 PM
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I know the feeling! i have one in nursary 3 days a week at around £650 a month. Me and the mrs both do child care vouchers as said above (£243 each) it saves us about £100 in tax a month which is better than nowt
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 08:35 PM
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We used a childminder, way way cheaper than a nursery. Have a look on http://www.ncma.org.uk for registered childminders in your area.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 08:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Jamiesti01
I know the feeling! i have one in nursary 3 days a week at around £650 a month. Me and the mrs both do child care vouchers as said above (£243 each) it saves us about £100 in tax a month which is better than nowt
Exactly the same for us. Except that the little'un is at Nursery 5 days a week, which comes in at a grand a month
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 08:43 PM
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****, I don't bring home £1300 a month as an apprentice! Mrs is a stay home mum and we get by.
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Old Dec 7, 2011 | 08:45 PM
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we're the same our fee's are £600 per month for one, the missus can't really sack it in as shes done well to get where she is, and same with me i can't afford to stay at home
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 01:10 AM
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We have 2 in a private nursery 3 days a week. Costing £600 a month.

Mrs is also a now part time nursery nurse, but the children aren't allowed to attend her nursery.

Eldest is nearly four now and we are receiving the 15 free hours a week for him.

Check this website and see if your missing out on anything you are entitled too

http://www.turn2us.entitledto.co.uk/
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 07:11 AM
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radio 4 did a feature about this last week,

Did you know in France child care is only 12euro a day!! for anyone/everyone.
The rest is subsidised by the government to make it possible for everyone to be able to go back to work!


Why don't we have the same policy over here.. as we're supposed to be in the EU.
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 09:05 AM
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Get an au pair for 120 per week you can get a fit polish girl to babysit cook and clean.
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Old Dec 8, 2011 | 09:16 AM
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Quit your jobs, open a nursery of your own, you will make a killing.

I would have done this, if i weren't self employed and my wife liked little children..she can just about manage with our 3 as a full time mum.. lol
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