[‎‎‎‎‎‎Jonathan]

Anyone have advice for frugal childcare options? It’s a challenge because you want to make sure your kids are cared for, but prices are out of control.

What advice can help?

[Sherri]

The way my parents did it was to work opposite shifts.
The way my husband and I have done it was I stayed home.

We cut out a lot of things to afford that. No vacations, no extras, cook at home, do things that were free like playgrounds.

You could also look for a family you could trade babysitting with.

Like they watch during the week and you could watch their kids on a weekend.

[Lori]

Find a grandma that needs extra income. I know people are going to say they have to be licensed, but to me that license is just a piece of paper.

I would say more accidents happen in licensed daycares.

There is grandmas on Social Security barely making it and would love a little more income and having kids around again

[Atiya]

I always have offered to trade babysitting with friends. Get to know your neighbors. I’m a single mom and I live far away from my family. So, I’ve had to rely on friends for childcare.

Do your due diligence. There’s still good people in the world.

My neighbors watch my kid for whatever I can afford. You can do simple background checks on people.

Hang out with them a few times before leaving your kid there.

Teach your kids about the things that are not right that they should tell you about.

[Ayo]

Compare prices of reputable place, check churches. There’s no frugal trick.

Many times, childcare isn’t worth the income of the mother (if parents are together).

That’s why I stay home. Find other places to save in your budget.

[Kathy]

work opposite shifts. I saw many parents do this to avoid child care until the kid reached school age.

Or if you enjoy working with kids, one of you stays home and watches other children in the area looking for child care along with your own children.

If the kids are older, summer day camps are often cheaper than traditional child care in your home.

Offer to trade off babysitting days with other parents.
Many times low income or disabled people will help out with child care at a much lower cost if you pay cash.

A mom who is on medicaid and forced to stay home due to her childs health issues might jump at the chance to make some spare money watching another child if you can pay cash.

Be sure to give a fair amount, don’t screw the person. But a scenario like this can often help both people, the person providing care and the person seeking care, and the child gets a great sitter.

(before people complain this is illegal, note that people on assistance can make so much and report it on their taxes as other income.)

[Katherine]

Around December I start searching for summer camps, vacation bible schools, camps offered by my town & school dustrict.

My kids really enjoyed vacation bible school in fact one summer they went to 8 vacation Bible schools at different 8 churches.

Camps are gettjng their materials out earlier and earlier.

[Brenda]

I was part of a co-op where no money was exchanged. You got 30 “coins” when you joined.

One coin per hour per kid, and the only way you could earn them back was to watch other people’s kids to earn coins back.

[Melissa]

I took a job at a learning center/childcare chain. I received a discount.

I changed careers after a couple years I became a Center Director.

I know of co-ops where a small group of parents take turns watching the children.

[Rebecca]

When it comes to childcare you gotta be willing to pay the cost. Also: Background checks cost money but are a necessity!!

I tried working overnights while my partner worked days and that was fine fore a while but I hated being exhausted all day.

Then I got a job at a daycare center and got them enrolled there. They offered a discount for employees.

It was nice to keep an eye on them from work. I loved doing that!

You could look into ymca day camps or vbs, or parks and rec camps..
But otherwise I wouldn’t take the cheapest options

[Barbara]

Many, many years ago when I was a young mother with a small child a group of us came together and formed a child care coop. Each of us took one morning a week to care for all the children.

That freed up the others to get things done that was difficult with a child.

Doctor apts, cleaning, shopping, etc. the person who was caring for the children had to creat a lesson plan/activity for their day.

One used the time to teach about gardening; one taught the children to do math by cooking; another of the moms read and taught basic reading to the kids; one taught music.

All of us were poor and had to find ways to get things done with little to no money.

I see the same thing as viable for moms who work in y own daughter. She and another mom arrange/share transportation for the 4 kids to and from school.

They also handle after school activities for their 4 kids together so there is someone who is trusted with the kids at these activities.

Childcare is so expensive that it should be a bargaining topic for working women when looking at job opportunities.

[Christine]

When I was a single parent I worked nights and my kids slept at my moms house while I worked.

Then that way I was available during the day for any activities or getting the kids to and from school.

I still paid my mom $20/ night for the two kids to sleep there but it’s still significantly cheaper than the alternative.

[Sade]

Sometimes its working opposite shifts. Trading with friends or family. picking up shifts at a daycare. Finding job that allows you to take your kids.

Check and see if there are resource in your community. Ours has a summer program for June and July for prek-6.

They host different fundraisers.

So, its cheaper than daycare and babysitters. Feeds them breakfast and lunch 7:30a-5:30p. Each week they go swimming to the movies bowling etc…

[Katie]

Seek out employers who assist with childcare costs. When my kids were little, the hospital I worked for paid 2/3 the cost.

The school district I currently work for has an onsite childcare program that’s 100% covered

[Kerri]

Back in the day my mom just stayed home with us & only worked on her dad’s farm. Plus, she worked at the school as school aide part time.

My mother-n-law stayed home too.

She also worked part time at the school as a cleaning lady after school was out for the day. So, she made it work.

[Penny]

When our grandkids came along I opened a daycare.
The grandkids were safe with Grandma, I got so much time with them.

The grandkids came for free and I took in others to make money.

It was fabulous. I did this for almost 20 years.

I have such great relationships with my grands it was worth every sacrifice we made.

[Heidi]

Lots of good tips here. What state are you in and how old are the children? If you’re looking for pre-k (3-5 year old), many states have free or low cost options in the public schools.

Typically this is during the school year and not full day.

But if you can find a private daycare that offers transportation, many will transport your child from the school district to their program, and it could help you save.

My state doesn’t have that but we switched from a private child care center to one run out of the school district and the costs were lower.

[Brenda]

I also worked part time and did a co-op with another part time working mom.

I watched her daughter 3 days per week and she watched my two daughters twice per week.

Snacks were sometimes supplied.

[Lori]

Another option might be to babysit someone else’s kid in your home. Then you can watch your kid(s) and just add an extra for some income. (No, I don’t mean an in-home daycare.)

Also, if you need after school care for just a short time, like 30 or 40m, you might be able to find a teacher to keep your kids in their classroom while they prep for the next day.

This saved me a bunch! I teach but not at the same school my kids attended.

They hung out with my daughter’s kindergarten teacher until I could get there and it saved me a bunch on childcare while also giving a teacher some extra cash in their pocket.

[Author]

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