When children are small, they need to be watched constantly. When parents have to work, that leaves their children in the care of others for the day. The cost of good quality child care is rising, and parents might be at a loss as to how to afford it.
While good child care costs, you can get ahead of it. If you are a parent paying about $700 a month for one child or double that for two or more children, you almost have to work just to pay that bill.
There is hope. Use these creative methods to help you get ahead of the game and also know that your child is getting the best possible care.
- Hire a family member – Having relatives who live nearby is a godsend. Maybe grand-ma or grand-dad can watch the little one until the parents come home. Paying them a fraction of what you were paying the child care facility (plus providing food and other necessities for your child) helps them out, and you as well…especially if they are on a fixed income.
- Get help on the job – Dependent child care spending is a program that allows employees to put aside money to pay for their child care bills. The money comes out so you don’t notice it much. So you can budget the rest of your take-home pay according to meet your household needs.
- One spouse stays home – This proposition, while favorable, is not always feasible. You may have to work out your budget beforehand to see if it will work. The spouse who makes the most will obviously be the one to keep working. The other spouse, while taking care of the child, may also opt to do the majority of the household chores to balance out the longer work hours of the other spouse.
- Share a nanny – If you have good friends who also have child care issues, go in together and hire a nanny. They can watch both your children for you when you need them to. Nannies are a bit more expensive, but sharing the cost will help with that.
- Find extra work – There are numerous ways to find extra income online. Do you like to write? You can take up writing work on sites like Elance and Associated Content. Elance also hires software people, website designers and programmers. You can also sell your attic full of collectibles at auction on eBay to make mad money to pay for child care bills.
- Switch shifts – It is ideal for both spouses to work the same shift so that there is time for the family in the evening, but that is not always possible. Working opposite shifts can minimize the amount of time in child care. Also, ask your employer if your job can become a telecommuting position. Working from home a few days a week will help out tremendously.
Are you looking for ways to pay for rising child care costs? Begin with these examples.
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