Childcare costs - Sob!

[Cbear1982]

Hi

I know I'm really early at looking into this but I've been looking into how much childcare will cost and I could actually cry. It is going to range from £150-£180 a week! I have absolutely no idea where the money is going to come from. I have looked at the online calculators and I'm eligible for absolutely nothing because my partner earns above the threshold. I have also emailed my HR department about childcare vouchers to be told our sister company do them but we don't. I'm furious, how can that be fair??

I honestly am tearing my hair out and I'm only 23wk.

I have no option but to go back to work but it will cost us double our rent in childcare

 

[Titch85]

For me, it would make no sense to go back to work, as what I earn would go straight back out on childcare. What's the point in that?

 

[Cbear1982]

I don't know what to do at all. I can't afford to not work as from the looks of it I'll get child benefit and nothing more, but I can't afford to work as we can't afford £800 a month in childcare. I don't know what to do

x

 

[cosmicgirl]

I pay £220 per week in term time and £335 per week in holiday time. I would be better off at home, sad isn't it.
I'm scraping by until the twins are in full time school and I can breathe easier financially. I hate handing that money over every week but I'm not going to not work x

 

[VikkiR]

Childcare is ridiculously expensive, I've started looking at nurseries and the cheapest is £200/week. Its affordable for us but I do think the UK prices are extortionate. It's almost as though they don't want mothers to return to work. I have started to look at private school prospectus and it's actually cheaper to put my lo in private school at the age of 3 than most nurseries, how crazy is that. Are childminders any less expensive for you? Will your employer agree to flexible working to help you? x

 

[dyscochick]

we are looking at about £840 a month for childcare costs. We both get the child care vouchers which will help. We recently discovered that you can buy the vouchers from when the baby is born so we are hoping we can stock pile them, but i'm not sure how the system works! Sounds wrong that the sister company does them but your doesn't. I reckon you should petition your work to start doing them!

 

[Cbear1982]

Thanks all!

VikkiR, childminders are looking at about £150 a week for full time. Its just a ridiculous amount of money and I really dont know how we will cope. I've tried asking my colleague here who is a bit like our version of HR, whether they would consider the childcare vouchers but she didn't answer, she just keeps saying I've to stop worrying, everything will work out and I might not come back to work anyway, she's said it so often I get the impression she doesn't want me to come back.

I suppose there really is no point in worrying but it's hard not to

x

 

[Cbear1982]

we are looking at about £840 a month for childcare costs. We both get the child care vouchers which will help. We recently discovered that you can buy the vouchers from when the baby is born so we are hoping we can stock pile them, but i'm not sure how the system works! Sounds wrong that the sister company does them but your doesn't. I reckon you should petition your work to start doing them!

I'm seriously considering it as I find it highly unfair, it's the same owner for goodness sake, why should one get and another doesn't. It's made me pretty furious to be honest. I'm not even sure how it works but I just guessed that every little helps

x

 

[VikkiR]

The vouchers cost £179/month and you get £245 worth, it's not fantastic but better than nothing x

 

[Cbear1982]

I'm staring to wonder if it really is worth my while thinking about coming back to work, I suppose it's something we'll have to figure out nearer the time

Thank you x

 

[katie_lou]

This is the reason by am not going back full time as I can't afford it . Am going back 3 days a week and am lucky that I have family members to help look after her for them 3 days xxxx

 

[Sue Clare]

Do you have family that could help you out?x

 

[Cbear1982]

Not really Sue Clare, all my family live in Scotland and my "MIL" works full time so there isn't really anyone to help at all
X

 

[PerfectStorm]

Hi

I know I'm really early at looking into this but I've been looking into how much childcare will cost and I could actually cry. It is going to range from £150-£180 a week! I have absolutely no idea where the money is going to come from. I have looked at the online calculators and I'm eligible for absolutely nothing because my partner earns above the threshold. I have also emailed my HR department about childcare vouchers to be told our sister company do them but we don't. I'm furious, how can that be fair??

I honestly am tearing my hair out and I'm only 23wk.

I have no option but to go back to work but it will cost us double our rent in childcare

Why don't you try to convince your company to offer child care vouchers? There really is no sensible reason for them not to do so. They are not only of benefit to you but they also save your company money as they do not pay employers NI on the voucher amount. Some of the schemes are really cheap for your employer to set up so they will still save money. It's a win win situation. We've just put together a proposal to get my husband's employers to start offering them so I should be able to find the details of the running costs for your employer if you would like it?

It's so unreasonable that Child Care Vouchers are not automatically available to those who work - why should it have to be at your employer's discretion. I'm self employed so not entitled to them at all which makes me very angry - after all I work bl00dy hard and pay taxes, why can't I get this little bit of saving on childcare costs (not relevant to me just yet as I'm only 4 week pg)

 

[Esoames]

The vouchers cost £179/month and you get £245 worth, it's not fantastic but better than nothing x

I'm only £110 worse off after my vouchers have been taken. It depends on your tax code I believe xx

 

[Cbear1982]

Hi

I know I'm really early at looking into this but I've been looking into how much childcare will cost and I could actually cry. It is going to range from £150-£180 a week! I have absolutely no idea where the money is going to come from. I have looked at the online calculators and I'm eligible for absolutely nothing because my partner earns above the threshold. I have also emailed my HR department about childcare vouchers to be told our sister company do them but we don't. I'm furious, how can that be fair??

I honestly am tearing my hair out and I'm only 23wk.

I have no option but to go back to work but it will cost us double our rent in childcare

Why don't you try to convince your company to offer child care vouchers? There really is no sensible reason for them not to do so. They are not only of benefit to you but they also save your company money as they do not pay employers NI on the voucher amount. Some of the schemes are really cheap for your employer to set up so they will still save money. It's a win win situation. We've just put together a proposal to get my husband's employers to start offering them so I should be able to find the details of the running costs for your employer if you would like it?

It's so unreasonable that Child Care Vouchers are not automatically available to those who work - why should it have to be at your employer's discretion. I'm self employed so not entitled to them at all which makes me very angry - after all I work bl00dy hard and pay taxes, why can't I get this little bit of saving on childcare costs (not relevant to me just yet as I'm only 4 week pg)

Hi PerfectStorm that would be fab if you wouldn't mind. I find the whole thing really unfair. I have real problems at work, to the point midwife wants to sign me off, and the thing is the woman who would deal with the vouchers is the problem. I really don't know which way to turn. I have spoken to a childminder already and I think this will be the cheapest way for us to go, it's just still a lot of money and really unfair that one company gets them and another doesn't because ONE person can't be bothered to do the paper work. Everyone should be entitled to them, I completely agree, do they not want mothers to go back to work!! Thank you xxx

The vouchers cost £179/month and you get £245 worth, it's not fantastic but better than nothing x

I'm only £110 worse off after my vouchers have been taken. It depends on your tax code I believe xx

I would love to find out how muach of a difference it would make to us but I'm not even getting that far x

 

[ziajack]

A lot of people just completely insist on having “kids” and one of the huge things a parent has to give is child care during infancy and early childhood. It's not exactly affordable either, as child care expenses have been increasing away for a while.

 

[Mrs N]

I'm a sahm (I do holiday cover for my old job but only ad hoc) but I worked out that if I wanted to work then I would need to earn at least £36,000 just to pay for childcare for my 3 under 2! To make it worthwhile I would need to be earning 50ki would say! Shocking! Pleased I don't have to go back!
Xxx

 

[CARNAT22]

A lot of people just completely insist on having “kids” and one of the huge things a parent has to give is child care during infancy and early childhood. It's not exactly affordable either, as child care expenses have been increasing away for a while.

I am not quite following your point here?

Are you saying you should only have kids if you can afford to stay at home?

 

[JoanneG79]

I looked into childcare costs up here in Aberdeen and almost cried! If I come back to work full time I would end up with £200 after childcare costs a month! Luckily, my OH earns a good wage so me going back to work isn't necessary, but I am not sure if I could cope with not working at all. I think I am so used to being independent and having my own money, not sure if I would like having to rely on the OH.