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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder how people actually afford childcare

214 replies

roweeena · 14/01/2014 14:01

So I should of thought of this before I got pregnant but I have a 3 month & 27 month old. Thinking of going back to work in Sept when they will be just shy of 1 & 3.

Contacted nursery under my work - 2 days a week for the both of them will cost £1020 per month!!! Dread to think how much full time would cost.

I was full time before and DS was in with a childminder but we have moved now and this nursery seemed so handy. Just going back 2 days a week now and going to have to also work one weekend day. Just can't afford to go back to work for more than that.

We have no family close by who can help out. Both myself & my husband are in quite reasonable jobs (in fact in my job people always assume I must be loaded - media reporting). Just wondering how other people actually afford childcare for two.

Ps I know DS1 will qualify for free 15hrs from the Jan but it doesn't seem to make that much difference as its only term time & 3 hrs a day (pretty useless for working mums)

OP posts:
manicinsomniac · 14/01/2014 18:14

morethan But don't you have to go to a certain number of interviews a month so you don't have the benefits stopped? What happens when they get offered one of them? Don't they get sanctioned for not taking it?

fidgetsnowfly · 14/01/2014 18:15

I have 3 dc and would most definiteloy be paying to go to work. Have worked out that if I did want to go back to work in the future then the cheapest and most practical option would be a nanny. I don't want to at the moment though and there is plenty of time for pensions etc later.

Revengeofkarma · 14/01/2014 18:16

But again, it isn't just about making ends meet while they're at nursery, it's about making ends meet while they're in primary school and after. Paying for pensions. Paying for school holidays. Paying for university. Paying for clothes, even.

With my career and training if I dropped out for five years to be a SAHM, there aren't jobs to go back to. I'm lucky to have fought my way into one now! Which is a shame - I'd have loved to SAH. But after those five years, all of us can have quite decent financial security. Or not (DH may be made redundant next year). It's a long haul having kids and unless you want to not give them the best you can, being a SAHM isn't going to be a viable option for anyone short of the top wage whackers.

MrsGarlic · 14/01/2014 18:18

morethan a culture change is needed too though. We both applied for part-time working. My request was agreed to, his was flatly denied despite an appeal. I suspect only because he is a man, no good reason was given. He could have found another job I suppose but men tend not to get picked for p/t roles, and he spent a long time getting his current role and it is secure.

breatheslowly · 14/01/2014 18:20

I'm confused. What has your mortgage got to do with it?

You will have to pay the mortgage whether you return to work or not, unless you have some sort of plan to relocate.

When people talk about taking home £20 per week after childcare costs are met, they mean exactly that: Net pay-childcare costs=£20;
Not: Net pay - childcare costs - mortgage=£20.

You sound in a better position than many women.

annieorangutan · 14/01/2014 18:22

Both my 2 are in full time childcare 52 hours a week. Its 240 a week.

Reality · 14/01/2014 18:22

We have three dc, one a preschooler.

I work 9-6 and do the morning drop off to school/cm. DH works 7-3.30 and does the pick up.

We pay around £600 a month for a term time only childminder, 8-4, five days a week, and juggle the school holidays with annual leave, family help and paying £130 a day at times for all three children to go to the CM.

Original poster
roweeena · 14/01/2014 18:25

Breatheslowly - maybe I am in a better position than some but I will not be able to pay the mortgage and childcare if I go back to work full time. Therefore I cannot afford to work full time.

I don't really understand your point?

Annie - how, that sounds amazing

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annieorangutan · 14/01/2014 18:29

I have one at school so thats 100 a week with all holidays, and then 140 for the little one full time. Mine is paid through tax credits anyway but I still think its reasonable onsidering what you get for the price.

Original poster
roweeena · 14/01/2014 18:32

Sorry Annie I read £240 per month!!! Ha ha that would be amazing!

Pretty good still though

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BabyDubsEverywhere · 14/01/2014 18:35

We will soon have 4 dc, I worked out a rough cost of childcare if I were to get a full time job...

2 before and after school, one before school and a half day with CM, and one all day. Plus the school holidays for them all less 4 weeks we would cover ourselves - £19k.

For the amount of care needed for 4 £19k per annum didn't seem that bad, but once I added travel and tax into the cost, so just the costs of me working, I would need to earn £42K per annum to break even. Its not going to happen. Hello scrap heap Grin

morethanpotatoprints · 14/01/2014 18:45

Manic

If its a job where they can't afford the childcare, they make sure they don't get accepted for the job, they have no choice.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting things shouldn't improve, nor that people shouldn't work if they can.
It's just that it seems like people are vilified for not working when they are unable to due to childcare or other costs.

Delatron · 14/01/2014 18:45

I don't know why the government does not copy the model of other European companies. I have German friends whose childcare costs are a fraction of what ours are and are astounded at what we pay. Many women (unfortunately) are being forced out of the workplace. How does this make economic sense?

When I worked full time with a 6 month old and a 2 year old my childcare costs were £2400 per month...

Sadoldbag · 14/01/2014 19:00

Relation because it would mean raising the tax I think in Sweden a such places they have to pay a lot of tax

Also I don't think the tax hike would go down well with people who don't have children or people who have children but don't use childcare

personally I think people need to think outside the box for a start may like nurseries but childminders are cheaper I know my sister who save about £300 a month if she used a childminder instead of a nursery also more mums should share child care I am always shocked how many mums whose children live pretty much on the same road who go to the same school don't even think to share child care

kilmuir · 14/01/2014 19:06

Why should it be subsidised?

kilmuir · 14/01/2014 19:07

No one makes you have 3 children under 3. No surprise its expensive surely?

NothingMoreScaryThanAHairyMary · 14/01/2014 19:09

I have just gone back to work part time-school hours only (dh took time off over christmas and I am doing half term).

It's fine but the dash to work and from work for school drop off and pick up is a nightmare.

I have three and I looked into working a shorter working week with childcare (i.e 25 hours over 3 days) but the figures just wouldn't add up.

rainydarkskies · 14/01/2014 19:20

Roweena, I do sympathise, but I also think that as a G.P. there is absolutely no way you could not afford childcare, particularly if your husband works as well.

Original poster
roweeena · 14/01/2014 19:25

Kilmuir - it should be subsidised so that the woman can go back into society workplace and therefore contributing to tax etc. it actually makes economic sense to encourage working age women to go back to the workplace!

Particularly in my profession (in which it takes a lot of the tax payers money to train me) it seems ridiculous that I am unable to actually work full time!

OP posts:
breatheslowly · 14/01/2014 19:28

My point is:

Your mortgage has to be paid whether you go back to work or not, FT or PT. Your mortgage is a fixed cost and the number of days you work doesn't have a bearing on that cost.

Is your childcare bill per day higher than your take home pay per day, effectively costing you to go to work? If that is the case then I can see that the more days you work, the more it will cost you to go to work.

That is the only scenario in which paying the mortgage is relevant to whether you work FT or PT.

Original poster
roweeena · 14/01/2014 19:32

Rainydarkskies - firstly you don't know the first thing about me so I don't see how you can be so confident about my situation. Maybe you read the daily fail and believe what we are getting paid! And you assume I am with a husband who 'works well' whatever that means.

I am the higher earner in our relationship, we have a large mortgage, we have no family close by to rely on to help out. I promise you We can not afford the £1020 per month on top of all our other expenditures for two days a week childcare (will have to look at what other options are available) never mind full time childcare.

Believe what you want but that it the truth of the matter

OP posts:
Original poster
roweeena · 14/01/2014 19:37

Breathe slowly you haven't taken into account the tax. Childcare costs double when working full time but my wage doesn't as I'm taxed.

OP posts:
rainydarkskies · 14/01/2014 19:44

There is no need to bite my head off, roweena - I only know about you what you have posted here which is that you are a GP. I don't know why that translates into me being a Daily Mail reader, but my point is that you certainly earn significantly more than most.

In your opening post you state your husband is in a reasonable post but then you also say you're a media reporter so I'm really mixed up! Have you had a career change?

I'm sorry if you've taken offence at something I've written but with the greatest of respect your expenditures have little or nothing to do with what the government should and shouldn't subsidise.

ItalianWiking84 · 14/01/2014 19:48

In Denmark we pay higher tax yes but child care is around 300 pounds per month. Schools are free and you get money when studying after the age of 18. I do know which model I chose....

Original poster
roweeena · 14/01/2014 19:50

No rainy in my post I say we both my husband & myself have reasonable jobs and that due to media reporting people often assume with my job I must be loaded (which is what I believe you have done).

You have no idea what I get paid or what my outgoings are but you state 'there is absolutely no way I can't afford childcare' basically making out I'm lying

That's why I bit your head off!.

OP posts: