I need to have a rant about the cost of my childcare

[MGFM]

£2200 a freaking month!

This isn't a stealth boast about having enough money to pay out this much in childcare and I also want to say I feel lucky that I used to have plenty of disposable income and I feel lucky to have two wonderful children and I don't think the state should help me pay for their care (although I most certainly have signed up to the tax free child care) but oh my fucking god , I want to cry every time I think about it!

We will have enough left over for food and fuel and clothes when desperately needed and the odd treat but it is going to be freaking miserable.

I was in an outlet store yesterday and tried on a beautiful pair of skinny grey jeans. They were soft and luxurious. I thought they were only £29 but then I saw they were £50. Hung them back up and left the shop. I have just lost all my baby weight ( I put on 3 stone - it is now all gone and I am back to my not al size so I am desperate to buy some new clothes and now can't afford any) I need a tiny violin to play for me somewhere as I feel so pathetic.

I just need to rant about this really and I have moaned to real life friends but they might get sick of me droaning on about how broke we are

MGFM I am also in the military have you signed up for Sodexo childcare vouchers? Money gets taken out of your pay before you are taxed so childcare is essentially partially funded by the government (depending on how much tax you pay).

not meaning to sound snotty but then you can obviously afford the childcare. The income thresholds for help with childcare are quite high and if you don't qualify with that kind of childcare, you probably really don't need it.

Well that's bollocks - DH and I are not entitled to a penny in tax credits or child benefit but we wouldn't be able to afford £2,200 pm. The thresholds are not that high.

And OP has said they can cover it, just that it feels really bloody expensive. Which it is. Sympathies OP.

If you pay half in childcare vouchers from your employer and your partner also pays half there are tax benefits.

The elderly have paid in through their working lives. The tiny children have yet to do so. The parents of tiny children are paying in for themselves. The parents of tiny children choose to have children and wether the world needs them or not it is still a choice made by the individual. The state appears to be having money problems as it is. I'd rather any funding that could be made to subsidise childcare costs - on top of the free nursery hours, should go to the sectors currently struggling. I do not agree the government should subsidise people having babies/children. Actually many of the elderly paid in for far more than they are currently getting...

Yanbu. Currently paying £845 per month for 3 days a week. I'm trying not to think about how skint we'll be when #2 comes along shortly. It's just for a short while I guess before the eldest gets free hours, then goes to school, then the younger one follows on. It's going to be a tough couple of years though, it's barely worth working from a financial perspective.

Other countries seem to manage with subsidised child care. Sweden, Germany etc.

Just keep in your mind the year your youngest starts full time school, you will feel so rich!

Feel lucky. Because I work in EY childcare and there's no way I could afford that on my wages!

We pay £1100 for three days, it would be nearly £1700 FT. Can't even imagine being able to afford another one before DD is 3

We have 4 kids and the only way to keep working was to work around each other ( which luckily our jobs allowed).

We were doing child care vouchers but when yli work it out it is only about £120 a month saving. We have switched to tax free child care which is think it mjch better and a pretty good scheme by all accounts.

I am just having a rant and a moan because even though we can just afford it - it is still loads of money!
After food and fuel and bills and mortgage and childcare we will be left with about £80 a week for absolutely everything else.

£3500 a month for a nanny 4 days a week, 8am-7pm for twins. I try not to think about it, too painful.

Hence why I put the jeans back yesterday and didn't buy them.

Ginger what shite that is

I don't get tax credits and I don't even earn the 'average' uk salary. Full time childcare would 100% wipe out my wage leaving us to live in OH equally low wage which would barely cover our basic bills

Urubu - you win

Dp and I earn under 40k joint income. Nursery for 3 days a week is approx 600 a month. No tax credit eligibility even if hes in full time. Luckily mil and dm on hand to offer a day each a week childcare.

Hopefully not long before one gets free hours?

Childcare costs are bonkers, I don't know how single parents or those with twins manage it.

You drop your child at 0730? what time do you pick them up, sometimes, I wonder why people have children when all that is happening is that they are being brought up by a nursery. Couldn't people tighten their belts until they go to school?

I know that this will be an unpopular view.

Ffs all the comments about if you get tax credits you can clearly afford over £2k a month in childcare. I pay that too. It's horrific. Much more than my massive mortgage. It's like a competitive race to the bottom. How much do you think someone on a £60k salary actually takes home?

Wowzers!

Urubu that's crazy

Good grief it doesn't matter whether you can afford it or not, that is a HUGE amount of money to pay out.

It is not good for a society to have tax payers being left with no money to buy other goods. Buying other goods (nice new pair of jeans) puts VAT in the government coffers. We all benefit. OP gets her new jeans, we all get money for services.

If petrol went up to £3.00 per gallon I wouldn't expect someone to say "oh well you can afford it", I'd expect them to be outraged.

I have a DD who was cared for by my DM when I went back full time so I didn't need to consider nursery. I had NO idea they cost that much .

I sympathise OP.

DH and I have both been working and had always help with childcare through tac credits even though our joint income added to to above 30k jointly.

OP, we know your child costs but how much is your joint income?

I can sympathise with you op. Once childcare and travel is paid for I have worked out I earn £29 a day. I'm a professional too in a good job. Some days I really do wonder if it's worth the hassle but it keeps me sane and it's the sort of profession that would be difficult to get back into if I had a break. Very much looking forward to dd turning 3 next year so I can get some free hours!

Jamesblond1 you have elucidated exactly what I think but in a much clearer way.

I feel for you, OP. My eldest was with a montessori school for a year, just did mornings, and there was no care during school holidays. It was pretty expensive and she hiked her fees every bloody term. In the end, i went freelance and worked myself and my husband worked around each other (he is also freelance) but I was bloody lucky to have a job that gave me that option. Fuck it, buy the jeans! You will be going without so much more, you need some consolation.