Page 3 | Nursery have increased fees by 10% and we can't afford it.

Doisaysomethingornot · 01/04/2022 14:48

@Notveryxmasy

With full time hours that's £100 a month more and we can't afford it. We don't have that money each month. We live rurally, I work from home and DH is a contractor so no one set place of work so DD has to go to a local childcare setting and there just aren't many to choose from at all. Her current nursery by sheer dumb luck is less than a mile down the road; I'd have to drive 6 miles to get to another one by which time the fuel using 24 miles every day would eat up any savings we could possibly make moving her. She's also settled and loves it there, I don't want to disrupt her. No chance of a pay rise as I'm public sector and DH is SE and already doing everything he can to earn what he does.

She currently goes 8-6 as I work 8:30-5. I pick her up by quatre past 5 but the nursery don't do half hours so we have to pay for the full 10 hours. I have sent an email to ask if they will please consider allowing us to drop an hour a day and let her do 8:15 to 5:15 but I haven't heard anything back and I'm not holding out hope. All our bills have increased so much these past few months and we're expecting another baby, we don't have this extra money. What can we do if the nursery refuse to let her drop an hour?

We don't have sky, we don't eat out, we don't have luxuries, I don't even have a smart phone these days as I couldn't afford to replace it when it broke. There's nothing we can cut out to magically find that £100 every month.

Based on those hours I'm assuming you either have an hour and a half lunch each day, or do you work compressed hours? (37 hours usually equates to 8-4 / 9-5 etc with a 30 min lunch break (so 7.5 hours) ) the hours you have take you over by 5 hours each week

If you have an hour's lunch could you ask to reduce it to 30mins. That could take your childcare day down to 8:15 -4:15 saving an hour a day.

Doisaysomethingornot · 01/04/2022 14:50

Appologies miss read the childcare times as your work time. However 8:30-5pm still equates to an hour's lunch , could you reduce that to 30 ?30mins

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/04/2022 14:52

@JustWonderingIfYou

Is your nursery really pay per hour? We only have day or half day rates here.

In your situation I'd have her do 4 full days 1 half day. The half day at home would have to be a good long nap, a naughty 2 hours of TV and a good half hour of snacks. It'd be good for her to learn independent play.

I was going to suggest a half day somewhere but not fri as usually make tired grumpy less able to play by self

But assume she sleeps still at just two so pick up lunch time. Give snacks Sarnie lunch then nap 2hrs then tv time

It will be good for her to learn to play independently now and again for when baby is here

CambsAlways · 01/04/2022 14:53

I’m thinking poor you how are you going to find it with two children paying for nursery fees and obv other things needed in the future! Such a worry

Kingharoldshairstyle · 01/04/2022 14:58

I’m really surprised at folks saying take the kid out of nursery and make them sleep for two hours. The child clearly doesn’t do this now and you can’t just put a two year old in bed for two hours and suddenly force them to sleep.

Babyroobs · 01/04/2022 14:59

I'm not sure how many parents afford these fees. My friend compresses five working days into four so 9.5 hour days but always stressed and already planning another baby. And there's always the risk that employers will want her back in the office full time. Seems stressful but living costs seems to mean two parents both working full time. It's hard.

Tibtab · 01/04/2022 15:00

The 30 funded hours only works out at 22.5 hours per week if it’s stretched over the year. We still have to pay £8 per day for food on the 2 “free” days. If she is there 4 days a week you’ll still be paying for 17.5 hours.

Babyroobs · 01/04/2022 15:00

@Kingharoldshairstyle

I’m really surprised at folks saying take the kid out of nursery and make them sleep for two hours. The child clearly doesn’t do this now and you can’t just put a two year old in bed for two hours and suddenly force them to sleep.

Yes ridiculous ! Could descend into a two hour tantrum which op would find hard to juggle with a band 6 role !!

passport123 · 01/04/2022 15:00

Devil's advocate - what else can the nursery do? They are facing a rise in NI for staff and massive increases in their energy bills - they can't magic the money out of thin air either.

BungleandGeorge · 01/04/2022 15:01

Most nurseries are not pay by hour- they do full days regardless of pick up time.
NHS staff are due a pay rise but as usual gov are dragging their feet but you should get something in the next few months. It won’t be as much as the extra cost though
It’s a real problem as so many places are putting up prices at the same time. A downward spiral. Either wages need to increase or gov need to do something about the cost of living
Is there anyone who could help out? Or a childminder probably would be more cost effective as they often do charge by the hour

Doisaysomethingornot · 01/04/2022 15:01

Just thinking, have you asked work to go compressed hours?
I'm.not sure what time the nursery is open but if your child is in Mon to Friday 10 hours a day that's 50 hours a week.
If you change your hours at work to be say 07:30 to 5:15 Mon - Thursday (with a 30 min lunch break) and then do the nursery 7-6 Mon to Thurs , that's 11 hours a day at nursery = 44 hours , so less time and yous get a bonus day off together.

Could your dh do the drop off in the morning if you start at 7:30, or could he watch the child till you need to nip out and drop the child at nursery?

RandomMess · 01/04/2022 15:02

Condense your hours over a 4.5 day week?

If work will let you pick her up block that time out in your calendar?

babyjellyfish · 01/04/2022 15:05

Do you take a lunch break? Can you cut it in half and start half an hour later or finish half an hour earlier?

Or even better, ask your employer for a pay rise? Do they know you're pregnant yet?

Kingharoldshairstyle · 01/04/2022 15:06

That’s what I am thinking the child goes 50 hours a week. Money is so tight even a hundred pounds isn’t available.

When child two is in nursery, then with free hours deducted the op needs to pay for seventy hours child care, this works out at a cost of about 1540 a month on todays costs (likely to have increased by rhen) and she currently pays 1100 (Inc new increase) or 1000 without it, and of course all the other additional costs a second child brings.

I don’t know how much pay difference moving to top of band gives or how much debt repayment but for both kids going to nursery the op needs to find at least 600 a month more, before any other cost the child has,,food, milk, clothes, nappies etc.

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/04/2022 15:08

@Kingharoldshairstyle

I’m really surprised at folks saying take the kid out of nursery and make them sleep for two hours. The child clearly doesn’t do this now and you can’t just put a two year old in bed for two hours and suddenly force them to sleep.

Most nurseries will have a sleep time after lunch or least a rest time esp at just 2

Most just 2yr I know and have known a lot as been in childcare over 30yrs still nap at 2

Yes you get the odd child who gave up naps at 18mths but most still need a nap

PurpleFlower1983 · 01/04/2022 15:11

I would see if you can find a childminder, they would be cheaper than nursery.

Babyroobs · 01/04/2022 15:11

I could never have trusted any of mine aged 2 to sleep for two hours then sit in front of a TV for two hours !! You honestly have to be keeping an eye on them at that age which may be possible with some wfh jobs, but what if it involves online meetings, talking to patients/ clients etc. It just may not be possible. I had an online interview recently and a kid of about seven was dipping and diving in front of the camera. It's unprofessional.

Fossilsmorefossils · 01/04/2022 15:15

With the rising costs it's going to be a struggle financially anyway once the baby is here. Children are so expensive. Can either of you get a saturday job? I think you need it.

Embracelife · 01/04/2022 15:21

@Atomiccat

That is crazy money. Where I live full time nursery with well educated teachers is £90 a month, lovely home cooked meals included.

Must be not uk and subsidised through higher taxes or ? Somehow this is paid for unless wages are very low....

Kingharoldshairstyle · 01/04/2022 15:27

Mine wouldn’t have slept for two hours either at two.

Threeboysandadog · 01/04/2022 15:31

If you are NHS could you use some paid parental leave. I’m 8 years out of the NHS now but I added my 4 paid weeks onto the end of my maternity leave for ds3. I’m sure it must still be a thing. Could you get one day a week for dd at the moment in order to “spend quality time with her before the new baby arrives”. If your dh could do a day or half day working at the weekend and have dd in the week that would save a bit more.

BoredZelda · 01/04/2022 15:33

We always knew it would be tight but in theory it's only one year of paying for double childcare before DD will start school and we had hoped that we could just make it work and make it to the other side of childcare and then actually have some disposable income again.

Confused, if a 10% increase is a problem, how were you going to manage to pay for two kids in nursery?

RandomMess · 01/04/2022 15:34

It's for a year, I think you will just have to take out a loan and take the long term view that it's an investment in your career progression.

So many people are one bill increase away from no longer being able to live within their means.

Dixiechickonhols · 01/04/2022 15:35

Suggestions alter hours - either reduce hours or time shift. Public sector usually v flexible.
Any childminders?
Can you do part nursery and maybe pay a teen to cover after school hours. They’d be a mothers help as you are in house. Could be mutually beneficial if they are wanting childcare experience for a cv - I’d have no hesitation leaving some of my older guides or young leaders so age 14 plus watching a 2 yr old if I was in next room. Obviously you’d pay them but it would be cheaper and they could go at 5 not pay until 6. Eg you pick child up home for 3.30/4 and teen come to house and you pay them 60 or 90 mins.

Kingharoldshairstyle · 01/04/2022 15:36

The op has said she’s going to get a pay rise by hitting top of band six when on maternity and also they’d have paid off their loan in oct. Which I’m guessing must be about 500 a month, so possibly that can be renegotiated to reduce the payments now, but difficult as income will likely be much lower during maternity,