to be so peeved that we spend approx £1400 a month on childcare

[couture1]

I know I have to pay for the service but it leaves me with little left over each month and we need to salaries to get by. I dont want to give up work as 1 cant afford to and 2 Im hoping that when 3dc are at school in 3 years time we will be better off each month - but how do we manage until then?

Rant rant rant

What sort of childcare is this? Nursery?

Do you mean that you need more to get by than the little that is left over each month?

YABU.

You chose to have children and work and put them in this childcare arrangement.

Two in nursery and one in after school club. Yes, I need more money to get by, if my childcare costs were less then I would be able to manage.

If it's nursery then childminder will almost certainly be cheaper. And quite possibly more flexible.

Any possibility either of you could work shifts?

Only way we cope [with only 1 kiddie!] is that we work shifts so often play pass the baby. WHile I;m at work DH has her etc. So less need for outside childcare.

Isn;t there something that says you can ask for more flexible hours.

Thanks God school is free...

I get so annoyed by people blithely saying that we should just accept childcare costs if we choose to have children. Utter rubbish! Childcare in the UK is way more expensive than pretty much anywhere else in the world and prices most working women out of the market if they have two nursery age DCs. It's not right and it's not fair on women as their careers suffer more than they should due to extended leave.

I feel your pain, I'm in the same position. After being stuck at home for 18 months cos I couldn't afford childcare for two on my salary, I'm finally going back to work on Monday now that a) I've got a better paid job and b) DD1 has started school. But what I bring home will be fairly negligible.

Fabakergirl - because we cant afford to live off one salary, are you suggesting we should not have decided to have children?

but Annie, surely it is expensive as the people caring for the children are now being paid a reasonable amount of money?

I don't think it's true that same-quality childcare is much more expensive in the UK than in the ROW. From everything I read here on MN, the quality of childcare is a lot better in the UK than here in France. MNers would not be impressed with the crèches or nounous here

would a live out nanny be cheaper? I worked it out and it was a little bit cheaper BUT they also do duties such as childrens' washing, prepare meals etc and you no longer have the stress of dropping off at nursery & school etc etc

Look into using a childminder instead. My boys have been to the same one for 7 years now.

find a cheap, unregistered childminder, who has no first aid training and breaks all the regs on how many kids she is allowed....after all cheapest is best, right

or just look after them yourself and make some lifestyle changes, cut down on luxuries

plenty of us make that choice

Hi

I haven't actually got children (yet, still hoping!) but the one thing I have heard quite a bit is the child minders are cheaper than nurseries - is that possibly an option to explore?

Otherwise I can't think of any other useful advice other than grin and bear it through the next 3 years! Sorry!

I would just ignore comments from people like FabBakerGirlIsBack - not worth responding to.

What are you trying to say PeedOff?

My childminder is bloody marvellous.

Would a childminder be better or nanny share?

But I do think that people shouldn´t begrudge the money they pay for childcare.

Many seem to want to pay as little as possible-to have their children well cared for!

I think PeedOff is implying that only unregistered childminders are cheaper than nurseries and NOT to use them because it's not a sensible thing to do.

But it's not the case that only unregistered childminders are cheaper than nurseries.

I'm pretty sure proper childminders in general are.

I know MOST childminders are FAB, some of my mates are excellent....I was having a go at people who want cheap cheap childcare, as if that is ALL that matters.

ignore me, bad day

But what's the point of having this super-duper childcare if no-one can afford it but bankers lawyer and accountants?

But what's the point of having this super-duper childcare if no-one can afford it but bankers lawyer and accountants?