Not able to have child due to childcare costs? HELP

[ohdearohdearwhatsnext101]

We're looking at having a baby in the near future. The only thing thing that riddles me with worry is childcare costs!

How do people manage?
Me and my DH have average jobs, for context our combined salary is about 45k, take home each month around £3200.

Our bills and everything come up to about £1800. Then there's food and petrol and day to day life. Mortgage to renew soon so another chunk gone.

We only work term time so lucky in that regard. We have no family that could help us regularly with childcare.

How on earth are we going to manage to have a child and pay for it to be in nursery for 4 years before the child goes to school?

It might be worth considering becoming a childminder. Then you are getting paid for watching someone else's child and your own.

It's do-able but you might need some serious rethinks

You'd manage. You spend a lot less on entertainment and going out. You could walk more and save on fuel. Other regular costs can be reduced like drinking less, eating less meat etc.

If you're both teachers, I'd consider one of you going part time or becoming a childminder as the long hours that go with teaching are hard.

If you're not teachers but work in education, find summer jobs or evening jobs to bring in a bit more.

You could also consider moving to a cheaper part of the country.

It's outrageous that we have to think of these things, you used to be able to raise a family on one salary, let alone two. No wonder the birth rate is falling!

Have a summer born child then they start school sooner!

Your salaries are low, can one of you work full time and earn more?

From Sept 2024 15 hours free childcare from 9months to children of school age. Then from Sept 2025 30 hours free childcare from 9months to children of school age. This is for working parents only. I believe non working parents will be eligible for 15 hours from 2 years until school age.

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/07/free-childcare-how-we-tackling-the-cost-of-childcare/

When you renew your mortgage, extend it for as long as possible - that will drop the monthly payments and you can overpay ad hoc if you can afford it

Also you don't say how old you are - time for one/both of you to retrain to earn more/work all year round?

because for childcare it's very inefficient for you both to be off in school holidays. better for the one off in school holidays to work full time in the term time and maybe the other one get a part time all year round job