I guess I just wanted to moan a bit. I just went back to work full time after having DC2. My DH stayed with DC for first few months, but now just found his first professional full-time job (so happy about it!). Our joint income will be 53k, which will bring us net around 3.2k per month, and 3.3k including child benefit. Not a small amount, theoretically.
But in reality, after paying mortgage+bills+transport+food (comes close to 2k) we are left with 1.2k to pay for childcare for one 3.5yo and one 1yo. This is far too little in London! We were quoted almost 2k for a month's childcare for both at £4.5 per hour per child. Nurseries would come at 1.6k per month for both, despite of the elder having 15 free hours per week.
I am just lost how to make ends meet. I can't afford to hire a registered childcare, trying to look into cash-in-hands market but even so cannot find anything. Cannot get anyone to live-in, because we have no spare bedroom.
Thinking it is really madness, that with fairly decent jobs, we cannot afford childcare. Cannot afford not to work, too. We are so stuck. It should get easier when DC1 starts school next year September, but even then we will pay around 1.1k for nursery+afterschool care for the next 3 years (well at least we should be able to afford it).
Holidays, treats, going outs and first-hand clothes are long forgotten in our family.
I wonder whether anyone found a miracle solution for such?