How much is daycare in Los Angeles? (San Fernando: daycares, home)

[gypsystar]

My husband wants to have a baby NOW, but I am scared that the cost of daycare will cost as much as my monthly income ($2400). My husband makes good money as a union carpenter, but we really do need my income to live comfortably.

Does anyone know what full-time daycare for an infant will cost in the San Fernando Valley? Thanks in advance...

[LALady]

Why don't you call around to the sfv child care places and ask? From what I've heard, full time child care can run $1000 per month.

[Cali_Okie_Girl]

I got no clue but it probaly varies by different daycares...call around in your area and see what you can find

[CBaillo]

my daughter was in 2 different pre-k's before we left CA. One was for 194/wk, and one for 174/wk, but these were also learning centers, not just a place to drop off your kids and they sit around all day.

This was also for pre school...

Under 2 years it is VERY expensive..i cant remember b/c its been a while how much, but it was much more than pre-k...at 2 years old and when they get potty trained, they tend to get breaks in rates.

[Charles]

L.A. County officials Supervisors suggest putting unemployed parents to work caring for their own children - Los Angeles Times

[Tangee T]

I'm relocating to Los Angeles and will need childcare and will also liek to know the answer to that questiosn as well.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by gypsystar

My husband wants to have a baby NOW, but I am scared that the cost of daycare will cost as much as my monthly income ($2400). My husband makes good money as a union carpenter, but we really do need my income to live comfortably.

Does anyone know what full-time daycare for an infant will cost in the San Fernando Valley? Thanks in advance...

Look at it this way, it isn't going to get any cheaper. There is an old saying, if you wait til you can afford kids you will never have them...

If your take home pay is $2400 that is one thing, if it is less, yes, it will take about 1/2 your salary for child care. If living comfortable is more important than having a family you probably need to have a serious talk with your husband.

From what I have heard, child care will run about $1000 a month for an infant. I think you have been given some numbers to call that will help or just pick up your local paper, there are always childcare ads, that will give you a clue.

Nita

[uptown_urbanist]

It's not likely that it will cost the full $2,400, but it could easily run to $1,500 at some places. If you want a childcare center, and not a home-based daycare, then you should put your name on a list as early as you can; when we called around there were waiting lists for infant care that ran as long as two years. We found a fabulous home daycare that ran $10/hour for infants; we went twice a week, but I think there was a slightly lower hourly rate for kids who went 5 days/week. It gets cheaper once they hit age two. Even with the home-based daycares expect to do some searching - while it's more likely you'll be able to find a place with an immediate or near-immediate opening (if another baby hits age two and opens up an infant spot, or if families move, etc.) most places can only handle one or two babies. I had to make a lot of calls before I found a spot available. We were lucky that I felt very comfortable when we took the tour (the owner was great with my son), but sometimes you might have to visit a few places to find the right fit. When I researched all of this two years ago (looking for daycare in the SGV and in downtown LA) home daycares tended to be cheaper than the larger childcare centers.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

Here is a thought, stay home with the kids. Your hubby wants to have kids, let him know that your OK with it if he can find a way to replace your income because you will be staying home. look at it this way, with both of you working you need twice as many things. You are away from the kids more than the 8 hours of working time, it is harder on you and the kids. For the majority of people making changes in lifestyle will free up cash to replace the income you will lose by staying home with the kids. many here won't believe what I am writing. Try this though, write down the cost to work. Transportation, child care, eating out at work, clothing, ect and see what it cost you to keep that job.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

Here is a thought, stay home with the kids. Your hubby wants to have kids, let him know that your OK with it if he can find a way to replace your income because you will be staying home. look at it this way, with both of you working you need twice as many things. You are away from the kids more than the 8 hours of working time, it is harder on you and the kids. For the majority of people making changes in lifestyle will free up cash to replace the income you will lose by staying home with the kids. many here won't believe what I am writing. Try this though, write down the cost to work. Transportation, child care, eating out at work, clothing, ect and see what it cost you to keep that job.

I worked two days a week, which was a great compromise. While I agree with the poster above - there may indeed not be a big short-term financial benefit to working - there are tons of other factors at play, too. In my case working PT helped me to keep a foot in the door, which will hopefully make it easier to return to FT work (and with less of a drop in pay) when the time comes. There may also be issues like retirement savings, social security, etc, so the financial look at staying home needs to factor in these longterm implications. Having kids will definitely have a major impact on your own and your family's finances, whether or not you both work. For us it's been worth it to have kids and for me to be home most of the time, but yes, it's going to be expensive however you do it. On the other hand, like Nita says, it's not going to get any cheaper.