What school for kindergartener and preschooler?? Eden Prairie (car insurance, day care)

[theprincefan]

Hi everyone. Next fall, my daughter will be ready for kindergarten and my little daughter will be 3 1/2 years old (pre-k). I'm in Eden Prairie.

I don't know where to send them for school/care.

I am a single mom. Broke. Eden Prairie only offers 1/2 kindergarten and full day would cost a lot of $$. Private school is very expensive. I already pay $1300/month for childcare right now for the two of them. I'm lower middle class so I make too much to qualify for aid and not enough to pay for anything (take home about $2900/month with child support included in that). This means I have $1600 left to spend on necessities like rent, medical insurance, car insurance, food, etc. It's pretty bad.

I really want to find a school that is public, but good, and has preschool at the site as well as K-5 or K-8.

Let me know if there is something like that around Eden Prairie.

Thanks!

[golfgal]

Keep in mind that if one child goes to full day kindergarten your day care expenses will be less and might cover the cost of full-day kindergarten. For inexpensive preschool, check with the ECFE program in Eden Prairie. The schools in Eden Prairie are very good so just send your child to the school where you live.

I looked on the Eden Prairie schools website and tuition for their full day kindergarten is $3500 for the year, that is about 1/2 of what you are paying for daycare. They probably have an after school program your daughter could attend that will be less expensive then daycare too.

You may also qualify for free or reduced costs for these. Make an appointment with the school where you live and find out if you can get help with the costs, etc.

Also, I don't know where you work but Eden Prairie is VERY expensive, have you looked into moving someplace less expensive?

[Cruz Azul Guy]

These $$$ figures for day care and full day kindergarten are blowing me away. Your daycare expense basically equals my monthly living expenses, mortgage, utilities, car, food, cell phone....my God. I'm convinced that you need to be rich these days to be able to afford kids. I don't know how you couldn't be broke when you're paying that much money, yeesh.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Slig

These $$$ figures for day care and full day kindergarten are blowing me away. Your daycare expense basically equals my monthly living expenses, mortgage, utilities, car, food, cell phone....my God. I'm convinced that you need to be rich these days to be able to afford kids. I don't know how you couldn't be broke when you're paying that much money, yeesh.

Looks like you need a better job then.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Looks like you need a better job then.

Probably so if I ever want kids...but it doesn't help that all my money is being blown on grad school either.

Note: I just looked at the median household income for the state of Minnesota. It's 56k which is one of the tops in the nation. In my opinion that is not enough money to be able to raise 2-3 kids and not constantly be worrying about finances.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Slig

Probably so if I ever want kids...but it doesn't help that all my money is being blown on grad school either.

Note: I just looked at the median household income for the state of Minnesota. It's 56k which is one of the tops in the nation. In my opinion that is not enough money to be able to raise 2-3 kids and not constantly be worrying about finances.

In much of the state it is more than enough, in the Twin Cities metro, not even close to enough.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by golfgal

In much of the state it is more than enough, in the Twin Cities metro, not even close to enough.

Yeah, in small towns where you can buy a house for 30k, but I doubt many households in those towns make that much money since there isn't anything for jobs in those areas. How much do you recommend for a household in the Twin Cities to be able to raise 2 kids, 100k/yr?

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Slig

Yeah, in small towns where you can buy a house for 30k, but I doubt many households in those towns make that much money since there isn't anything for jobs in those areas. How much do you recommend for a household in the Twin Cities to be able to raise 2 kids, 100k/yr?

Probably--not that it can't be done on less but $100,000 makes it comfortable/easy and allows you to not have to worry if you kid wants to go to basketball camp or when you have to buy the $3000 trombone for band--now if you stay in the house you are in and your wife stays home, $80,000 would be enough--day care can kill a budget if the both spouses don't make a good salary.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Probably--not that it can't be done on less but $100,000 makes it comfortable/easy and allows you to not have to worry if you kid wants to go to basketball camp or when you have to buy the $3000 trombone for band--now if you stay in the house you are in and your wife stays home, $80,000 would be enough--day care can kill a budget if the both spouses don't make a good salary.

Do-able, and for the tightwad I am I could probably get'er done for 65k if needed, then shove away the rest in the college fund...we'll see when the time comes though.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Slig

Do-able, and for the tightwad I am I could probably get'er done for 65k if needed, then shove away the rest in the college fund...we'll see when the time comes though.

But then you have committed the money to paying for college-what if your kid doesn't need it??? I am not a big fan of college savings PLANS, saving for college yes, plans, no.