By Carrie Pink
If there's one thing expectant moms lose sleep over, it's the exorbitant cost they're going to pay for childcare. Especially in cities like New York, where childcare costs can be comparable to rent payments. Unfortunately it's not surprising to hear NYC moms say they are paying upwards of $1,500 a month or even more for childcare.
Disclaimer: I am a mom of five living in Brooklyn who's been through the childcare search quite a few times and have never paid more than $600 a month in child care. Maybe you would consider this kind of anomaly just pure luck, but since I've finagled it four out of five times so far, I'll let you in on my top secret tips to finding alternatives to expensive childcare.
- Ask for recommendations from seasoned parents. New parents are likely to be stuck in the same conundrum as you hunting for affordable alternatives themselves, but seasoned parents with older kids in preschool or higher can be childcare information gold mines. When I was expecting my first child, I asked friends with kids (and friends without!) for suggestions and referrals. One friend mentioned my hunt to her mom, who referred me to a retired preschool teacher looking for a family to work with. After an interview and reference check, I hired her 3 months before my daughter was even born! (Ok, so maybe this one was a slight anomaly.)
Have you been on the hunt for alternatives to expensive child care? Would you be willing to pursue any of these? Why or why not?
More from Well Rounded NY:
Picking Your Pediatrician
Childcare for Newbies
Must-Have: Parents' Helper
This piece was originally published by Carrie Pink on Well Rounded NY. Carrie Pink is a personal finance blogger from Brooklyn and mom of five, who writes about ways you can blur the line between frugal and fabulous on her blog.
Please share your opinion below! For more original content, check out Well Rounded NY.
Follow Well Rounded NY on Twitter