My nursery fees are crippling me!

brummiebabe

I've been paying nursery fees for the last 10 years!!!! It has been like another mortgage, although we do get some help from tax credits (for now anyway...)

It finally comes to an end this September, when my youngest starts school :j- can't wait. I wouldn't have changed it though - all of my children have benefited greatly from a nursery envirnonment and were so well prepared for school. If you find a nursery you're happy with, then it's worth the money!

However, our nursery is £35 per day for under 2's and £32 for over 2's - which I know is cheap compared to many!

toadhall

Personally I stopped working when my three girls came along one after the other, as there was no way on this earth I could afford to pay nursery fees, £1000 a month OMG.

I'm a nurse, working full time and only bring home £1500 a month.

Is it worth going to work to only bring home enough to pay the nursery?
Just my opinion

skyvicky123

Hi all, was surprised to see this thread still going and with another page of replies!

If I do go back full time I am looking at fees of around £1029 on average per month (this includes 10% discount) - also this includes me paying an extra £10 per day for early drops offs and late pick-ups.

It still works out worthwhile for me and I certainly can't afford not to at the moment. (plus tbh with the day I have had today with the two terrors I rang OH and begged him to let me back FT right now!!:rotfl:)

I don't qualify for any tax credits and we will lose our child benefit in 2012. With mortgage rates potentially on the increase, gas & electric going through the roof, petrol sky high (and I spend £160 pm on my commute) I am a bit panicky in-case all the rises hit at once and we can't keep up with everything!

That's why I have been spending so much time over at debt-free wannabe so I can try and create a bit of leeway by clearing down debts while I have the chance!

property.advert

I really do see the development in my child from being in a nursery but I can see how having more than two kids might prove just too expensive. However, unless someone has unanticipated multiple births, I don't have much sympathy for those who have loads of kids and then say that they cannot afford to educate them. My take is that they knew about the costs or should have done when deciding to do away with contraception.

The good flip side is where you have parents who are great educators and they provide a stimulating environment for their kids early years. There are loads of them out there and that can be just as good, if not better. However, some kids are simply fed pizza and microwave crap and dumped in front of the TV and the play station every day and then struggle later in life. I saw some facilities like that and knew instantly that it was going to cost more than I thought for decent education and the best start in life that I can provide.