Child Care is costing us the equivelent of a mortgage!

mishkanorman

And i cant help but think that if you are earning 40k between you as a couple, £600 per month on childcare on the grand scheme of things isnt that un-affordable.

Reading back the OP didnt state that they couldnt afford it just that they felt they shouldnt have to, thats a whole different story to ours- we literally couldnt afford for me to go to work full time and put our 2 children into childcare. The OP even stated they had applied for tax credit help !!

We've made sure our expenses are kept low, we dont have holidays, meals out, shop in Next etc. Our house choice was made so we werent stretching our budget so when children came along (as we knew they would) the drop in wage wouldnt cripple us.

FBaby, you question my lifestyle choice, which i have no problem with

Ronaldo_Mconaldo

I don't understand any support for nurserys here. I mean, i understand the need for them but I can't believe that someone would prefer to send their 6month old to be looked after by some chain smoking, 17 year old whose intelligence levels aren't all that much higher than the kids they look after. And then having to pay a small fortune for the privaledge. I mean just think who your baby might eventually say their first words to, Chantelle the nursery worker whose going to be too busy texting her mate to care.

Like i said, i understand the necessity but not any reason to think that your baby would be better off there.

FBaby

Ronaldo_Mconaldo wrote: »

I don't understand any support for nurserys here. I mean, i understand the need for them but I can't believe that someone would prefer to send their 6month old to be looked after by some chain smoking, 17 year old whose intelligence levels aren't all that much higher than the kids they look after. And then having to pay a small fortune for the privaledge. I mean just think who your baby might eventually say their first words to, Chantelle the nursery worker whose going to be too busy texting her mate to care.

I really hope no nursery workers, at least those who worked at the nursery my kids come here to read this... Ha ha, they could spell better than Ronaldo that's for sure.

My daugther got the 'pupil of the year' award out of 115 kids this year, so her nursery years must not have done too much damage!!!

Seriously, in MY CASE, thank god I made the choice I did and continued to work towards my career when my children were little as I separated from their dad when I discovered he had run 1000s of debts by taking CC and loans without my knowledge and had to find by myself. I was able to keep the house we'd bought a few years before, and continue to provide a pleasant life to my children. I would have been devastated to find myself after years of studying and then paying student loans having no choice but to rely solely on benefits. I think anyone could ask my kids whether they would give their activities and nice holidays up for the chance to go back and be at home with me full-time rather than nursery:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:they would think I've gone mad!!!!

melb

that's a shame then - most kids just want to be with their parents. Anyway it sounds like you had a pretty touch time so well done for coming through it.

Leela

FBaby wrote: »

Your choice made sense in light of the fact that the government supported it. However, the reality is that you could very well take on an evening or week-end job that suited around your husband's so you still wouldn't have to arrange childcare, but it would mean working to earn the £4K rather than enjoying nice evenings and weekends whilst the tax payers makes up for the difference.

Well said. :T

Too many people are having children they can't afford to pay for, because they know those who do work for a living will pay them generous benefits.

FBaby

melb wrote: »

that's a shame then - most kids just want to be with their parents. Anyway it sounds like you had a pretty touch time so well done for coming through it.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a nursery opened 24 hours 365 days a year, so I've had to spend some time with them after all :rotfl:And I can't type my message at this minute because my 8yo is telling me all about his bike race and I have to pretend I am listening to him!Just kidding, thanks for your message

gauly

mishkanorman wrote: »

And i cant help but think that if you are earning 40k between you as a couple, £600 per month on childcare on the grand scheme of things isnt that un-affordable.

Reading back the OP didnt state that they couldnt afford it just that they felt they shouldnt have to, thats a whole different story to ours- we literally couldnt afford for me to go to work full time and put our 2 children into childcare. The OP even stated they had applied for tax credit help !!

We've made sure our expenses are kept low, we dont have holidays, meals out, shop in Next etc. Our house choice was made so we werent stretching our budget so when children came along (as we knew they would) the drop in wage wouldnt cripple us.

You say in an earlier post that you have about £21k/year net. That works out to about £1k a month less than the net income on £40k (after tax and NI and with child benefit comes to about £32-34k). With £600/month childcare fees and £850/month mortgage the OP could well be worse off than you (depending if you live in an area with cheaper housing costs). Childcare may not be unaffordable, but it is really, really expensive, even on £40k.

flashnazia

The crux of the matter is, people who work have to think about having children and may even delay it due to not being able to afford childcare etc.

On the other hand, those an benefits who don't work will be furnished with the associated costs of having another mouth to feed.

skintchick

flashnazia wrote: »

The crux of the matter is, people who work have to think about having children and may even delay it due to not being able to afford childcare etc.

On the other hand, those on benefits who don't work will be furnished with the associated costs of having another mouth to feed.

You missed the option of: people who work may choose to have one parent give up their job to look after their child.

It still comes down to it being something everyone has to pay for, but some people are allowed a benefit to pay for it, as they can't afford it out of their own finances. You need to stop thinking of it as something that should be free but you are having to pay for, to it being something everyone has to pay for but that some who don't earn very much money get help with.

Whether or not people on benefits got free childcare, YOU would still have to pay for it. THAT is the crux of the matter.

erdd2

The comparisons of working v non working and who gets what benefits for child care are infinite. What surprises me is the expectation for financial assistance to raise children by both working and non working parties and the venom that can be thrown at the "opposition" to self to justify seeking money to finance child care...be it from a working or non working party.

The reference to "scroungers" appears to target non working....correct me if I have read this wrong....is receiving benefits because one is working not the same?

And before the snipers come out regards morals, who works the hardest who sacrifices the most, who contributes to the public purse, etc.....my point is merely that whatever a persons circumstances, a handout from the state no matter what name is used comes from the public purse....the taxpayer