Nursery fees

CathA

AndyBSG wrote: »

I'd be interested to know how you feel about being an unpaid carer?

Reason I ask is because my wife has recently returned to work full time and like your daughter we are relying on my wife's mum to look after the little one.

She looks after her 2 days a week(nursery for the other 3).

My wife thinks this is fine but it doesn't sit easy with me... I've always been VERY independent and only ask my family for stuff if there's no other option and I do feel like we're imposing on my MIL even though both her and my wife keep assuring me it's fine!

Another idea perhaps, put some money aside each week and when it's a decent amount take her shopping, or pay for the MOT on the car or her road tax? Possibly pay for her to have a window cleaner or a gardener, perhaps a cleaner or to have her oven professionally cleaned? She's doing it out of love for her family, you can do the above to show your appreciation for what she is doing for you.

ThumbRemote

pigpen wrote: »

My daughter pays £180 a week for her 16 month old.. She gets a grant which covers 85% but food is £10 a day and she provides her own nappies/wipes etc.

the staff ratios there mean the 1 member of staff assigned to 3 babies bring in £540 ... that member of staff will be lucky to see 1/3rd of that! My sister used to work at the same nursery and got £85 a week.. that is one hell of a profit even after you factor in toy wear and tear, heating, bills etc

Except you're completely ignoring all the other costs of running a nursery.

Assuming that one staff member is there 8am-6pm (it may be longer) at £6.70 an hour = £335, so well above the 1/3rd you seem to think. (OK - it wouldn't be one person working 50 hours a week, more likely a job share, but the point stands - they still need someone to do that job for those times).

Out of the remaining £205 they have to pay employers national insurance, business rates, public liability insurance, gas, water, electricity, rent, stationary and admin costs, training, equipment, sick pay, etc - the list goes on. Plus you have other staff to pay - cleaners, nursery management and so on (unless you want them to leave your child unattended while they mop the toilets, do the books, have their own lunch and so on). That money also covers the times when the nursery isn't full, but they still have to pay staff.

If you think they really are making "one hell of a profit" then why don't you set up your own nursery and prove it?

moomoomama27

When I looked in to childcare costs in my area it's about £75 per day, hence why I became a SAHM as the cost of childcare would end up being more than my wage!

chanie

I think our nursery charges £55 a day - I don't know the exact figure as DC1 is getting the 15 hours. We also pay £15 a day for breakfast/after school care for DC1. DC2 starts school this year, so we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but I do remember how difficult it was when we were paying nursery fees for both children.

Things we did which helped:
OH got some new qualifications, so he could get a better paid job.
We used childcare vouchers
We work compressed hours to limit the number of days we have to use paid childcare.