Anyone else WTT #2 or more because nursery is so bloomin' expensive?!

[diggory77]

My baby has just turned one and I went back to work part time a month ago. I'm absolutely loving being a mummy and I'm just waiting now as two babies in nursery at the same time brings me out in a cold sweat! My daughter does 2.5 days in nursery and it costs £524. We do get help from working tax credits (£200) as our joint income is £33000.
So frustrating! Nursery costs are ridiculous!
Anyone else in the same boat? X

 

[madseasons]

Yes, yes and yes! We are waiting for the same reason. My DS will be around 5 by the time we are pregnant (we hope) so he will be in pre-school and the daycare costs will be so much lower.

IF I had two in daycare, it would cost me about $1200 (£1441) A MONTH. Right now I am already spending around $600 (£720) a month so I can't afford another until he is a wee bit older.

I also just finally finished my degree and I work full time, so I have been WAY busy!

SO yes, definitely in the same boat!

 

[Pearls18]

Yes this was one of the reasons we waited for a 3 year age gap (although there are other reasons) I'm glad because DS1 has just started his 15 free hours a week so we've been able to keep him in nursery for 2 days a week while I'm on maternity which is nice for him and nice for DS2 and I to get some time alone, having said that as we use a private nursery it still isn't cheap, 15 free hours isn't as much as it sounds when you factor in the fact it's term time only. When did you go back to work? You may find you get extra tax credits for the first year as your income would have been lower on maternity pay and they discount the first £100 a week which is most of SMP so make sure they know you were on maternity? But yeah this is one of the reasons I can't decide whether to have a third or not, I don't want to wait another 3 years so basically spend most of my 20s pregnant, BF and changing nappies!!

 

[Pearls18]

Even with the 15 free hours and only 4 days of childcare it will cost us £1300 for the two of them to be in nursery when I go back (London) thankfully we do get help with tax credits for childcare.

 

[diggory77]

Hi madseasons, so you'll be starting TTC soon? So exciting!

Marinewag, I went back to work in December. I work for the NHS though so I get a good occupational maternity pay. Yeah I had feared the 15 free hours wouldn't work out to much, we pay £524 now, so I was thinking it might work out to be about £350 a month, does that sound anywhere near what you'd think? That's for 2.5 days.
I think we'd get a bit more help towards nursery costs if we had a second with working tax credits, but I don't want to rely on that. I really want three kids, I'm 26 now, so was hoping to have a second within the next year or so and then a third when I'm in my 30s x

 

[madseasons]

Hi madseasons, so you'll be starting TTC soon? So exciting!

Yes! We are excited as well! Like I said, my DS will be 5 in November so we have been putting it aside for quite awhile in order to get financially better. I just got a promotion in Sept and will probably be getting another in February..so things are looking WAY up!

Good luck to you hun!

 

[dvc2012]

We are WTT for other reasons besides money (I need to finish my Masters degree) but the cost of daycare/nursery is something that is making me think of waiting even LONGER than we are already planning on waiting. When I looked at the cost for daycare for my son before he was born, it was at least $250 a week which is at least $1000 a month for one child. I've been able to stay home with him so far since I lost my job about a month after he was born, but once I graduate with my Masters, I will have to go back to work and the daycare bills are scary, even with just one toddler!