Child care, along with housing, food and taxes, is a major family expense. Some families spend half of their income to place their child in a quality child care program. Although fees vary greatly, you should expect to spend 10% to 20% of your gross income on child care. If someone makes $38,000 it’s unlikely that they’d only be spending $3800/year.
In addition to weekly fees, some programs charge more for transportation, meals, late pickups and trips. Some impose penalties for late payments, and most will expect payment if a child is absent.
Be certain you understand exactly what the fees include. It’s wise to ask the provider when fees were last raised and by how much; this can help you to anticipate future fee increases.
