by Author Name Withheld 143

Created on: July 02, 2007   Last Updated: March 14, 2012

Having a baby is a wonderful experience, and life with the new baby is just beginning. But the fact is that six weeks after the birth of your child, you have to return to work. Your finances have changed with the new addition to your family. You need someone to care for your new baby while you work, but you can't afford to have daycare costs eat up your paycheck. What can you do?

In general, if you continue to work, you can look to be needing daycare or someone to babysit your child for at approximately a four year time frame, or until the child reaches school age. The cost of daycare for a new baby will be more usually because they require more care.

There are a number of ways to potentially save money on the cost of child daycare. One idea is to enlist the help of family or close friends. Normally they will not charge what a daycare provider would charge, and you already know these people, allowing you immediate peace of mind as to who is caring for your baby.

You might also consider the option of working at a different time than your spouse so that one of you is with the child more, leaving less time needed for daycare of a babysitter. Rearranging your work schedule isn't always an option, but if your employer is willing, it will help cut costs on daycare.

For low income families, there might be child care help through through the county. Financial aid might be available to help defray daycare costs.

Local families might consider starting their own babysitting club. Moms can take turns caring for babies and children depending on their work schedules, all free of charge or at a low cost. With each parent involved in caring for all the children of the members in the babysitting group, it can help to save a lot of money on daycare.

The cost of placing your child in a licensed daycare will depend on many factors. The age of your child, the child's needs, the location of the daycare, the going rate for daycare centers in that area, and how often you use the daycare are just some of the factors that determine what you will pay for a daycare provider for your child.

One of the easiest ways to save money on caring for your child, when you have to work, is to work at home. A home business of your own, or telecommuting, allows you to be at home with your child on a full time basis, thereby totally undoing the need for child daycare or a babysitter. It takes some adjusting and time management and your child benefits from the parent or parents being home.

Child daycare can cost you a fortune, but it doesn't have to. Making changes in your present work schedule, enlisting the help of family and friends, starting your own work at home business, and seeking financial aid are just a few options open to parents who want to save money on child daycare costs.

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