Child care costs are are one of the most expensive costs associated with going back to work. Finding ways to cut down on child care costs without sacrificing quality child care is a top priority for all working parents. Here are a few ideas that can help trim your child care costs without sacrificing child care quality:
See if your employer has a child care flexible spending account. This is a special account that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw87.html - created that allows you to set aside money for child care expenses with pre-tax dollars. You ask your employer to take out a certain amount of money each month from your paycheck and you can use this money tax free for child care related expenses.
Inquire if your company has partnerships or offers discounts for certain child care provider services. some larger companies will sometimes negotiate discount plans with local child care providers to help offset child care costs.
See if your public school district offers a half day pre-kindergarten program for 4-year-olds. These programs are usually free and by signing-up your child, it will reduce your child care needs to a half day from a full day.
Check to see if your employer would be open to flex hours, job sharing or telecommuting. If so, you may be able to use these to juggle your schedule and cut your child care costs.
If both you and your spouse work, see if it's possible to arrange your work schedules so they overlap as little as possible. This will allow you to reduce the number of hours your child has to spend at child care.
See if there is a relative or good friend that can help with child care.
Consider hiring a nanny and sharing the cost of child care with a few good friends. This will allow you to pay less individually for child care costs and the nanny will make more money overall.
For a list of child care resource and referral agencies, you can visit the Child Care Aware website - http://www.childcareaware.org - which is a nonprofit organization that helps parents find quality child care in their communities.
Copyright Jeffrey Strain. He is owner of http://www.savingadvice.com - a website dedicated to saving you money.
car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareAll children will likely have many different health problems during... Read More
Lets face it becoming a mum is a bit of... Read More
Homework. It doesn't have to be a daily battle of... Read More
Once upon a time, I thought I had it all.... Read More
Many public schools not only fail to educate our children,... Read More
School authorities often complain that classes are too large. They... Read More
Self esteem in an important quality for all children to... Read More
The cruel callous remarks made by our offspring can sometimes... Read More
Why Is Spending Time with Your Child So Important?For children... Read More
My cousin boasts five names and I confess that when... Read More
While most fathers aspire to become the best Dads they... Read More
You want your daughter to wear a dress to the... Read More
The great thing about children is they absorb knowledge like... Read More
Though you can cover even very long distances by car... Read More
Most of our Founding Fathers, including Ben Franklin, Sam Adams,... Read More
We're all familiar with the over-indulgent parent. But there's another... Read More
You are at the grocery store with your daughter and... Read More
As our children grow, they will be going to schools... Read More
1. STOP focusing on what you are going to make... Read More
The small, lilac colored hexagonal box, with Winnie the Pooh... Read More
Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters'... Read More
There are only two ways to get more money:1) Increase... Read More
This time, I would like to talk about a subject... Read More
How are parents to know they are doing the right... Read More
Is there anything wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, shop-lifting, taking... Read More
Granger limo Chicago ..Do you live with an ADD / ADHD child? If... Read More
This may come as a surprise.But despite all the advances... Read More
Often I have heard that leaders are born, not made.... Read More
For the first year or two of life outside the... Read More
Gift shops are a kid magnet and often a trip... Read More
What do you mean average? Not good? Just doing good... Read More
What's new and effective in the treatment of Attention problems?... Read More
The brightly colored plastic mobile dangles lazily overhead in the... Read More
I WAS AMAZEDI could hardly believe what I was hearing.... Read More
The advances in science over the past century have been... Read More
All children will likely have many different health problems during... Read More
As parents and teachers, sometimes we want to praise, at... Read More
Peaceful Parenting? ideas are very different from other kinds of... Read More
When my oldest boy was really young, he tickled my... Read More
My son is 6 yrs old. He came home the... Read More
Courage means doing the right thing when it is hard,... Read More
Many research studies have shown the overall effectiveness of stimulant... Read More
Q. What's the right age to start giving a Bible... Read More
Recess has begun disappearing in states all around the country.... Read More
Annie easily slipped into becoming the sole caregiver of her... Read More
You want your daughter to wear a dress to the... Read More
1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a... Read More
I was in the life insurance sales industry for over... Read More
Many parental units are not "techies" and openly admit they... Read More
Single parenting has seemingly become an acceptable norm which is... Read More
Parenting |