It’s no secret that paying for child care is a serious commitment.
For many parents it requires clear-eyed budgeting.
That’s because child care can be expensive. Like, more-than-you-expected expensive!
And often (but not always), the better the program, the more you can expect to pay.
(Still, on a per-hour basis, both daycare and preschool are way less expensive than a babysitter.)
Maybe the first place to start is to ask your parents for help.
Grandparents are often happy to help if asked. Asking for financial help, though, can be really hard to do (for lots of reasons).
Some families cut expenses elsewhere, knowing that paying for child care is temporary. Kids can age out of it in a few years or graduate to something more affordable when they start kindergarten.
Other parents save money using a Dependent Care FSA. This is for kids ages 13 and under.
With a Dependent Care FSA, you use pre-tax dollars to pay qualified out-of-pocket child care expenses, like tuition. The money you contribute to a Dependent Care FSA is not subject to payroll taxes, so you end up paying less in taxes and taking home more of your paycheck.
There’s also a federal tax credit for child care expenses. Like many tax credits, the lower your income, the more you can claim.
Some companies offer child care benefits as part of their compensation package. Ask your boss or HR rep about it.
If you’re interested in a particular daycare for your child, ask about employment. Some child care businesses will enroll your child at a reduced rate and pay you, too.
Finally, for Billings, MT, there’s the Best Beginnings subsidy.
First Things Child Care accepts Best Beginnings.
Qualifying families make co-payments based on income, using a sliding-fee scale.
Hopefully this page has given you a few ideas about minimizing the cost of paying for child care when money’s tight.
The first few years of a child’s life sets the tone for later development. You want the best for them emotionally, physically, socially, and cognitively.
First Things Child Care is a warm, earthy, screen-free daycare in the Heights. Kids here grow at their own pace with encouragement and humor. Most end up reading before Kindergarten. They’re not bogged down by rigid routines, helicopter hovering, or TV/tablets/video games.
Give us a call at 406-534-3442 to schedule your tour. We’d love to show you around. Monthly tuition starts at $450 for two days per week, half-day preschool starts at $175, and occasionally we offer hourly care.