What makes kids so expensive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for the very frugal PP. I am intrigued by your lifestyle. But here's a question: You and your DH both work FT and yet your HHI is just $99K. Do you think you could make better salaries if you were to have just a bit of steady childcare? Seems like you could have a lot of earnings potential with your determination and good writing skills. Do you aspire to higher salaries? I just feel like there are a lot of opportunity costs here. Perhaps one of you could just try to work FT and make more, and then one of you could just stay home instead of doing this big juggle?

To be honest, I don't think it's much of a juggle. About 10 years ago (pre kids) I turned down several job offers with six figure salaries in favor of my current job which offers more flexibility and more regular hours (e.g. I work 40 hours rather than 50-60), plus less travel, than the higher paid jobs would have done. It was the right choice then, and even more so now -- I have no interest in seeking out those opportunities again. Plus the extra money wouldn't significantly offset the additional costs or stresses on the family.

My husband likely will become an employee somewhere at some point in the next few years which will increase his earning power. However, he works in a very low paying field and there's little scope for him to earn a lot more without a major career change. Plus he finds his work fulfilling on the whole, which is important. If he does take a job where he is a full time employee for an organization we may have to look at other childcare options, though I still think it likely that he could take the kids to school before work and I could pick them up afterwards. That's a common arrangement for many families and he prefers to start work later and I prefer to start earlier.

I am glad that it has worked out for this PP to live so frugally with kids. It sounds like they are a success story. I have a friend who worked as an attorney at a company, and her husband was a firefighter. They tried to get by without child care because he worked at night, and she worked during the day. But they eventually realized that they needed childcare services because neither of them was getting any sleep, which made for cranky parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for the very frugal PP. I am intrigued by your lifestyle. But here's a question: You and your DH both work FT and yet your HHI is just $99K. Do you think you could make better salaries if you were to have just a bit of steady childcare? Seems like you could have a lot of earnings potential with your determination and good writing skills. Do you aspire to higher salaries? I just feel like there are a lot of opportunity costs here. Perhaps one of you could just try to work FT and make more, and then one of you could just stay home instead of doing this big juggle?

To be honest, I don't think it's much of a juggle. About 10 years ago (pre kids) I turned down several job offers with six figure salaries in favor of my current job which offers more flexibility and more regular hours (e.g. I work 40 hours rather than 50-60), plus less travel, than the higher paid jobs would have done. It was the right choice then, and even more so now -- I have no interest in seeking out those opportunities again. Plus the extra money wouldn't significantly offset the additional costs or stresses on the family.

My husband likely will become an employee somewhere at some point in the next few years which will increase his earning power. However, he works in a very low paying field and there's little scope for him to earn a lot more without a major career change. Plus he finds his work fulfilling on the whole, which is important. If he does take a job where he is a full time employee for an organization we may have to look at other childcare options, though I still think it likely that he could take the kids to school before work and I could pick them up afterwards. That's a common arrangement for many families and he prefers to start work later and I prefer to start earlier.

Also, your current job allows you to literally be on DCUM all day, so that's another perk!

Like yours?! I'm actually not at work today, but trying to kill time waiting for appointments.

[Anonymous]

What charter has offered 6 weeks of summer school? Haynes as part of year round model?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What charter has offered 6 weeks of summer school? Haynes as part of year round model?

Yu Ying
Stokes
Mundo Verde
DC prep
KIPP
AppleTree
Bridges
LAMB

Just a few I'm aware of. Some may be 4 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What charter has offered 6 weeks of summer school? Haynes as part of year round model?

Yu Ying
Stokes
Mundo Verde
DC prep
KIPP
AppleTree
Bridges
LAMB

Just a few I'm aware of. Some may be 4 weeks.

YY was two weeks.

[Anonymous]

I don't live in DC, but it's nice to see some of these charter schools offering a low-cost summer camp option. It gives kids some good programming and structure. Otherwise summer can be a challenge for working parents in terms of keeping kids productively engaged. I am impressed with DC!

[Anonymous]

Nice try but YY was 2 weeks and Stokes was four. Don't know whether anyone can confirm any charter with six weeks of summer school, at least any charter popular with the DCUM set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question for the very frugal PP. I am intrigued by your lifestyle. But here's a question: You and your DH both work FT and yet your HHI is just $99K. Do you think you could make better salaries if you were to have just a bit of steady childcare? Seems like you could have a lot of earnings potential with your determination and good writing skills. Do you aspire to higher salaries? I just feel like there are a lot of opportunity costs here. Perhaps one of you could just try to work FT and make more, and then one of you could just stay home instead of doing this big juggle?

To be honest, I don't think it's much of a juggle. About 10 years ago (pre kids) I turned down several job offers with six figure salaries in favor of my current job which offers more flexibility and more regular hours (e.g. I work 40 hours rather than 50-60), plus less travel, than the higher paid jobs would have done. It was the right choice then, and even more so now -- I have no interest in seeking out those opportunities again. Plus the extra money wouldn't significantly offset the additional costs or stresses on the family.

My husband likely will become an employee somewhere at some point in the next few years which will increase his earning power. However, he works in a very low paying field and there's little scope for him to earn a lot more without a major career change. Plus he finds his work fulfilling on the whole, which is important. If he does take a job where he is a full time employee for an organization we may have to look at other childcare options, though I still think it likely that he could take the kids to school before work and I could pick them up afterwards. That's a common arrangement for many families and he prefers to start work later and I prefer to start earlier.

I am glad that it has worked out for this PP to live so frugally with kids. It sounds like they are a success story. I have a friend who worked as an attorney at a company, and her husband was a firefighter. They tried to get by without child care because he worked at night, and she worked during the day. But they eventually realized that they needed childcare services because neither of them was getting any sleep, which made for cranky parents.

I don't think anyone that contemptuous of others can be considered a "success story." I'm all for minimizing what our family "needs," but I'm also not so lacking in compassion (and just general awareness) as to understand that different people have different circumstances/genes/lives/etc.

[Anonymous]

Also exaggerates, as with the summer school. I don't think Bridges offers a summer school either as frugal and close friends go there and have not mentioned it. Their website says their summer program is for skids with special needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nice try but YY was 2 weeks and Stokes was four. Don't know whether anyone can confirm any charter with six weeks of summer school, at least any charter popular with the DCUM set.

Stokes was six weeks a couple of years back, according to friends who send their kids there. LAMB is six, I believe, but not open to all kids.

We were offered a spot last year (or perhaps the year before) at either DC Prep or KIPP (I forget which) and they not only had a free summer program for most of the summer but attendance was mandatory for all kids.

CAPCS also had a summer program for several weeks (though they are closing this year and I wouldn't say that they are "popular with the DCUM set").

AppleTree had a six week program for the past few years.

Pretty sure that Bridges did too, about 3 years ago when we looked at going there.

[Anonymous]

Question about these free camps? Do you kind of get what you pay for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Question about these free camps? Do you kind of get what you pay for?

No, at our school they were excellent - taught by the teaching assistants with lots of activities and field trips.

[Anonymous]

I have not read this thread.

But OP, do NOT count on your in laws 45 min away for free childcare. While I'm sure they are itching for grandchildren, that's a lot different than itching to be a nanny after commuting.

[Anonymous]

Bethune had a free summer camp too. Probably still does.

[Anonymous]

Daycare-preschool was a biggie for us. About $15K a year. When our daughter started elementary school, we started to see about $5K a year in savings. A month of after school care costs us a bit more than a week of daycare/preschool did. Summer camps run per week a bit more than what a week of daycare cost. Activities have ramped up - we spend about $1,200/year for dance class and gear (one class, year-round) and maybe another $800 for sports and sports gear. I figure that probably 1/3 of my food bill (we're a family of one parent/one child) goes toward my daughter. Formula and diapers cost us about $100/month; that was a nice expense to get rid of. Clothing costs can be expensive - you're literally replacing an entire wardrobe twice a year, plus things like coats, swimsuits, shoes, etc.

College funding is whatever you choose to spend - for me, that now replaces the money I used to put into my Roth IRA. Child care for dates/social engagements/workouts can run you $12-$15/hour. Travel - it affects your choice of where you stay, the room you get and how many tickets you have to buy. Health/dental insurance. Copays. Prescriptions. Life insurance that's higher because you have a dependent.

Intangible expenses are a biggie - I definitely have a much more expensive house now that I have a child than I would have before. Without her, I'd be in a two-bedroom in a bad school district. With her, I'm in a 3-bedroom house in a good school district. And you generally need a car with a kid - without her, I might not have one because I metro/bus everywhere otherwise.

I estimate that my daughter cost about $27K last year and including food, clothing, entertainment, etc. I make just over $100K.