about $25K.
It used to be more, but last year we stopped taking AP on vacation with us, saving about $3K.
Instead, we pay AP an extra $400 in bonuses or gifts, which they probably appreciate more than going on vacation with us.

but yes, if I add in the time I spend on acclimating my AP and mentoring and her "cultural experience" at my hourly rate, it probably adds up to another $10,000 of my time spent

Anonymous wrote:So looks like 21-30k range.

Now, let's also not forget to add in your TIME as HF. The time you take off from work/personal to pick up AP, train AP, take her to the bank/soc sec office/DMV, attend/plan cultural activities, help her navigate school, travel, life, answer endless questions about all the things, etc.

Yet somehow people think, we are all just getting dirt cheap childcare

These are all issues - but with a nanny, I had to also do all sorts of things that came up too (and with driving had to cover her insurance, deal when her family had a tragedy, when she couldn't make it to work for various reasons - not split shift ability, not evening hour options, etc) So trade offs...

So looks like 21-30k range.

Now, let's also not forget to add in your TIME as HF. The time you take off from work/personal to pick up AP, train AP, take her to the bank/soc sec office/DMV, attend/plan cultural activities, help her navigate school, travel, life, answer endless questions about all the things, etc.

Yet somehow people think, we are all just getting dirt cheap childcare

30k. D.C. Suburb but less than 3 miles to city. 3rd car for AP. We do take AP on family vacation and that adds 3-5k every year.

25k

24k. We own, maintain and insure a 3rd car, plus her gas; food; casual expenses; and so on. We have a programable thermostat, but since she never.leaves.the.house, we've been heating the house full time for her. Of course I want someone living in my house to be comfortable, but really it's 1000 little things that add up to a lot.
The flexibility is bar none, but I'm sort of sour on the entitlement attitude right now.

21k a year.

Agree with pp.

Way more than you would think and what the agency advertises.

We do not include AP on the one expensive resort vacation we take each year. We did the first two years, but it incredibly expensive when you are technically supposed to get them their own room not to mention the flight, excursions, and all of the things we treat ourselves to while on vacation. And we don't need help/babysitting on vacation.

We have two cars that we share. We commute via train to city, so AP basically has her choice of cars during the week and 95% of the time can use a car on the weekend.

Anyway, many of the trolls will claim how cheap it is, but in reality, it definitely is not!

$25K. Not including vacations and gifts. Denver.

We have been out of the program for a little over one year, but my estimate was 24k. We shared our second car and did not take any expensive vacations while we hosted APs, no so extra flights and such.

I think $25K is a reasonable estimate.

I would say about 27k. Suburb of dc. We also have an extra car.

About 25-27k. In a suburb of Boston. We have a third car for AP’s use.

I think it costs way more than most people realize.

Not just fees and pocket money, but increased expenses on cars, food, travel, etc. Ballpark it. And where in the country do you live?