Anyone else in the Boston area dealing with this? We're looking at $2,400/month for a decent place and I'm genuinely considering quitting my job because it would barely cover daycare. Like mathematically it doesn't make sense.
We're looking at in-home options but have heard so many sketchy stories.
What are people actually doing?
Have you looked at nanny shares? Like splitting a nanny with another family can sometimes get costs down to $1,500-1,800 per kid. Still pricey but better than solo daycare rates in Boston.
I'm in Boston too and feel this in my soul. The job market is good here which ironically makes daycare more expensive. It's a trap. Have you looked into whether your company has backup childcare benefits? Some of the bigger employers around here subsidize it.
Quitting doesn't make sense mathematically but honestly? If you hate your job anyway, staying home with the kid and saving money might hit different. But if you actually like working, that's a tougher call.
Boston is ridiculous for this. We looked at moving there for a job and when we saw daycare costs we immediately said no. The salary bump didn't even come close to covering it. You're not crazy for reconsidering the whole situation.
$2,400/month is CRIMINAL. That's like $28,800 a year and you're paying it with after-tax money so really it's like $40k. Have you looked into subsidies or is your household income too high?
Boston daycare is absolutely insane. $2400 is actually on the lower end for a decent place which is bonkers. We looked at in-home providers and yeah the sketchy stories are real BUT we also found two amazing ones through referrals from other parents. Ask in the Boston Parents Facebook group - they actually vet people.
Have you checked if either your employer or your wife's offers dependent care FSA? You can set aside up to like $5k pre-tax for childcare. Doesn't solve the $2400 problem but reduces your actual cost by like 25-30%.
In-home is risky but honestly at those prices it might be worth vetting really thoroughly. Do background checks, ask for references, do surprise visits. I know that sounds paranoid but when it's $2,400 a month that's basically paying someone's salary anyway.
This is the real issue nobody addresses. When childcare costs more than rent... something's broken. Have you looked at nanny shares? We split a nanny with another family and it was $1600 each instead of $2400 each.
"Sketchy stories" about in-home care is real but it depends. We use someone who's been with the same families for 15+ years and she's basically a grandmother figure. The way to vet: references, unannounced visits after a few weeks, trust your gut. Don't just pick someone from Care.com.
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The math you're describing is REAL though. If daycare costs more than your salary, you're literally paying to work. That's not just financially dumb, it's insane. Have you actually run the numbers with your wife on one of you going part-time instead of quitting entirely?
Okay but real talk - what would you DO instead if you quit? Like if you're not working, then yeah you save $2,400 but now your family is living on one income. Is that actually doable or are you stuck?