5 Real Moms Share "How Much Are You Paying for Daycare?"

Whether it's a day care center, or home-based provider, aren't you curious to know what other working moms pay for day care costs...and whether they're happy with their child care arrangements? From paying a lot to paying very little, I found seven moms willing to spill the beans. You may be surprised to find out how much some moms are willing to shell out for quality care!

Name: Ashely K.
Occupation: Director of Digital Marketing
Location: Colorado
Type of Care: Preschool/Center
Are You Getting What You Pay For? We have two kids, so our cost was $2600 per month -- ouch! -- until our daughter entered elementary school. Now we're paying $1800 for our son's preschool and our daughter's before and after care. We chose this particular place because it has everything we were looking for in a preschool. It is a Reggio Emilia philosophy, nature-based, small, open learning and very community centric. We love everything about it. My son had been in FOUR previous preschool/daycare centers, none of which we liked and they were all crazy expensive.

Related: How much did your birth cost? 7 moms tell all!

Name: Nellie A. Occupation: CEO of Corpnet.com
Location: Greater Los Angeles
Type of Care: Live Out/Day Nanny
Are you getting what you pay for? I'm a working mother who juggles raising four children with running a successful business. My youngest is only two so we have a nanny who assists me in taking care of her while I work and with the other kids when they come home from school. We prefer live out because I strictly use my nanny for times when I am working; when I am home, I am fully hands-on with my children. My youngest is the happiest baby ever and talks and sings and dances at a level that is far beyond her age. I truly believe this is because of the one-on-one attention she receives.

Name: Mindy Kay S. (aka blogger, ThroughlyModernMommy)
Occupation: Performing Arts Teacher
Location: Connecticut
Type of Care: Center
Are you getting what you pay for? At the YMCA daycare center my daughter attends, the cost has ranged from $600 to $1200 a month depending on her age and how many days a week she attends. It is slightly more expensive for younger children since the teacher/ student ratio is smaller. Four days a week from 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM for a full class of 4-year olds is $1000 per month. As a freelancer who teaches after school programs, I need to choose which days she'll attend based on my work schedule. I also needed an extended day. School days ending at 3:30 PM for her are of no assistance to me. That's when my day starts!

I have absolutely gotten my money's worth at our center. Not only is she well cared for, she is learning early math, literacy, science, and citizenship concepts. The students swim and take yoga classes, have dance parties, and perform songs for each other. She loves it there!

Name: Amber V.
Occupation: Public Relations Supervisor
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Type of Care: Nanny Share
Are you getting what you pay for? I'm a new mom who works full time at Planit, a marketing firm in Baltimore. Another mom in my neighborhood and I share a nanny to cut costs. We alternate between our two houses every other week. Her daughter is only a couple months older than my son, so they have a lot of fun playing together. I like that my child gets more one-on-one time with his nanny in an environment he's familiar with compared to what he would get if we took him to a daycare center. Also, I prefer having another family to share with because my son (who is the first child and doesn't have younger sibling yet) gets to grow up alongside another child and learn to share at an early age. Plus, I also have another mom in my exact situation to give/receive advice!

Name: Molly G.
Occupation: Director of Operations Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Type of Care: Center
Are you getting what you pay for? I reside in suburban Boston, MA, which I have read many times of late is the most expensive place in this country for child care - lucky us! At the center we use, which is very close to our home, the expense for two days per week under the "early pickup" plan (i.e. pick up by 3:30 vs 6:00) is approximately $535 each month which includes snacks, but not lunch -- you pack and send in your own. The expense reduces as he gets older because the staff to child ratio requirements decrease the older the child is (he just turned 2). He has been under their care for a year now. We are very happy with this arrangement!

To see what 2 more real moms shell out for daycare, visit BabyZone!

-By Jacqueline Tourville

MORE ON BABYZONE
7 super-embarassing toddler habits (humping and nudity?!)
11 items EVERY new mom needs
8 guilt-free toddler apps for your smartphone