Here is the deal I work 2 days during the week and a Saturday. I make 358.00 dollars every two weeks which is about 716 a month plus 240 child support to take care of my oldest. A total of 956 dollars. DH and I make just over the limit to get childcare 70% paid for (about 200 dollars over). I think they count child support. I looked up the chart online. Anyhow I was going to put them in daycare, two days a week. It will be 70 dollars a week for two weeks ( until my oldest will go back to school) and then 50 dollars a week for the two kids. When it is all said and done I will pay 200.00 a month for childcare after oldest DS goes to school. DH doesn't think it is worth it but I prefer working days rather than nights because I like making the deliveries during the day. I still will have about 996 dollars a month towards food and my bills. I pay the internet, house phone and my cell phone and buy food and necessities that we need. My job is only about 5 minutes away and daycare is only about 5 minutes away. I get vision, dental and could even get medical insurance which DH doesn't provide. So, I don't think it would really be worth it to quit and get back on food stamps and have only 240.00 dollars a month to take care of my kids and have no health insurance for myself. I also have a high balance on my Meijer's card (700 dollars) that I need to pay off and cancel. What would you do? I only have to pay 140 for the first two weeks and then it will go down to 100 dollars every two weeks. I told DH that childcare is expensive anywhere you go and I don't want to go somewhere just because it is cheap.

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If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

C.S. Lewis

I think your childcare is a steal, compared to what we pay around here: from $150 a week and up.

It sounds like you are happier working, and financially it sounds like the better deal. As long as you are getting enough family time and have a good, trustworthy daycare situation, I see no reason to quit. Would it hurt your family budget a lot if you quit? It seems like it could, since you are definitely paying for some things. Think about what makes you happy and discuss it from that angle, while staying on the practical, financial side. The insurance thing is huge...I'd not want to be without that this day and age, and its need grows as you age, plus the kids really have to have it.

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that is a good deal for daycare..I say keep working

It is for only two days a week but that makes it only 25 dollars a day which is about 12.50 per kid. It will be rough the first two weeks paying for three kids at 70 dollars a week but then it will get better when DS goes to school. I think it would hurt our budget because we wouldn't be able to afford food. I really do not want to get on food stamps again. I would rather work and buy my own food plus I would be home with barely any gas money.

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If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

C.S. Lewis

i would say its worth you working if you were in the hole or only had about $200 bucks left after daycare then i would quit but that price for daycare is a steal.

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To have insurance for myself and stay off food stamps, I'd keep working. I just wouldn't like to be on assistance if I could help it, but that's just me. (Nothing against anyone who is. I've been there, done that when my kids were younger. It just bothered me to be on it.)

That's assuming that you are confident that your childcare provider will do a good job.

The foodstamps were helpful last year but I would rather work and be off them.

__________________
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

C.S. Lewis

It sounds like you've already made a decision. Now you just have to convince DH that it's the right thing to do. Not only are you getting paid, but I would also assume that you are getting adult interaction other than DH. That right there helps your sanity!!!!

If you are saying that basically you wouldn't have a food budget if you quit, that's a pretty darn good reason to keep going. It is only 2 days, and isn't it true that food stamps still won't get you enough groceries, and you would STILL need to kick in hard cash for extra groceries and extra things that they don't cover, including cleaning/laundry supplies? DH needs to know that his armor still needs shining/cleaning and his steed still needs to eat before he can rescue the damsel in the ivory tower.

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LOL yes it is true. I told him he needs to make more money if he wants me to stay home.

__________________
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

C.S. Lewis