Last Updated on September 1, 2023 by Lori Pace
When I think about discounts, I think of two-for-the-price-of-one burgers at my local restaurant or maybe a coupon that can give me a discount on bulk washing powder. But where can I find daycare discounts for single moms?
It never crossed my mind to consider a discount on daycare. Isn’t the going sentiment that single moms are solely responsible for daycare whatever the cost?
First, let’s set the record straight.
If I ask for a discount am I haggling?
It’s weird to think of asking for a discount for daycare, right. Haggling at a market over the price of jewelry? Definitely. But haggling a discount for daycare for your precious child? Scoff! Disapproval! Scoff!
If I ask for a daycare discount, does that mean I’m a bad mother?
Yawn! That question again. The endless policeman in the head saying, “ Bad Mommy, how can you think of settling for less than the best for your kid?
Well, I’d argue that haggling for daycare is not haggling at all. It is a civic duty.
Am I cheap?
Yes, and you should be! Where is the merit in overspending on daycare when you could be saving for your child’s future?
Does discounted daycare mean substandard daycare?
Absolutely not. Keep reading.
Discounts are good
Never take anything at face value. When they say it costs this much, there is generally a way around it. Don’t believe everything you read or hear. Without feeling cheap, haggling for the best price for daycare is a noble way of saving money for your kids. And paying too much is wasteful.
It is easy to be ashamed of being considered poor, but at least you are not wasting money where you could save it. Shift the paradigm from poor mom, asking for help to rich mom making powerful choices.
Paying what you can afford is a powerful choice. You are in control. It just takes a bit of research.
Fact: The cost of daycare in the USA is prohibitive and is getting worse due to the pandemic.
Mothers are forced to research alternatives to the traditional daycare options.
Here are some discount daycare options for single moms that I think are worth considering.
State
The first thing to consider is which state you live in, as Child Care assistance is at the state level. Federal assistance such as a Federal Government Child Care grant is one way to go and look at your local Department of Health and Human Service for information on affordable daycare or consult your state’s local Department of Public Welfare on your eligibility for subsidies and discounts how to apply. You will be able to find a lot of information about deals for daycare for single moms in your home state.
State Assistance programs can give you an amount towards daycare expenses. Look specifically at Childcare.gov, which lets you research the available discounts on daycare state by state.
PreSchool programs funded by the state also provide free or subsidized daycare to low-income single moms. You can find out more at your local CCR&R. There are 400 CCR&R offices in the U.S. All you need is your zip code to search for your State’s subsidies.
If your child is already enrolled in daycare, you may want to investigate the Sliding Scale Fee. Some daycare centers offer these fees based entirely on income.
SOME FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Head Start, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is a federally funded program for kids up to 5 years old. The funds from Head Start help to prepare your children for elementary school.
Early Head Start assists infants and toddlers of low-income moms
The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is a federal funding source for daycare for low-income single moms. Apply here to get discounts, subsidies and funds.
Child Care Development Fund provides $5.2 mill to upgrade daycare facilities and is distributed to single moms who need it. More than 1.8 mill kids in the U.S. benefit from this fund. If you have a daycare provider or babysitter coming to your home to look after your child, this is a fund to look at.
Through the Child and Adult Care Food Program CACFP, single parents can ask for free meals or affordable meals if the daycare center or after-school program is enrolled with CACFP.
So look at enrolling your child in a CACFP daycare centre. Now you don’t need to make sandwiches at midnight for little lunchboxes!
Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) offers a wide range of assistance including daycare.
The Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program managed by the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) is a subsidized child care program for low-income families. Find more information here:
More Specific Daycare Discounts for Single Moms:
HELP WITH DAYCARE FOR STUDYING SINGLE MOMS
The Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program (CCAMPIS) helps single moms who are studying with childcare services. Low-income parents can have their children cared for on campus.
DAYCARE ASSISTANCE FOR MILITARY MOMS
Child Care Aware of America gives child care fee assistance to eligible members of the military.
The Air Force Home Community Care Program, provides child care for U.S. air force reserve and national guard members during drill weekends.
The Navy provides help with daycare in the Exceptional Family Member EFM Respite Care.
MCCYN is not expanding to MCCYN-PLUS Pilot Initiative (QRIS) provides community child care centres where nationally accredited care is unavailable
PURELY FINANCIAL DISCOUNTED DAYCARE IDEAS FOR SINGLE MOMS
Flexible Savings Account FSA means you can take funds from your paycheck before tax deductions.
The Child Care Tax Credit: $3000 for a single income family which you receive after paying for childcare.
HELP WITH DAYCARE FOR WORKING MOMS
If you work for Patagonia, Apple, or Google, you might be offered a daycare center at your work or funds to pay for backup childcare.
Vivvi offers employer-sponsored child care, and Wonderschool helps neighborhoods launch child care centers in people’s homes.
Remote working is also not difficult to negotiate nowadays so isn’t it just a case of work from home: daycare sorted!
Beep! (wrong buzzer sound) Actually not. See below
Childcare is Work
Women applying for jobs on Linkedin are now adding raising kids to their employment history.
Work from Home for Single Moms
There are hundreds of sites offering work from home jobs for single moms but,
How am I supposed to work from home while taking care of kids?
Good question. Unless the work you do at home is: wait for it:
RUNNING A DAYCARE CENTRE FROM YOUR OWN HOME.
Sites like My Village help you start a daycare center: from getting licensed to training to opening your doors for the first time.
Things to consider:
- Completing a needs assessment. Use the needs assessment at your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R)
- Getting licensed will ensure you are certified to operate legally and that you have the correct regarding, among others, health and safety standards in your new daycare.
- You will also be required to undertake background checks for all employees in the daycare.
- If you do pay, tax expenses such as food, toys, equipment, and insurance are 100% tax-deductible.
- You could apply for your daycare to be tax-exempt. Find out whether you are eligible by contacting the IRS.
- It’s also a good idea to take out insurance for your new daycare.
- You need a fairly sizeable space.
Running a Daycare from home means you will be able to take care of your kids, while making money.
I hope this article has helped and given you some hope that there is support out there for single moms looking for affordable daycare discounts for their children.
