Child care costs run into $1,000's of dollars annually for working parents, depending upon the age of the child, the total could reach over $10,000 a year. There are ways to lower the cost of child care and still provide your child with quality child care while you are at work
First, ask your family and friends if they would be interested in providing child care, While this will still cost, it won't be nearly as much as the price of a child care facility.
Talk with other parents in your social circles. You may find parents with differing work schedules than yours and be able to form a child care co-op and swap child care with them for no out-of-pocket expense.
Check into any state or county child care programs offered in your area.. If your county offers child care resources, they will cut the cost of your child care. Some states offer pre-kindergarten programs for 4 year olds.
If possible, try to telecommute or adjust your work schedule so you can work fewer hours or days outside of your home.
Talk to friends about sharing a babysitter. Most babysitters charge the same amount for a week of child care service even if the child is not there everyday during the week. If you work part-time outside of the home, you might can team up with another parent that works part-time and share the same babysitter, splitting the cost of a week of child care.