At home day care prices? Nannies?

monpetitechouchou01

Hi everyone!

I live in a city that's pretty expensive somewhere along the East Coast The daycare costs are ASTRONOMICAL! The place next door to me charges $2000 plus per week (with an additional $700 for "before" and "after" day care). This is crazy! However, those are the prices here. I just can't pay that.  I can't give up my career however for many reasons a few of them being that I'm no longer with the baby's father and I'll be alone & I'll have a mortgage to pay on a new home I'm looking to buy prior to the arrival. 

So I decided to look online at craigslist in hopes of finding a Nanny. I figured that since I work a good 13 hours per day (for 4 days a week) it might be a good idea to see if a live in Nanny would work. This would prevent me from having to drop off a newborn at a daycare for such an extended period of time. I'd have the Nanny work only 4 days a week with the other days off AND provide a room (or separate apartment depending on the house I purchase in the next few months) for her to live in. 

I spoke to several people after posting an ad on craigslist who requested 600-700 per week as a live in nanny. After reading a post on the bump about child care costs and using the term "Nanny" I realized that none of these women who I spoke to were qualified as such. One worked at Nordstroms and had taken care of children before but had no education background and no CPR certification.  The other woman had moved here from South America 5 years ago and had taken care of an elderly couple during that time until they both passed away. The third (but not last) person I spoke with had also moved here from out of the country and had taken care of two children for a couple who worked at the UN and she charged 750 per week for live in. 

For those of you who have researched child care more than I have .. what is a reasonable price to ask for a Live in Nanny to take care of a child 4 days a week? I would be with the baby during the day and would need the majority of the work to be when I go to work during the evenings so the child would need to be put to sleep and fed throughout the night) with very light chores (only pertaining to the child such as changing diapers, feedings, washing baby clothes). I'm looking for a dedicated person who has taken a CPR class and has some experience with children.  I don't need someone with an extensive educational background so a "Nanny" might be the wrong term to use. Though I say live in I wouldn't require the person to work 24/7 just those evenings that I work. 

 I might also consider at home care (since I've read of it in a few posts) .. so any pricing you know for at home care would also be helpful!

 Thanks everyone!