There's some truth here, but data clearly shows essentials (housing, transportation, child care, education, health care, ETC.) have also gotten more expensive even with accounting for inflation.

by Bubbly_Wing 2 hours ago

Heard a story about a couple who bought the house next door so their parents could move to that house and they would be able to have childcare. They did this because the monthly mortgage cost was cheaper than monthly childcare costs. Kinda crazy.

by HourAbbreviations291 2 hours ago

One of my coworkers had her parents and in laws fly to the US from the Philippines for 6 months at a time to help watch each of her kids after they were born. The cost for the flights, visas, and extra household expenses for their four parents was still cheaper than daycare or a nanny. Her kids were born in 2006 and 2008.

by Anonymous 2 hours ago

I have Filipino in-laws and they would be willing to sleep on potato sacks in the closet if it meant getting to take care of their grandkids. I don't think you can find a cheaper source of childcare on the planet

by Simple-Measurement70 1 hour ago

Other secret cost is sanity and privacy. I would hate having my parents over 24/7. That could MAYBE onlt work if I had a finished basement or MIL suite. Even then, id rather pay a preschool

by adelbertkuvalis 1 hour ago

It's almost that every generation prior used family for child care. Or church elders. Or friends. Or neighbors. The term "it takes a village to raise a child" is rooted in that literally a whole family and village pitched in to help raise kids.

by Suspicious_Jicama 1 hour ago

Because each household was able to be sustained off a single working individual and people didnt have to work till they died to keep Healthcare affordable.

by First_Diamond3498 1 hour ago

Working until you died was the norm until only 2 generations ago

by Fmcdermott 57 minutes ago

This is a great point and why I think more multi generational living is a solution to a lot of our problems. We can take care of our elderly (and their SS income help out with living), get more homecare, grow food, help raise and educate kids and pass down culture. My inspiration was living in a heavy latin area where they tend to have 3 units of living per property, and appear much happier and social than any other place I lived, big city or small town.

by Financial-Engine-767 27 minutes ago

50 years ago, not as many people paid for childcare. The mom would stay home and look after the kids. Everybody complains that childcare is expensive, but it's not like it's because they are making huge profits. The reason it's expensive is because it's so resource intensive. Where I live the maximum allowed ratio for childcare for kids 18-30 months is 1 person to 5 children. The minimum wage is $17.20 per hour. Assuming 40 hours a week and 4 weeks a month, that's $2752 just in wages for the one person looking after the kids. That comes out to $550 a month. Add in other costs like the actual building facilities, insurance, food (mandatory for them to serve snacks and luches) and staff to prepare the food and it's no suprise that costs can come in at $1000 a month for one child in daycare.

by Anonymous 5 minutes ago