Working parents across America face a dark financial reality: Child care costs can equal or exceed their rent or mortgage payments.
For example, day care costs nearly $24,000 per year in Springfield, Massachusetts, while the national average in major metropolitan areas is more than $15,000, according to LendingTree research. (1)
However, on LinkedIn, Catherine Collins Alford is Money Moms: A Millennial Mom’s Guide to Managing Money Like a Boss, recently shared an unconventional solution that helped her manage twins while building a freelance writing business: Join an upscale gym with quality childcare facilities. (2)
When her brother asked her how she worked from home when her twins were little, Alford shared what she calls her “best tip”: Although she’s “frugal by nature,” she spends $200 a month on a gym membership—and the math worked out decisively in her favor.
For five years, Alford took her twins to the gym nearly every day, where they were supervised by background-checked staff and organized for 2.5 hours of craft activities.
During that time, she sat at the venue writing articles on her laptop and enjoying free coffee. Sometimes, instead of working, she takes a long shower with high-quality products and spends half an hour blow-drying her hair—”a luxury for any new mother, especially one without family around her.”
Alford’s calculation: Conservatively, using the gym for 2.5 hours 20 days a month equates to 50 hours of child care for $200 — just $4 an hour for two kids. It also allows her to “continue growing my freelance writing business without spending too much time away from my children.” (2)
On Reddit parenting forums, moms and dads across America describe the cost of child care as a “second mortgage” or “another rent payment,” with some families spending $2,000 to $3,000 or more per child per month. (3)
The cost of childcare also drives mothers out of the labor market: KPMG research shows that labor force participation among mothers with children under five fell by 2.3% between December 2023 and August 2025, with the largest decline among college-educated mothers. (4)
Bloomberg notes that women faced with working just to afford day care are instead choosing to reduce their hours, opt out of promotions, or leave altogether—some of whom are having fewer or no children due to cost pressures. (5)
The issue has become politically influential. Zohran Mamdani’s campaign promise of free child care for all New York City parents helped him win the job as New York City’s next mayor. (6)
Of course, Alford’s strategy works best for a specific group of people: remote workers with flexible schedules, who live near suitable facilities and whose children are old enough for congregate care but not yet of school age.
Even if the gym tricks fit, there are limits. Gym child care centers may limit classes to a few hours, which is not enough to cover an entire workday without creative scheduling. They are often closed on holidays when you may still need work. Furthermore, facilities may challenge parents’ use of occasional services as daily child care.
Also, the quality of care will vary. It is best to visit multiple facilities during operating hours to observe staff-to-child ratios, cleanliness, activities offered, and how caregivers interact with children. Background checks on employees and attractive programs are important.
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While the gym childcare technique won’t work for many families, the innovative thinking it demonstrates is a valuable model for managing childcare costs that requires planning, creativity and commitment. Here are some ideas to consider:
Before you get pregnant, put money directly into a high-yield savings account specifically for child care. Many companies now offer interest rates above 5%. Even paying $100 a month over three years creates a cushion of more than $3,700.
The federal child tax credit provides up to $2,200 in tax credits for each qualifying child under 17 through 2025, of which $1,700 may be refundable — meaning you’ll receive money even if you don’t owe taxes. (7)
According to CNBC, some companies offer dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) that allow you to set aside up to $5,000 per year before taxes for child care (8), effectively discounting the cost based on your tax rate. Others offer on-site or subsidized child care or form partnerships with local providers that offer employee discounts.
Talk to your friends or neighbors about splitting the cost of a nanny with another family, considering a family-owned day care provider (which may be less expensive than a commercial center) or coordinating a schedule with a partner to minimize paid care time.
Many states offer child care subsidies to qualifying families. Contact your state’s social services department or visit the Child Care Aware of America website. (9)
We rely only on vetted sources and reliable third-party reports. For more information, see our Editorial Ethics and Guidelines.
Lending Tree (1); LinkedIn (2); Reddit (3); KPMG (4); Bloomberg (5); New York Times (6); Internal Revenue Service (7); NBC (8); American Child Care Awareness (9).
This article provides information only and should not be considered advice. It is provided without any warranty of any kind.
