The price of child care varies depending on:

• the type of care
• the availability of care in the area
• the geographic region
• the staff/child ratio
• the training and qualifications of the caregivers
• state regulations
• the economy (average income) of your community

Prices can also vary by the age of the child and the number of children you have in the same setting; most child care providers charge somewhat more for infants and some offer discounts if you have more than one child in their care. Experts say that when it comes to child care, you get what you pay for. If you want high–quality care, you have to expect to pay more. Because child care wages in general are so low, you may find that there is a great deal of turnover among child care providers.

Whatever arrangements you ultimately make, a great way to save on child care costs is through a dependent-care assistance plan at work. Many employers now offer this benefit, which allows workers to put away as much as $5,000 a year in pretax dollars. This money can then be used to reimburse you for child care costs. Be warned, however, that generally if you don’t spend the money you have set aside for the year, you’ll forfeit it. If you do not have a dependent-care account at work, you may qualify for the dependent care tax credit on your income tax return. Consult your tax advisor for details.