Working parents across America face a dark financial reality: Child care costs can rival or exceed rent or mortgage payments.
For example, in Springfield, Massachusetts, day care costs about $24,000 annually, while the national average in major metropolitan areas is $15,000, according to LendingTree research. (1)
But on LinkedIn, Catherine Collins Alford is the author of: My Mom Has Money: Millennial Moms’ Guide to Managing Money Like a Boss, she recently shared an unconventional solution that helped her manage her twins while building her freelance writing business: join a luxury gym with quality child care. (2)
When her brother asked how she worked from home while her twins were young, Alford shared what she called her “best trick”: despite her “frugal nature,” she spent $200 a month on a gym membership, and the math definitely worked in her favor.
For five years, Alford took her twins to the gym almost every day; where background-checked staff supervised them and held crafts for 2.5 hours.
During this time, he was writing articles on his laptop while enjoying free coffee. Sometimes, instead of working, she would take a long shower using premium products and spend half an hour blow-drying her hair; “That’s a luxury for any new mother, especially one with no family members nearby.”
Alford’s calculation: Using the gym conservatively 20 days a month for 2.5 hours per visit equals 50 hours of child care for $200; Only $4 per hour for two kids. This also allowed her to “continue to grow my freelance writing business without taking too much time away from my kids.” (2)
On parenting forum Reddit, moms and dads across the U.S. describe child care expenses as a “second mortgage” or “another rent”; many families spend $2,000 to $3,000 or more per month per child. (3)
Child care costs are also pushing mothers out of the workforce: According to KPMG research, the labor force participation of mothers with children under five fell by 2.3% between December 2023 and August 2025, while the sharpest declines were experienced by mothers with a university education. (4)
Bloomberg notes that women are forced to work just to pay for daycare, choosing instead to reduce work hours, forgo promotions or leave altogether, with some having fewer or no children due to cost pressures. (5)
And the issue has become politically charged. Zohran Mamdani’s campaign promise to provide free child care to all parents in New York City helped propel her to victory as the city’s next mayor. (6)
Alford’s strategy, of course, works best for a specific group: remote workers with flexible schedules, those who live near appropriate facilities, with children old enough for group care but not yet of school age.
Even if the gym tip fits, there are restrictions. Gym child care centers may limit sessions to a few hours; This is inadequate for entire workdays without creative planning. They often close during holidays when you may still need to work. It is also possible that facilities may question parents who consider occasional services as daily child care.
The quality of care will also change. It’s a good idea to visit more than one facility during opening hours to observe staff-to-child ratios, cleanliness, activities offered, and how caregivers interact with children. Background checked staff and engaging programs are important.
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While the gym childcare tip may not 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:
Direct money into a high-yield savings account before pregnancy, especially for child care. Many now offer rates above 5%. Even $100 a month for three years creates a buffer over $3,700.
For 2025, the federal child tax credit is available for up to $2,200 per eligible child under age 17, with $1,700 potentially refundable; So you get money even if you don’t owe taxes. (7)
According to CNBC, some companies offer dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs), which allow you to set aside up to $5,000 pre-tax annually for child care (8), effectively reducing the costs based on your tax rate. Others provide on-site or subsidized child care or have partnerships with local providers that offer discounts to employees.
Talk to friends or neighbors about sharing nanny costs with another family, consider family-owned day care providers (which may be cheaper than commercial centers), or coordinate schedules with a partner to minimize paid care hours.
Many states offer child care subsidies to qualified families. Contact your state’s department of social services or visit Child Care Aware of America’s website. (9)
We rely only on vetted sources and reliable third-party reports. For details, see editorial ethics and guidelines.
Lending Tree (1); LinkedIn (2); Reddit (3); KPMG (4); Bloomberg (5); New York Times (6); IRS (7); CNBC (8); America’s Child Care Awareness (9).
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without any warranty.
