Is 4 days a week worth it with childcare?
A common part-time step, worked through day by day for one real family.
2026-27 estimate
Guides
Five worked examples, five different families, all computed by the same engine that powers the calculator above. Each one links straight into a preset scenario so you can pick up exactly where the guide leaves off with your own numbers.
Is 5 days a week worth it with childcare?
A family whose fifth day genuinely costs them money once everything is counted.
What is the CCS sweet spot?
Often 3 days, sometimes 4, rarely 5: the term this site is built around, and how to find yours.
How a HELP or HECS debt changes the childcare maths
The same family, computed with and without a HELP debt, to isolate what it costs.
Is a second income worth it with childcare?
Before the day-by-day question: whether going back to work at all pays off.
Methodology
Every formula, rate and source behind every guide and the calculator itself, plus what we leave out.