A daycare provider recommended getting leather furniture. I did and what good advice! Bought a set secondhand and it is so much easier to clean than cloth furniture.

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Organizing a daycare takes a LONG time but is very worth it. A well organized daycare makes my life easier and gives a more professional appearance to my daycare parents. I keep craft supplies organized in an armoire with doors that have glass in them so I can see everything. Supplies are organized in clear shoebox size containers that I bought from walmart.com. They were $23 for 14 containers. I buy alot of craft supplies from orientaltrading.com and dollar stores. They seem to have the best prices. Everyday I give baby parents a report on how their child's day went. I also give a weekly progress report for my parents with preschool age children.

As far as toys and baby gear go I still go second hand on almost everything. It's just as good and the kids don't care. A large box has become a fort inside the toyroom. The kids love it-and it's free! It's time for another box though.

I bought a preschool cirriculum from ebay for $14. Most of the supplies needed for projects I already have around the house. Found a wooden swingset someone was giving away so that was FREE. Saving money is so much fun!!

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In September 2007 I had had it with working for someone else. A mentally unstable supervisor, gossiping coworkers and working in a tiny cubicle with poor air quality drove me crazy. I decided to open a home daycare and needed to get ready. I started buying toys, baby gear, etc at garage sales, through online second hand ads, and at thrift stores. I left February 2008 and started my daycare.

The first month money was tight in with limited clients. Second month I had 4 children and throughout the year grew until February 2009 when I became full with 8!

The kids are awesome-3 babies, 4 toddlers and 1 schoolage child. I work 60+ hours a week. It's exhausting but better than working for someone else who treats you bad. There are financial pros and cons to having my own business and working from home. The pros are: no gas bill, eat lunch at home, dress casually so limited need for dress clothes, seldom get Starbucks anymore. Cons: pay higher taxes, no employer helping with retirement savings. Since I just completed my first year will be interested to see how much I actually made.

The weather in ND limits the rummage sale season so I spend most of the year looking online for second hand toys and whatever else I need for the business. Online grocery delivery is a Godsend for saving money and time (limited implulse buying). Sam's Club is great for frozen lunch items, milk, paper products and cleaning supplies.

Children's furniture is so overpriced so I became creative. I bought a wood dining room table second hand for $20 and had my hubby cut the legs to child height. Bought 6 12 in stools from Lowe's for around $12 each (military discount).

Time for bed-will add  more later.

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