So on paper, staying home can look like a straightforward cost-saving move. If one paycheck barely covers day care, why not just cut out that expense altogether?Another big reason that families consider dropping to one income is the cost of child care. In 38 states and Washington, D.C., full-time child care costs more than public college tuition, according to the Economic Policy Institute (3).On the other end of the spectrum is West Virginia, where one parent needs to earn about $68,000 a year for the other ...