Paying for daycare for a preschooler can rival the cost of college tuition. Here are some ways to cut the bill.

Ask a family member to help watch the child, but offer to pay.

For in-home care, consider splitting the cost of a nanny with another family.

Consider a licensed in-home day care provider, who watches a number of children, usually no more than six, in her home. These are usually cheaper than preschools or nannies and your child will get to play with other kids.

See if you and your spouse can work different shifts.

If you can get a day or half-day off work each week, consider cooperative or parent-participation preschools. These are usually cheaper than traditional preschools because parents do a lot of the work, usually with the help of one or more trained professionals. You’ll also learn a lot about child rearing.

See if you can work from home, even one or two days a week. You’ll still need a sitter, but you won’t have to pay for one during commute hours.

Once your child is in preschool or elementary school, ask a stay-at-home mom (or dad) to watch yours after school.

Hire a community college student. They often have many hours free during the day. Many community colleges have a place to post job openings.

Open a dependent care reimbursement account at work.