Child care is by far the greatest expense

WASHINGTON, D.C. - It's getting harder and harder for working mothers to justify going to work. Many moms are finding it doesn't pay to work outside the home once they figure in child care, the cost of commuting and other work-related expenses.

For most working parents, child care is by far the greatest expense. In 2010, the cost of putting two children in child care exceeded median annual rent payments in every state, according to Child Care Aware of America.

Rising gas prices are pinching paychecks even further, shaving nearly nine-percent off of the average worker's annual income.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women have been hard hit during this recession with about 177,000 women left the work force in March either voluntarily or because of layoffs and dismissals.

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