Given the significant financial impact of child care on families, we investigate whether the type of child care setting–formal settings such as child care centers, or informal settings with relatives, friends, or sitters–utilized by families living with low incomes is associated with their experiences of material hardships and with child care constraints. We hypothesize that families who use informal care settings will be more likely to experience child care constraints and material hardships compared to families who use formal care.  (author abstract)