My plan is to go back to work sometime next spring, however I would like to find a job closer to my home.

I told DH we really should start looking at daycares now, which we will do. But, I'm not sure how to time this. I don't want to pay for daycare if I'm not working and still looking for a job in the spring. By the same token, I don't want to find a job then have no childcare. Did anyone else do this? How did you manage it?