Can We Really Afford This?
Some parents arrive at the decision to homeschool with one parent already being at home, having chosen the at-home parent route, or perhaps one parent is unable to work. Some, however, are two-income families, or perhaps even single parents struggling already to make ends meet. Even if you're already a one-income family, though, you may wonder if you can afford to give your child a quality education; after all, you may be living a "regular life" just fine on one income, but how are you going to be able to afford all those books, memberships, field trips and more now that you're going to teach at home?
Luckily, homeschooling can be just as expensive or as cheap as you want it to be — without sacrificing and receiving a cheap education in the process. First, let's take a look at the two-income family who is considering homeschooling their children:
A public education is free, right? Whoa, hold on right there. Let's take a look at that "free" education for a minute. First you have back-to-school expenses. When I was in school, this basically entailed a couple of new outfits (maybe), a few notebooks, some pencils, and maybe some crayons. Maybe a protractor and compass as we grew older. Have you looked at the back-to-school classroom request lists these days? I didn't glance at any this year, but when I've looked at them in the stores around here before I've seen: boxes of tissue, paper towels, a ream (or two!) of copy paper, hand soap, hand and/or cleaning wipes, Ziploc baggies, two or three boxes of crayons, so many specific size/style notebooks, so many specific folders, tape, even toilet tissue. I've heard of one parent whose child's list included a disposable camera one year. Then you've got to add in new clothes if they need them, a backpack (and some schools require certain types, such as clear, so that limits your bargain shopping), and as more and more schools go to uniforms, you've got to add in that expense, as well.
Then, there are yearly fundraisers, memberships in school activities and other assorted fees. Lunches to pay for, or pack. School photos. That "free" education can add up in a hurry, and when something is due, it's due and you must take care of the expense at that time. So, let's assume both parents are working in order to afford all of this plus all the other expenses. Just how much does that second job really cost you?
You need your work wardrobe for your job. The gas to and from your job, which these days is a considerable expense. What do you do for lunch every day? Are you asked to contribute to presents or parties for co-workers on a regular basis? If you're running late, do you pick up dinner on the way home, or just take everyone out to eat fairly often? Does your schedule require that you pay a babysitter or daycare for taking care of non-school age children, or for your older ones when they're out of school but nobody's home yet? Try the calculator at Jobs for Moms and see just how much you're really making.
So, let's assume that you decide that, in general, dropping the second income is doable for your family. But what about all that stuff you NEED to buy for your children's education? There's curricula to buy, extra workbooks, that big microscope, the chemistry set, the telescope, piano lessons for everyone, school desks, art supplies, three dozen different educational software titles, and lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Hold on there, folks!
Think back to the birth of your first child. How much did you get that you either never used at all, or used a couple of times before you realized it just wasn't working out for you? Guess what, it's often the same way for homeschooling. Not every child is going to respond the same to a particular curriculum, so you need to proceed with caution when purchasing materials. Look them up on the internet, look for reviews, ask people who have already been homeschooling for their impressions of specific items. No matter how much care you take, though, you will come across the occasional failure, it's just inevitable.
Don't forget, however, that not every item must be purchased. You can easily find thousands of free printable worksheets on the internet, and free curricula can even be found if you look. Some items such as telescopes or microscopes can be borrowed for the length of time that you need it and then returned when you're done. And of course, don't forget the best freebie of all — the library! Even at our fairly limited library we could never learn all there is to learn from the books there, as well as the music and videos that are available at the media center.
Make up your own worksheets on the computer. Play the board games that you already own for skills practice. Use around-the-house items for art. Listen to great music on your local classical station. Trade off or borrow books, tools, machinery and more from fellow homeschoolers. Haunt your local flea markets, used book stores, and yard sales. Try your local Freecycle group, if you have one nearby. There are so many ways to get around actually spending large sums, and you can do it if you're willing to be a little creative.
As a new homeschooler, you may feel more secure with purchasing the already tried and true books and curricula, and that's fine. As time goes by, though, you will find that you don't have to spend the equivalent of a private education just to educate your child at home. Use your head and your heart and your inner creativity, and you will discover that the world is your classroom — and it really doesn't cost that much.
