Homeschooling & Finances

In the fields of observation chance favors only the prepared mind. ~ Louis Pasteur

My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice; my responsibility; win or lose, only I hold the key to my destiny. ~ Elaine Maxwell

Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche

This page is about how we provide for our families and the circumstances that can surround that. We will address the realities of single family incomes for stay-at-home partners, working from home, working part-time, and single working parents. This page is about what works for us, how we do what we do and why. It is also about facing the realities of life and finding creative solutions to homeschooling and finances.

These stories, commentary & vignettes offer a view into how and why we live life without school.

A few Questions we hope to address:

• What are ways you prepare your children to survive in our society economically?
• How do you surivive on one income?
• How do you plan for financial security in case of death, injury, divorce, or loss of income?
• Do you and/or you and your partner work full or part-time and homeschool your children?
• Are you a single parent who works and homeschools?
• Do you have a creative financial solution in your family?
• How do you manage homeschooling life with work life?

Stories & Commentary

Posts by Guest Authors

Homeschooling and Financial Freedom (or lack thereof), by Ellen

As we begin our first year as "official" homeschoolers (my oldest is now old enough to attend kindergarten at the school up the street), my family is declaring its independence from formal learning institutions. However I find myself, as a non-earning homeschooling mom, more dependent than I ever thought I'd be as an adult....

Work and Homeschooling, by Debra

I am the owner of Axton Enterprises, a technology consulting firm that helps mail-order businesses get set up and trained to use business-management software, and also the publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, an upstate New York web site that shows parents everything going on in their local area for kids and families. I home school my two daughters, Madison (7) and Ella (5)....

Posts by Featured Authors

Homeschooling & Finances: A Personal Solution, by Marsha

Homeschooling is sometimes a difficult choice for families to make, especially if they have always been dependent on two incomes to make ends meet....

The Finance Gap, by Laureen

Money. Finance. Cash flow.

...words that strike guilt, inadequacy, and fear, into the hearts of most of us. We have these cringes built-in about finance, yet the majority of us received little to no financial education....

Money, money, money......MONEY! by Linda

Managing finances and homeschooling is always a challenge, as any homeschooling parent can testify. Just attend one homeschooling conference and see the tons of cool resources one can buy. You will hear a cash register ring in your head (and the vacuum sound being applied to your wallet). As homeschoolers, we battle different financial struggles than do public schooled families....

Vignettes

I'm not sure why the financial aspects/ramifications of homeschooling aren't talked about more. Maybe it's just a reluctance to talk about money.  It isn't something I'd thought much a bout until I heard that Linda Hirshman said being a SAHM is like "riding a motorcycle without a helmet" (this could be a complete misquote, I heard it secondhand, but it stuck with me).  I think she isn't entirely wrong, but that her solution is the equivalent of turning your Harley in for a Volvo.  I'd rather get a helmet.

~ Ellen

Until this subject was brought to my attention, I honestly have not seriously considered the fact that I am a SAHM in financial terms. I'm sure others have, and I would love to know what information you might have to share with those of us who have not or have put this topic on the "back burner." I am curious as to how others have incorporated work from home with homeschooling and how others have built resumes (and paying jobs) around and from the work of being a homeschooling parent. How have you transitioned from SAH homeschooling parent to working for others/pay, or how do you combine the two?

~ Robin

My family and I have been fortunate enough to not need two incomes.  Though we've made some real financial doozies, I have been able to continue to work part-time, with a flexible schedule.  Even when my husband lost his very cushy job and had to get a job working over-nights, I still managed to stick w/part-time work.  My husband has an IRA that we haven't contributed to since we've opened it, but at least it's there when we're financially able to.  I have a 401K through my job that takes a percentage out each week and the company matches.  Overall, we don't have the BEST credit, the kids aren't in every activity we'd like, and we haven't had a "real" vacation in years.  But our kids are happy, sociable, and home.  We take "vacations" to see friends and family, and too many activities wouldn't necessarily be that great for them anyway...My goal is to be much better off in a few years when my kids are older and start wanting to do things that will cost a great deal more money.  But if not, they won't die.  I grew up not doing a lot of things and I'm now homeschooling my kids and loving the time we spend together w/o the rushing, tired, and stressed behavior (for the most part).

~ Shawna

I am a homeschool partner and our solution was to set up a trust so our lifestyle would continue without any further disruption or concerns should the loss of my sons father and his income occur.  All the directions regarding assets are spelled out completely.

We are fortunate in that we began investing in real estate approximately fifteen years ago.

One of the pluses of being older parents was and is financial security. We are both reasonably frugal as well. We drive vehicles that have been paid for and there are no car payments. There is no debt carried on credit cards either.  Although purchases are made on a credit card, it is paid off monthly.

I buy vitamins through www.vitacost.com. I shop primarily in thrift stores. Children's clothes are through www.childrensorchard.com and our clothing is purchased at Goodwill. For things such as shoes or underwear I shop at Mervyn's during their half off sale days.  I recently had an estimate for window treatments done in a home we moved into three months ago. It was $4,000. Shocking but true. I ended up purchasing fromwww.overstock.com and covered all windows for $400.00. I buy books through www.bookcloseouts.com, the friends of the library, or ebay. I almost always preview them first through our library system and the majority of our materials used are borrowed from the library.

We live simply. We donate regularly to various charities. I almost always buy wholesale whether that be art supplies or posters for the learning room or furniture. I shop at home consignment stores too.

We live in one of the richest counties in the nation and I am very grateful for the abundance we have. I know we will always have more than enough. What I also know is that the time I spend with my son is not something that can be replaced. There is no career in the world nor salary amount worth exchanging my life as a full time mother for.

I may not get a weekly paycheck but the experience is priceless.

~ Kay

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