Homeschool Costs & Easy-to-Get Money for Homeschool

Let’s talk about homeschooling. As a parent, and especially a teacher-trained parent, the question of the best education for my kids has always had a place in my mind. We all want the best education for our kids and we wonder what that will be. Will it be a public school? Homeschool? Private School? Faith-based school? Specialty schools like charter, magnet, or Montessori schools? The possibilities are endless. It boils down to a few things for me. Cost is a huge factor, and I confess homeschool costs will occupy the bulk of this article. However, it is essential to factor in you and your children, your personalities, and what is best for each of you into this equation. 

Now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. Factoring in homeschool costs will help us decide if options besides publicly funded education are even something we can consider. 

How much does homeschool cost?

Great first question and the answer can vary depending on where you live and what resources you have available. There are two amazing resources I would like to direct you to in order to help you answer this question. 

The Cost of Homeschooling by Rebecca Lake on Investopedia takes a dive into exactly how much parents can expect to spend on homeschool costs. They break down the average costs of homeschooling while considering all the things you need to homeschool. This article estimates homeschooling may cost around $1400-3600 per child. 

The Finances of Homeschooling Your Kids: What it Costs, Tax Breaks and More by Andrea Browne Taylor from Kiplinger is another great resource that breaks down homeschool costs. This article is super helpful in looking at how homeschooling will affect family finances. There are additional costs for homeschooling such as curriculum, extracurricular activities, and a possibility for a loss in family income if one parent leaves a job to stay home to homeschool. This article estimates homeschooling costs may run $700-1800 per child. 

Why are homeschool costs expensive?

We’ve talked about the fact that homeschool costs can be expensive, but why is that exactly? In order to school children, most people use a curriculum. Curriculums usually cost money. There are groups that share curriculum amongst themselves to make the homeschool cost less per family, though. Do your research and find a good, inexpensive curriculum, or one you can share with other families! All the supplies including paper, pencils, erasers, calculators, and everything else you may need must also be factored in.

In addition to the curriculum and supplies that you need every day, there may be additional costs if you want to do extracurricular activities or field trips. The cost of membership, class fees, and transportation costs will fall on your shoulders. These classes become necessary if your children want to pursue something which you can’t or don’t want to train them. For instance, your kids may want to join sports teams, music groups, or co-ops. 

Homeschool co-ops or pods are families that work together to help one another with homeschooling. Whether through curriculum sharing, class sharing, field trips, or socializing, co-ops are worth looking into! Some co-ops are free to join, but others charge a fee to cover the cost of sharing materials and strategies. 

How do I make homeschooling costs work financially for my family?

Homeschooling costs definitely add up. Unfortunately, it is not usually a free venture. Decide if it makes sense for your family and then begin and stick to a family budget. 

There are ways to save money and cut homeschooling costs with a budget. We already discussed sharing with a co-op, but if you have multiple kids you can use your material numerous times as well. 

Homeschool cost-cutting resources for you to try! 

You also have great options for Cheap Printing for Homeschoolers – Where to Print Worksheets When You Don’t Have a Printer. If you follow the link in the last sentence, you will find all the resources available for printing cheaply and in some instances free materials! 

Be sure to check out this article on Free Homeschool Resources to Try! This is my favorite list of free resources you can try to cut homeschool costs as you begin your homeschool journey. 

Join the Wife Teacher Mommy Club to have access to 1,000s of resources you can use for your homeschool. It is cost-effective and you will find no limit to the usefulness of the tools available for your family! 

Is homeschooling a tax write-off? Is there any money I can claim for my homeschool?

Unfortunately, homeschooling does not qualify for a tax break. There are no federal tax credits or deductions for homeschool families. A few states do offer tax credits or deductions for homeschooling families. If you follow this link to Tax Breaks for Homeschooling Families you can see if your state is one of the few! 

How about grants to help with homeschool costs?

There are a number of grants your homeschool may be eligible for! Please check out the following links:

• Homeschool Legal Defense Association: Grants for Homeschooling
• Education for All: Think About Homeschooling
• How to Find Funding for Homeschool Costs

Ready to begin your homeschool journey?

Whether you’re in the beginning stages of asking yourself if this is something that is even feasible for your family or you’re well in the throes of homeschooling, hopefully, you found some useful information here. Homeschool costs can be daunting, but they don’t have to be. Use these resources to ease your journey. 

Want some more important facts that will be super helpful as you consider homeschooling? Homeschool Legal Defense Association: Making Homeschool Possible will help you get started on your homeschool journey. As you start hunting for curriculums that will work for your family, check out the Top 7 Things You Need to Know About Finding the Best Homeschool Curriculum. 

Wherever you are on your journey, I wish you luck, and I have your back. Join the Wife Teacher Mommy Club today and get access to our entire library of elementary resources, a community of homeschool parents & teachers, and life coaching!