Simply looking at the rising cost of college tuition is enough to make your head spin. Even though your kids may not quite be ready for higher education yet, making budget adjustments now will make a significant difference later on. Here are a few simple ways you can save money on your child’s education:
Choose Public Schools
Every community has public schools paid for by you and other local taxpayers. You can significantly reduce your bills by choosing to take your children out of private school. When you are looking for a home, buy or rent one in a district that has programs you want for your children.
Then you won’t have to worry about footing the bill of a private institution. Some public schools also offer reduced priced or free breakfasts and lunches for financially challenged families.
Consider Homeschooling
Homeschooling is another option you can explore if the public school system isn’t for you. While you will have to supply certain learning materials and make sure your children meet specific requirements, the cost will not equal the cost of a private school education. Furthermore, if you are going to be the one who does the teaching, you do not need to pay to hire a private tutor or instructor.
Purchase Used Books
No matter what your children’s grade level, books can be very expensive if you need to pay for them yourself. In the event the district doesn’t buy the books for you, look online for used copies. Visiting some of your favorite shopping websites can introduce you to prices significantly less than the cost from the school or the local bookstore. Just be sure the books are the right edition for the class as texts often change on a regular basis, and many teachers require the most recent ones.
Teach Extras At-Home
Enrolling your children in an arts class after school or language lessons on the weekend can help them to become more well-rounded in their studies. You can also work to offer these lessons at home. Teaching Spanish at home or providing instruction in primary and secondary colors gives your children the same experience with a much different price tag.
If you teach Spanish at home using a few good resources, they are likely to become more fluent in the language than they would memorizing words for tests at school as well.
Save Supplies From Older Children
When you have more than one child, you don’t want to be constantly replenishing the materials. For example, if you know your younger children will need a three-ring binder for the 11th grade, save the one from your older child after he or she graduates from high school. You may even be able to save some textbooks depending upon the district requirements for returning them.
Help With Homework By Yourself
Many parents hire expensive tutors for their children because they feel that their kids need to have the highest grades in the class. Such a demand puts a lot of pressure on children, and it also costs you quite a bit of money. First, you should assess if your children really need homework help. If they do, look at the material yourself.
You may very well find that you are able to completely understand the material and teach it in an effective fashion. If not, consider having your kids receive tutoring from others in the neighborhood who can help, and offer to tutor their children in a subject you are more comfortable with.
Be a Planner
Parties and field trips are part of your children’s experience at school, but they can end up costing you a lot of money. However, if you get involved with the Parent Teacher Association or a parents’ group, then you have more control over what happens. You don’t necessarily always have to bring up budget concerns, but you can suggest trip and party ideas that will save everyone a few dollars.
Starting to save a little bit here and there will likely leave you with a significant amount of extra money at the end of the school year that you can add to a savings account. Be mindful of all financial decisions when it comes to your child’s education, not matter how small they may seem now.
Informational credit to SpanishatHome.com.
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