How much do you spend on homeschooling per child per year?

[OnMyOwn]

Not necessarily. If anything costs have gone down for us as we've figured out what really works for us and some of the bigger expenses (good microscopes) have already been purchased.

 

Without judgement, I am truly astounded at how much some people are paying, particularly if it isn't for outside opportunities and classes. We don't have those available or else I'd jump all over them. As it is, a weekend of classes at MIT is all of $40 (so, basically free) and he would want to take those anyway. If we lived closer to Boston, he would want to be in all kinds of great programs and I'd be thrilled to provide those. So I guess my miserliness (lol) is due mostly to lack of real, academic opportunities on any regular basis. Certainly not because we can't afford it or don't think they are worthy.

Online high school classes seem to range from $450 - $700. That's where most of our money is going at this point.

[Jerico]

I've never spent more than $322 on a years worth of homeschool material. Its usually closer to $200.

 

I let my kids chose 1 activity per season from the rec center. Sometimes its robotics, sometimes swimming, sometimes soccer. These are very affordable through our rec center- $20-$50.

 

So, curriculum and extras- $600.

[maize]

I would not include extracurricular activities in the total sum, because whether or not they are happening, I assume that the same would be happening if they went to public school. I spend less than $500 a year on curriculum and the umbrella school we are enrolled with. I do not keep track of the cost of paper and things like that. My kids are in fourth and second grade. I use second-hand curriculum.

I include extracurriculars because they are a core part of my children's education, and they are only possible at the level/intensity we do them because we homeschool (no way could we all keep up with the schedule if the kids were in school).

Edited February 23, 2016 by maize

[bethben]

My youngest two are fairly cheap since I'm reusing stuff and we now belong to a charter school that buys everything non-religious.  

 

My high schooler is more expensive because he has online classes.   Even with the online classes, I don't spend more than $2000 on him.  

 

I don't even know where I would spend up to $8000.  Even with my 3rd son taking guitar lessons, I'm still not even close to that number!

[juliebee]

I spend close to $2000 but that includes dance and tumbling classes. If she didn't do those it would be $250-300. We have a really good homeschool bookstore in our area and I can get like new books for a fraction of the cost.

[Arcadia]

Although around here I think private (not Catholic or parochial) is closer to $60K. We just live in an area with some really well known boarding schools (for those who know boarding schools that is).

In comparison to $60k (and fundraising and miscellaneous) $8k is a small amount to spend on homeschooling. The cheapest secular preschool-8th with day care included a working friend found was $1,900 per month, dropping to $1,500 per month for K. That was a few years ago and tuition has gone up.

 

I "outsourced" classes for my oldest since he was preschool age. So not surprised at the spending of the lady you have a debate with.

[Joyofsixreboot]

We are obviously more frugal than I thought. I need to show this to dh. We spend very, very little. Thank you library, used cur. sales, internet and parks department. Less than $500 total.

Edited February 23, 2016 by joyofsix

[LucyStoner]

Still cheaper than private school :lol:

Yeah, but forgoing my managerial level salary makes it the most expensive private school in town, lol.

[Arcadia]

Yeah, but forgoing my managerial level salary makes it the most expensive private school in town, lol.

My previous job is on a similar pay scale as my husband but with a higher ceiling :lol:

 

However even the most costly private school won't have such a low student to teacher ratio compared to homeschooling :)

 

Wonder how much hiring a real life Mary Poppins would have cost in pay in current times.

 

ETA：

OP,

 

If you school year round, you end up with costs for three academic terms instead of two. My district does not have summer academic class but the private schools have summer academic term for kids who want to speed ahead.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Arcadia

[madteaparty]

Yeah, but forgoing my managerial level salary makes it the most expensive private school in town, lol.

Don't get me started... My year are now making partner. It hurts to watch!

[EthylPie]

Wow, I can't imagine spending 4 digits on homeschooling materials, but i know from looking at many curriculums that's certainly possible!!

 

We spend less than $250 on curriculae, $200 community sports, $100 HomeSchool co-op fees & classes for 2 kids(3rd and k), so thats $225/year/kid. I know high school will be considerably more.

 

I purposefully choose highly recommended curriculums that can be reused (and resold) and I buy used whenever possible. I'll eventually have four hs'ing so I make my dollars count.

 

I feel I should say that I have post grad degrees in science fields so I've never purchased science texts, because science is akin to breathing in our house. And I get all our history\social studies books from our library.

 

So here's some encouragement to those who can't spend four digits on each kid, do the best you can, don't chase that elusive perfect curriculum (it probably doesn't exist), and trust God with the rest. ☺

[Gentlemommy]

*For curriculum alone? Probably $500-$600 per year for three kids-K, 2, and 5.

*For books that we read for fun (I'm including this here, because it's thanks to homeschooling that we are aware of and love so many wonderful books) I'd guess $700-$800 per year. I buy most of our books used.

*For supplies and equipment-regular school supplies, art stuff, science, ect. I'd say $500-$700

*For field trips, educational weekends away, admission, memberships-$2,000-$3,000

*For homeschool coop-$1200 per year for all three kids. This offers them classes I may not be equipped to teach like music and art, and also gives them a chance to do group learning for things like science labs, which I feel is an important experience for them.

*For extra curricular activities (that they would probably still do even if they attended a brick and mortar school, however, probably not to this extent because I wouldn't want them gone even longer from home if they were gone 40+ hours per week at school) -archery-$125 per year, gymnastics-$1,000 leotards/team gear fees, $1,250 booster club, $7,200 tuition per year for all three kids, $2,000 travel expenses, gym camp $1,000. It's insane. 😖 We view their gymnastics like paying for private school tuition. Since both my dh and I made our careers out of what we loved extra curricular wise, we place just as much importance on their passions as we do on academics. Who knows where it will take them?

Edited March 6, 2016 by Gentlemommy

[Holly]

I used to spend $200 or less for everyone when I just had elementary ages, but the closer we get to high school, the higher it goes!  We are now close to $1000 for everyone, but I try to buy re-usable things as much as possible, so I don't see it getting higher than that.  I could have done this next year much cheaper, but I hate relying on the library for all our books.  They always seem to be put on hold while we are still reading them.  I also could do this cheaper if I wasn't constantly changing things for the younger kids too.   :blushing:   

 

At least our next time through the history cycle will by much less expensive!  I should only have to buy for the high school students with our next run through!  :)  

Edited March 6, 2016 by Holly

[HomeAgain]

I just priced out next year. 

For elementary:

Ink & paper: $30

History: $46

Language arts: $0

Literature: $30

Science: $0

Foreign Language: $0

Math: $0

Logic: $40

Art: $20

Music study: $0

 

All total: $166.

 

High school (public, cc, online hybrid):

4-6 dual credit classes: $800-1400

Online high school class: $380

Uniforms & books: $200

 

All total: $1380-1980.

 

 

 

[I talk to the trees]

Pre- high school, and not counting dance (tuition, costumes, shoes, fees, etc...) I almost always managed to keep it under $500/ year. But two CC classes (and textbooks- WTH is up with the cost of textbooks?) set us back about $1500 last semester, and we are gearing up for another class this summer. (We need an emoticon of a sad face turning out his empty pockets!)