The Cost of Homeschooling

It seems like it should be free.  No tuition costs.  No need for new clothing.  No daycare expenses.  No money for lunches.  Not having to supply the entire school with dry-erase markers, Ticonderoga pencils, or name-brand tissues.  But it is not free. 

I live in a state that features charter homeschools.  Because of that, we are able to get our curriculum for free.  Whatever we don't get for free, we buy (or make) ourselves.  We can afford to do that though, as my husband makes a comfortable salary in the military, and because I stayed at home to begin with (so there was no lost income). 

But that is not the case with all states.  Some families have to pay for their entire curriculums up front.  That is EXPENSIVE. 

So, along with hundreds of dollars worth of textbooks, they are also paying for pencils, paper, printer paper, printer ink, gas for taxiing children to activities outside the home, admission for museums, etc. 

Something else that needs considered is the loss of a second income - if that parent was working prior to homeschooling their children. 

Before embarking on this quest, it would be smart to do a cost/benefit analysis to determine the cost of homeschooling.  But what cannot be tabulated or quantified is the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your kid will be with you at all times.

Keep that in mind when deciding whether or not homeschooling is best for your family.