The Chipps Family Homeschool part 2: What Is It Going To Cost

  For any one interested in homeschooling cost can be a big issue. It was for me. I didn't have much to expend. I didn't really set up a budget, I just wanted to see how little I could spend. I've heard of people spending thousands and a few spending tens. Homeschooling for free sounded good!

  The biggest cost that blew me away was my time. At first it affected me in a negative way. I had this rosy picture of our little homeschool. I didn't take into account that my strong will matched with their strong wills that there would be any battles. And then I hadn't counted on the phone calls- my husband runs his plumbing business out of our home. I overlooked my limited energy and patience. Actually I hadn't considered any of these most important factors. I met it head on and dealt with the overload most ungraciously. I'll have to say I had some character building erected right away. I stuck with it because I believe in homeschooling, and so does my better half. Sometimes he's the one for whom I am keeping this project! I won't go into the other significant points, like perfect house and tidy drawers, and weed free gardens. So in a paragraph time is to be considered in the cost.

     With that resolved, we broach the monetary side of this lifestyle. With so many charter schools out there it makes it easy to homeschool for free. But there is a price on that that goes beyond money and time, and that takes on the nervous system by the juggler vein.At least as far as I am concerned. But I can't say that it isn't the way to go for some families, but not for me and many others I know. I prefer to be independent and answer to our own family values. Anyways, I still like the for free prospect, in ways that I can manage. We use the library,of course, the internet, we share tons of books with other families, I've made good finds at yard sales, even thrift stores and library book sales. I have been always able to find what I need- good things do come to those who wait ( willingly or unwillingly). I have also collected points from a credit card and got books from Amazon for free that way. So when notebooks and school supplies are at their lowest I stock up and we make the best of it throughout the year. Last year I probably spent $20 total.

      So homeschooling doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor, some people enjoy looking for bargains. I've even come to terms with myself with sharing my time with my children. We as a family make sacrifices and work together on our goals in child rearing. My children are young, we still have a lot ahead to challenge us.