How homeschooling can save you money

Raising children is not an inexpensive endeavour – between clothes, food, and all the other things your child needs, the costs add up! While the pandemic has undoubtedly worsened the financial circumstances of many people, plenty of families struggle at the best of times and are always looking for cheaper options for the things they and their children need. Homeschooling is a great affordable option to many schools, mainly private and so-called Model C schools. So, how can homeschooling help you save money? Here are ten ways:

1)   Resource-inclusive fees

Textbooks and other resources are usually included in homeschool curriculum fees, meaning you do not have to pay for the lesson material on top of school fees. Further, you or your child already likely have a tablet or laptop they can use for both personal entertainment and education purposes, so you will not need to buy an additional one for school.

2)   Cheaper extracurricular activities

Many schools make extracurricular activities – most notably, sports – compulsory, which means that school fees are increased to accommodate the costs of coaches, equipment, and venues. With homeschooling, your child can choose what extramural activities they would like to do, and you can select a coach or club that works within your budget.

Read more: Can homeschoolers take part in extracurricular activities?

3)   No required uniforms

Most South African schools, both public and private, require children to wear a very school-specific uniform. Because homeschooled children do not need to wear a uniform, homeschooling parents can save a lot of money by not purchasing clothes just for school!

4)   Fewer transport costs

Because homeschooling parents do not need to drive their children to and from school (or pay for alternative transport options), there are little to no transport costs associated with homeschooled children’s education (except, perhaps, for transporting children to extracurricular activities).

5)   No compulsory field trips or camps

Many schools host both one-day and multi-day outings for learners, such as visiting museums and overnight camps at nearby campgrounds. Usually, these outings are compulsory and often come at an additional expense for parents. With homeschooling, you will not incur these extra non-negotiable expenses.

Read more: Field trips turn virtual

6)   Decreased medical expenses

When children get sick, they have usually caught an illness from a classmate. Depending on how severe their infection is, they might need medical attention, which can get expensive! Homeschooled children are not at risk of being exposed to sickly children in a confined space and are less likely to get sick, bringing down medical expenses.

7)   No school lunches

Some schools provide school lunches for learners at an additional cost. With homeschooling, it is unnecessary to pay for further fees for your child’s meals as everyone at home will be eating the same food for lunch.

8)   Cheaper holidays

One of the great benefits of homeschooling is the flexibility parents have. Because children do not need to attend class on campus, parents can decide to go on holiday during the off-season when most other children are still at school and teach their children away from home. Holiday accommodation is considerably cheaper during this period.

Read more: Cool ways to beat summer boredom

9)   No fundraisers or school days

Many schools host various fundraisers like bake sales, which require parents to spend money and time buying and preparing ingredients. Many schools also have events like Foundation Day, which can also incur extra costs for learners’ parents. Obviously, with homeschooling, parents can save on these added expenses.

10)        No aftercare costs

Often, working parents cannot collect their children from school before they have finished working and end up having to pay the extra fees for after-school care (aftercare). Homeschooling parents do not need to worry about such costs as they do not have to collect their children from school.

Apart from the financial considerations, homeschooling provides both learners and their parents with a plethora of benefits. To learn more about the advantages of homeschooling your child, check out this article by homeschooling mom and blogger, Laura-Kim.

If you are interested in registering for homeschooling in 2022, keep an eye on the Impaq website as registrations for next year open on 1 September 2021.

Article edited by Jacqui Smit.