Has your income effected your ability to homeschool?

Question

I'm wanting to homeschool my daughter. However, as I weigh pros and cons, one con worries me very much.

Right now, my husband and I have a very low income. Prior to conceiving, I was the breadwinner of the family while my husband's job was more of a support. We decided prior to conceiving my daughter that I'd stay at home with our child because I didn't want her raised by a daycare. After my daughter was born I began working part-time from home, but my check is small. We're barely staying afloat right now financially as a few family emergencies over the past year have drained the savings we thought would support us as a back up and my husband barely makes enough to support us paycheck to paycheck. I am worried that our lack of income will hurt our efforts at homeschooling as I would then not be able to return to work (my hubby doing the hs'ing is not favorable).

Any suggestions, advice, stories, or encouragement that may help me navigate through this con?

Answer 1

Jazzy above provides good advice.  Homeschooling does not have to cost a lot of money.

A lot of materials can be obtained for free from libraries and online.

Used materials are not that hard to find.

Get involved with your local homeschool support group and they can help you find local resources.   Our group maintains its own library of materials that can be borrowed for free.  Perhaps you will find the same with your local group - or start your own lending library.

There is no reason that you cannot continue your part time work from home.

Answer 2

If you're already kind of making it work, then homeschooling doesn't have to make things more difficult if you keep doing that part-time work, or even consider finding something else from home that might pay more. There are lots of free resources on the internet, lots of books in the library.

Answer 3

Homeschooling can be done by families of any income level.  Research shows that the amount of money spent on homeschooling has little effect on the outcome.  Here are some statistics:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

Also, there are many ways to make homeschooling affordable, and if you are particularly resourceful, you can homeschool for free.  Here are some tips:

http://www.successful-homeschooling.com/...

With a little creativity and persevearance, you can do it!

Answer 4

Like the other's have said it doesn't have to cost much.  It can range from things at the Library (there really is a lot you can do from there) and then there are homeschool groups that might give you or with low price their older homeschool curriculum.  There are also sites out there on the internet that you can swap with other moms and even sites that might have the curriculum lower in price.  

Remember too that learning isn't always done in a book.  It can be as simple as taking a nature walk or making homemade clay ect.  Don't be discouraged because every homeschool family is different from the next and every child learns differently than the next.  You are your daughters first and best teacher and you will always do what you feel is best for her.  Follow your instincts because they are usually right.