Sending our kids to a Christian private school is something we’d love to do someday! Can we afford private school? Unfortunately, I would have to say the answer is no at this point in our lives.
Certainly all tuitions differ in cost and it depends on the school and location. I recently checked into kindergarten tuition at a local Christian school. The tuition was priced at $9680 per year with a $350 registration fee. That’s around $800 per month. 12th grade jumps up to almost a $1000 per month.
As I said, the answer is no right now in terms of affordability. Meeting these expenses just isn’t in our short-term plan.
Many parents, including my wife and me, want the best for our kids. People see friends sending their kids to private school and want to do the same. We want to send our kids to private school, but we also don’t have enough money and don’t want to borrow or go into debt to do so.
Here’s some great advice from Crown Financial Matters on this matter:
If it is God’s will for them to be in a Christian school, He will provide the necessary funds without using debt.
Personally, I prefer the Christian faith based approach. It really takes the pressure off for such matters when you lay them at God’s feet.
Of course, we still have to do our part. It doesn’t mean we’ll sit around and wait and hope for money to be at the front door the next time we open it. No, I don’t think God works in that way. Essentially it’s up to God to provide for such things, but we have to put forth effort on our end too. Part of this effort is in planning and investigating options.
Speaking of doing our part, I ran across some suggestions in a local magazine to help make private school more affordable. I thought some of these were good tips and worth sharing.
Good old fashioned budgeting
This tip is really about setting the goal early in your child’s life. It also involves doing everything you can to eliminate debt and careless spending. Essentially, you have to budget wise so you can start saving to meet private school expenses.
Financial aid via the school
If you’re certain you want to send your kids to private school you need to check into financial aid. According to the article I read, most private schools offer some type of aid to families who qualify.
Scholarships
As with college, most private schools also offer scholarships. So, it’s important to check with the school on available scholarships and determine if your child will qualify or make plans to work towards receiving the scholarship.
Employer benefits
I had no idea some employers would pay part of the tuition for parents who want to send their children to private school. The article suggests contact your Human Resources department to find out. This would be an amazing benefit. I suppose it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Teaching discount
My wife and I have talked about teaching discounts because she used to teach kindergarten. If and when we decide it’s the right move for her to go back to work this would be something we would definitely consider looking into.
Multi-child discount
I did notice the multi-child discount when I checked into the private school in our area. Their website does show this discount which can be helpful. I will mention it wasn’t significant, but every little bit helps, right?
Overall, these are some great practical steps if private school is a consideration for your family. But remember, even all these tips together may not provide the funds necessary. I would recommend avoiding debt for private school and trusting God to provide the difference of any benefits you receive.
Do you have any tips for sending kids to private school you can share with readers? What do you think about these tips?
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