Homeschooling on a Single Income

On a previous post called Homeschoolers Discuss Socialization, Steffany left this comment with a question. Can you help with an answer?

Q:  Great post! Exactly how I feel and I'm a public school teacher. I see the effects of this so-called necessary socialization. I want to HS and I have a few years to figure it out, but I'm stuck at how I earn a living if I'm at home. Currently we are a one-income home and I'm afraid that if we decide to HS, I will not have a steady income, health insurance, etc. I currently work for a school district that is convenient for health insurance, retirement, income... I'd like to know how you and other parents figure that part out? 

A: Steffany, I am FAR TOO SPOILED to answer this question. I am in the position where my husband's single income supports us quite adequately.

But I can put the question out there and see what others have to say. :)

 

Dear Readers, Dear Single Parents who Homeschool, 

Dear Parents who Homeschool and who 

Live in a Single Income Household,
Please come clean!
How do you figure out the income part of your homeschool lifestyle?

Thanks! 

And, Steffany, I hope you make it back here to read this.

I have gotten several comments on other venues that post my blog posts.
Here are a few of them:

Melinda said:  We've been mostly single income since Madeline was born and I quit my job to be a sahm. My husband is a public school teacher and thankfully has job security. I do work part time in the evenings to supplement a little and we've made choices to make our lifestyle work. but I wonder if this mom is a single mom? If that us the case any advice I could give is not helpful.

Jamie said:  Don't have any advice except the obvious - cut as many corners as possible, look for deals/freebies, and only purchase what you need

Sarah said:  I never know what people want to hear. We choose near poverty and total lack of benefits in order to have the lifestyle we want. Either you are willing to make that choice or not. With one income you will often qualify for subsidized or free health care, we always have. ( for the children, not the grownups in the family). There isn't some magic formula for getting all you want living on a single income. It's a sacrifice that we've always felt was worth it.  We cut back and lived on the verge for years, at first. Then my parents retired and we all decided to form a multi-generational household, with my parents in an apartment on our property. There are occasional conflicts, of course, but it's definitely helped us all financially, and I can not imagine a better situation for a homeschooled kid. My parents have a lot of knowledge and many skills, and they love to share it all with my youngest and his friends.

I know hundreds of homeschooling families and the answers are as varied for each family as you see here. In my opinion, it all boils down to choosing a lifestyle that means something to you and living it.
~Karen