How We Afford To Homeschool Our 7 Kids
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When people find out we have seven kids and homeschool them, one of the first questions I hear is:
“How do you afford that?”
It’s a fair question. Raising a large family isn’t cheap, and when you add homeschooling to the mix without the cushion of a second income, it can seem downright impossible from the outside. But here’s the truth:
It’s not about how much you make. It’s about how you live.
In today’s post, I’m sharing the practical (and sometimes unconventional) choices that make it possible for us to raise and educate our children at home without losing our minds. If you’d rather watch than read, you can catch the video version here.
We Live on One Main Income (by Choice)
Yes, it’s tight sometimes. But we’ve structured our life to work with what we have. That’s meant downsizing, choosing affordable housing options, and saying no to a lot of extras. It’s also meant saying yes to more time with our kids, slower days, and values that matter to us.
My husband made a tough decision to go active duty in the military after being in the reserves for several years. Being active duty meant that we would get benefits we otherwise wouldn’t have had. Also, since he had plenty of experience his pay was much better than what it would have been starting out in the civilian world.
<Enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post!>
We Budget Like It’s Our Job
Because it kind of is. When you live on one income, you can’t afford to “wing it.” We plan our spending, track every dollar, and give every bit of our budget a purpose. I cook from scratch, plan meals around sales, and keep a running pantry inventory so nothing gets wasted.
I don’t shop for fun, I shop for necessities. We rarely go out to eat anymore. It’s way too expensive and when you have a large family it is pretty impractical.
I learned to cut my hair and my kids’ hair. A set of clippers and a pair of scissors pays for itself pretty quickly.
We Don’t Keep Up with the Joneses
We don’t feel pressure to do things the way everyone else does. Our kids wear hand-me-downs. We buy used whenever we can.
Vacations consist of day trips to things we can do for free, and our last beach trip we ate mostly at the beach house and spent our time actually on the beach. We prioritize family experiences over fancy things.
Honestly? Our kids don’t feel deprived. They feel loved and secure.
We Use a Lot of Low-Cost Homeschool Resources and Pass Curriculum Down
Homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive. We rely heavily on:
- Our local library
- Free printable resources
- Open-and-go curricula
- Digital learning apps during group work times
We also invest in lots of books and materials that get reused year after year.
I rely a lot on our Epson Ecotank to print all the homeschool resources.
📚 A good book goes a long way—especially when you’ve got seven readers in the house.
We Embrace a Simple, Slow Lifestyle
Homeschooling isn’t just about academics. It’s a whole way of life. Our daily rhythm is built around home life, chores, reading aloud, nature walks, and creative play. That simplicity reduces both stress and costs.
A slower pace means fewer rushed meals, less driving, fewer impulse buys, and more time to just be together.
We Get Creative with Extra Income
While I stay home full time, I do bring in some income through side projects (like this blog, affiliate links, and digital products). It’s not huge, but every little bit helps, and I can do it during nap time or quiet time.
If you’re considering homeschooling but wondering if you could make ends meet, I’d encourage you to explore creative income options that don’t require sacrificing your family values.
We Focus on What Matters Most
At the end of the day, the real “cost” of homeschooling isn’t financial. It’s a choice to live differently. We’ve let go of some comforts and conveniences, yes. But what we’ve gained in family life, connection, and purpose is worth far more.
We’re not perfect, and we don’t have it all figured out. But we’re proof that a big family, a small budget, and a homeschool lifestyle can go together.
Watch the Video
Want to hear the full story and how it all plays out in our daily life? Watch the video below:
Got questions about affording homeschooling or large family life? Leave a comment below—I love hearing from other families on this journey.
Back To Homeschool Giveaway!
It’s hard to believe, but another homeschool year is just around the corner. Whether you’re deep into planning or still enjoying summer, chances are you’ve got curriculum and supplies on your mind.
We know that preparing for a new homeschool year can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to stick to a budget. Homeschooling on one income or teaching multiple kids can make the costs add up quickly. That’s why I’ve teamed up with a group of amazing homeschool bloggers to bring you our 12th Annual Back to Homeschool Giveaway. And we think you’re going to love it.
This year, we’re giving away three $250 gift cards, and the best part is that you get to choose which homeschool curriculum company the gift card is for. Whether you use The Good & the Beautiful, Gather Round, Notgrass, My Father’s World, or maybe you like shopping at Rainbow Resource, this giveaway is designed to help ease the cost of your school year.
The giveaway runs from July 9 through July 18, so be sure to get your entries in.
To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter form below. I know there are quite a few entries, but each blogger has generously contributed to make this giveaway possible. And remember, the more entries you complete, the better your chances of winning.
We hope this giveaway is a blessing to you and your homeschool this year!
Giveaway ends July 18th at 11:59pm ET. Winners will be drawn and emailed the following day. The winners will have 48 hours to respond to email to claim the prize. By entering this giveaway you will be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers. Please be sure to read the Terms & Conditions upon entering the giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I loved your post. My parents raised us kids the same way you’re raising your family, minus the homeschooling. Homeschooling wasn’t a thing when I was a kid. We, like your family, didn’t go out to eat or take vacations or have a fancy house or car. We prioritized what was important and understood there is a difference between wants and needs.
Thank you for all the tips, this will be our first year homeschooling under one income. We need all the tips we can get.
Do you have a blog post that talks more about your panty inventory?