- Inexpensive school lunch ideas
Getting kids up and ready for school and preparing lunch for them can be time-consuming and nerve-wracking. You don’t want to send them to school with junk. But, most schools have terrible lunches that kids won’t eat anyway. Here are a few lunches you can make that don’t break the bank or take that much time.
First, ensure that you have the right packaging for your child’s lunches. You want hot food to stay hot and cold food to stay cold. Plus, you want it to stay solidly closed in your child’s backpack and locker without spillage.
* Mini Pizza Lunch – Triscuits crackers, turkey pepperoni, a little sauce, cheese and you’re done. Add some sliced apples, some carrot sticks, and a juice box, and you’ve given your child a healthy alternative to school lunch.
* Kabobs – Kids love this one. Just take some chunks of chicken, cheese, bread, seedless grapes, any other fruit and put on a kabob stick. You can use disposable sticks so your child can toss them after they’re done. It’s easy to include all food groups with this plan.
* Quesadillas – All you need is a tortilla, some cheese, turkey, and sliced apple to make the best quesadilla to take to school. Add a juice box or milk box and you’ve got a well-balanced lunch for your child that they’ll eat.
* Veggies and Hummus – Children like hummus, and they like dipping stuff. Put some hummus in your child’s lunch with all sorts of dippers like carrots, cucumber chips, bread, crackers, and fruit. They can dunk it themselves. Hummus is just beans, so it’s full of protein and good for them too.
* Tuna and Crackers – Instead of a soggy tuna sandwich, make some tuna salad and include wheat crackers so your child can make tiny little tuna sandwiches. Include different veggie sticks too and it’ll be a nice balanced lunch.
* Hard Boiled Egg Lunch – Make hard boiled eggs but do peel them before putting in the lunch. Add some mixed fruit, sliced bell peppers (use the colorful ones) and some date dip for apple slices. (To make date dip, just blend water and pitted dates in a high-speed blender.)
These lunch ideas can be made the night before and put in the right container. It’s okay to eat most of this food cold.
2. How much does it cost to get a private tutor?
If your child has some learning issues that you can’t seem to help them with, the best thing to do for them is to hire a private tutor. Private tutors can be found in many places. You might find them among the friends you already have, or you may have to find them by placing an advertisement. The best place to find them is via your local college. Plus, your child’s school may already have a list of tutors available, so that’s a good place to start.
There are also places like Kumon or Sylvan learning centers which offers tutoring services. You take your child to a center, and you will pay from $95 to $125 a month depending on how much work they need to do with the child. You’ll also pay a registration fee of up to $50 dollars, and there will be a contract for services.
The cost of a tutor varies for the area as well as per subject matter. But, you can expect to pay anywhere from $30 per hour to $100 per hour depending on the grade of your child, and the subject they need help with. Most individual tutors do not charge a set-up fee, nor do they have contracts.
There are some advantages and disadvantages of center-based tutoring and individual tutoring. In a center, each tutor must pass a background check per state requirements. Often individual tutors don’t go through that process even if the state has a requirement, because they don’t know about it, or don’t think it’s necessary.
If you choose a center, your child will go there, so transportation could be an issue. If you choose an individual tutor they’ll come to your home. It’s important that you or another adult is home during this time until you get to know the tutor well enough or perform your own background check on them to ensure that they’re not predators.
When you look at the cost, think about the benefits instead of the cost. Generally, a child will improve with a good tutor over a few weeks’ time. Some children need tutoring longer. The best course of action is to play it by ear and determine if you’ll likely need a tutor for at least an entire semester to help your child catch up or improve. But, you may need to keep the tutor longer.
Tutoring can really help boost your child’s scores and confidence in a way that other activities can’t. If your child is getting a C or less in any subject and you’re unable to help them, tutoring is a good choice.
3. Cost of private versus public school
First, let’s determine what the visible costs are for both public and private schools.
Visible Costs
Tuition for public school: Zero
Tuition for private school: On average between 8000 and 13,000 dollars per year for a private, local, non-residential school.
It almost seems like a no-brainer to choose the public school. But one thing many people don’t realize when they first have a child is that public school attendance is based on school zones, and often bussing in and out isn’t really an option depending on where you live.
Usually, districts have set up “neighborhood” schools. Schools get their funding via property taxes. That means the more expensive the home, the more the taxes, and the better resources that neighborhood public school will have.
So, if you live in the country, your child may end up going to an underfunded rural school. Likewise, if you live in an apartment in a city, or low-income housing, your child may go to a poorly funded inner-city school.
This is very unfair for most students. Unless you’re lucky enough to live in a well-planned community with expensive housing and well-funded schools, your child could be left behind and out of opportunities for advancement.
Other Costs
But, when you start to look at other costs involved in schools, you can make a better choice.
Let’s say you want to your child to go to a well-funded school with lots of opportunities and choices. Then you must either buy a house in that great neighborhood with the good school district, or you must come up with the funds to pay private school tuition.
In most cases, property in the country is going to be less expensive; a 3000-square foot house in the nice neighborhood will likely cost double what you can get in the country. If you add those costs to your tuition cost, suddenly public school is no longer free.
For example:
House in country: $250K
House in good school district: $500K
When you think of this, private school ends up being the best bargain. Plus, you end up living in a house that you can probably enjoy for a lifetime instead of just until your kids finish school. All you must do is add up the cost of twelve years of private schooling versus housing costs.
The payment on the $250K house will be about $1500 a month, while the payment on the $500K house will be about $3000 a month. That’s a difference of $1500 dollars per month.
Private school tuition will be about $1000 a month or less.
Your tuition may be lowered via scholarships, and in some states, you can get tax credits for sending your child to private school. If you live in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, South Carolina or Wisconsin, you may qualify for tax credits. Check with your tax professional to find out if you qualify for this state benefit. Also, keep an eye on politics because there could be more tax benefits federally in the future for private school attendees.
That’s a saving of at least $500 a month, which could be put into a 529 plan for college. Also, understand that public school isn’t totally free. Only tuition is free; you’ll still end up buying supplies, paying for sports, band, and more, adding up to probably a few hundred dollars a month depending on what your child is involved in, just like you will for private school.
The moral of the story is to check out every school and option before you decide, so that you can provide your child with the best education, public or private, at the best price for your budget long term. There is no reason you should give up living where you want to while paying exorbitant housing prices, just to get your child into a good public school.
4. Typical expenditures for preschool
Many areas of the country do not offer free public preschool to most children. If your child has any learning issues, you can go to the public school system and ask for testing for your child that may possibly allow your child to get into a free public preschool situation a few times a week. But, for the most part, if you want your child to go to preschool it will be at a “daycare” or “learning center” type program.
The good thing about preschool that is at a daycare, is that you will be able to get some break on your taxes. This is because daycare costs are somewhat tax deductible, depending upon your income and a lot of other factors that you should discuss with your tax professional. In addition, if you have a low income you can usually find a center that will charge on a sliding scale basis, because they get benefits sent directly to them from the government for your child.
But for the most part, the typical expenditures for preschool will vary based on your location and the availability (open spots) in your area.
Tuition: $5000 to $13,000 a year (from BabyCenter.com)
Often this fee is payable either weekly or monthly. You may also be responsible for sending lunch if they don’t have a cafeteria, supplies when needed for various crafts, and paying for field trips. Each preschool is a little different, and area plays a huge role in what is offered.
There are many different types of preschool options:
* Public – Some areas do offer public preschool so check with your school district.
* Co-operative – Some parents have decided to band together and provide preschool options for their kids together. This requires that parents take turns teaching the children the curriculum and buying the curriculum and choosing the place.
* Church – Many area churches also run a daycare and preschool programs. Some have certified teachers and some do not. These usually cost less than other options, but more than public and co-operative options.
* Centers – Most areas have these types of preschools. These are the ones often thought of as daycare. They are run privately and some are chains. One well-known chain which hires certified teachers is called Primrose Schools.
Link – https://www.primroseschools.com/
If you want to send your child to preschool, there are some options that you can look into that may be affordable for you and good for the socialization of your child too.
5. Typical expenditures for elementary school
If your child is getting close to attending elementary school, you have a lot to think about and a lot to budget for. Even if your child is going to public school, there will be expenditures that you’ll need to pay for.
* School Clothing – Elementary school kids don’t need to be fashion icons, but they do need weather-appropriate clothing that fits in with the school dress code. For example, many schools require that children wear certain shoes with certain soles on them for safety reasons. They also will require weather-appropriate attire for going outside even when it’s hot or cold.
* Lunch – Some schools have cafeterias that have decent lunches at a good price. You’ll have to find out. Find out if you can eat at the school to try the food before you decide how to proceed. School lunches usually cost less than 3 dollars and in some cases, all students get free lunch. Make sure to fill out all the paperwork in case your child qualifies. If you don’t like the lunches, you will need to budget for packing lunch for your child.
* Before and After School Care – Some schools offer before and after school care for about $50 to $100 a week. This is very convenient since it’s already at the school. If they don’t offer it, you may need to find care on your own. Look to local childcare centers for options with transportation.
* Extra-Curricular Activities – Even in elementary school children are often in extra activities, depending on the school that they attend. Some of these activities are at school and some aren’t. They can include sports, music, art and other programs. This expense will just depend on what your child likes to do.
* Supplies – Every child usually has to buy personal supplies and general supplies for the school in public schools. Usually, for a private school, the only supplies that need to be bought are for the individual student. In public school, these supplies can cost as much as $600 a year in some school districts.
* Transportation – In some school districts, even public schools charge a transportation fee for kids who will take the bus. This can be from $100 a year up to $100 a month. It’s an important fee to watch out for since most people are shocked about it. Also, some school districts don’t offer feasible bussing at all, so don’t assume that transportation is going to be there for you just because your child goes to public school.
Expenses for elementary school can be a shock for many parents. If you’re having issues meeting these obligations, some schools have programs for kids who are getting free lunch. The free lunch program signifies that the child qualifies financially for additional help for some of these expenses.
6. Typical expenditures for middle school
Middle school brings with it more excitement and a little more expense, because this is when kids usually start really getting more involved with particular subjects and school activities such as band, social clubs, cheerleading, sports and other activities. Plus, it’s a time when most kids have huge growth spurts, so expect to spend more on clothing than in years past.
* Textbook Fees – This is usually the time when textbook fees start to show up for parents. These can range from a couple bucks to more than a hundred bucks per book.
* Class Fees – Since subjects are getting more in depth now, you’ll likely see a science fee or other class fees added on to your child’s bill for school. Yes, even in public school.
* Activity Fees – If your child is in the band, a club, or does other activities via the school, expect to pay a fee for each activity. These fees can vary greatly. Sometimes, you can find out what last year’s fees were on the school’s or district website.
* Sports Fees – These are often pretty high, so if your child is in a sport (especially football), expect to pay up to a grand a year for the privilege. If your child is considered low income, some schools do have policies that help lessen this hit.
* Band Fees – While mentioned above with activity fees, you should know that band fees are often as high as football fees. Many schools set up a fee schedule that you pay monthly called “Fair share”. Don’t be intimidated by this. If you don’t have the funds, talk to the school and they might work something out for you privately.
* Clothing – During this time, children start to take on a more adult appearance and clothing becomes more important to them. Some schools, even public, do have uniforms, so you may have that added expense. Before buying any school clothes, get a copy of the dress code. Follow it to a T so that you don’t end up with any problems.
* Associations and Clubs – Whether it’s the national honor society or other association that your child wants to be part of, expect to pay a fee for the privilege. In addition, some clubs and associations have requirements to volunteer or do certain activities which also have expenses to add to your budget.
It may seem as if the money never stops flowing, but you can keep these fees reasonable if you shop for sales, talk to the school about discounts, and work with other parents to help less advantaged students.
Next time, we’re going to look at what you can expect to pay for your child at high school.
7. Typical expenditures for high school
When your child is entering high school, a whole world of learning is at their fingertips. So are a whole new set of expenses for you. Expenses will vary based on what type of school your child goes to, as well as your income level. As normal, in public schools most parents can access extra help if they have a low income, such as free lunches and lowered fees if needed. But in general, you can expect to pay for the following for your high school child.
* Lunch – Some schools have an open-door policy for lunch. Kids can bring their sack lunch, eat at the cafeteria, or go out for lunch. Either way, they’re not always required to go to the cafeteria for lunch. Depending on what you’ll allow, you can expect to spend from $3 to $10 a day.
* Clothing – Again, some schools (including public schools) have uniforms. These can cost as much as $100 per outfit. If your child gets to wear street clothing, then you’ll need to stick to the school rules and set a budget for the school year.
* Transportation – Again, you may have to pay for school buses or work out some type of situation for your child to get to and from school until they can drive themselves. This can cost as much as $100 a week.
* Book and Class Fees – Depending on what type of classes your student wants to take, book and class fees can add up. If your child is an honors student, then classes will cost a little extra, including a testing fee at the end of each semester.
* Activity Fees – Everything your child wants to be involved in, or even things they must be involved in, will carry a small fee ranging from a couple bucks to a hundred bucks. It just depends on the district. Often, you’ll have an option to participate in a fundraising instead of paying a straight fee, but honestly the time spent fundraising can be a pain too.
* Sports Fees – This is where the sports really ramp up for kids. They get more serious and more expensive. No matter which sport your child participates in, there will be a cost. Some parents report as much as a couple thousand dollars for football.
* Band Fees – This is another big one for parents. If you have a band child, expect to spend a couple hundred dollars a month for fees and expenses, including your instrument. It can really add up.
The best way to determine your added expenses is to look at the school website to see if they have included a list from last year on what you need to buy and pay for. Keep in mind that there is a lot of disagreement about what schools can force you to pay for and buy, so your mileage may vary.
8. Typical expenditures for college
Once your child enters college, it’ll be even more important to budget for expenses. You’ll have a lot of items to include in your child’s life to ensure that they get a well-rounded education without having to be worried about money.
* Tuition – Most people don’t realize it, but tuition is only part of the expenses of college. It ranges greatly from state to state and school to school. Today, there are accredited online options that can work too. But you’ll pay $26 dollars a credit to more than $500 a credit depending on the state and school choice. Most schools, as well as federal financial aid, require a student to complete twelve hours each quarter or semester to be considered full time. Some scholarships require fifteen, so pay attention to those requirements.
* Fees – Usually, most schools charge fees based on the classes they’re in. For example, there is often a lab fee for science – sometimes for math and English too if they offer a lab to give extra help to students. These can be as little as 5 bucks a class to 100 dollars, depending on the equipment involved.
* Supplies – Your child will likely need supplies such as a laptop, tablet, paper, pens, calculators and so forth. Each supply will be dictated by the courses your child signs up to take.
* Books – This is usually a big chunk of the cost of attending college. Again, the cost goes up or down depending upon the subject. Expect to pay more for accounting than for art books, because accounting changes from year to year. Some accounting books cost $500 and you can’t always get used ones.
* Meals – Most schools offer different plans for meals. It is tempting to get the cheapest plan, but the best course of action is to get the unlimited plan at least the first year, then limit the amount you give your child to spend on food outside of school. These plans range from a few hundred a semester to more than a thousand a semester.
* Sports – Sports takes on a whole new meaning in college. If you have a child on scholarship, most of the time these expenses are taken care of by the school. If your child is not on scholarship but chooses to play anyway, then you’ll be responsible for these expenses.
* Testing – Even before going to college, you’ll have some testing expenses for your child. Many schools still require either the ACT test or the SAT test or other tests to determine placement and scholarships for your child.
* Entrance Applications – This is again prior to your child starting college, but it’s an important aspect of choosing a college. Each application costs $20 to $100 dollars depending on the school. Some schools do have programs to waive the fees, so check about that.
* Extracurricular – This will depend on what your child is involved in, but could include doing things with friends, buying clothing, and going to the movies. This will depend on what you as a parent can afford or what the child can afford for a job. But the average is about $100 a week.
* Housing – This is a big expense for college, often more than tuition. You can expect to spend from $400 to $800 a month on housing. There are usually choices depending on your budget. Sometimes parents can save money by investing in off-campus housing with other friends, although studies show that living in a dorm is usually best for first-year students.
* Study Abroad – Don’t pass out, but this will usually cost about $10K to $20K for one semester. But, there are often scholarships that can help with this cost. If you can swing it, this is often one of the best memories of college for many students who learn from studying abroad.
The expenditures can add up, but they can be done on a budget if you’re careful and plan for it in advance. Students can qualify for work-study, which will give them a job up to 19 hours a week at minimum wage to help with some of the expenses while keeping them at school.
9. Tips to help fund your child’s time at college
College expenses seem very overwhelming to most parents and students. However, most people can find a way to attend college if they give it some thought. There are many ways to fund college by both parents and kids.
If you’re planning early:
* 529 Funds – Parents and grandparents can donate to a state 529 fund. This is a great option because you pay today’s rates for tomorrow’s education. Your child can often use the funds even if they go to an out-of-state school.
* Savings Accounts – You can start a college savings account for your child at almost any bank. Talk to your bank to find out what they can set up and what type of interest you can earn. All grandparents, parents, and kids can contribute to the savings account.
* Scholarships – If you have a child who is a good student and who tests well, you’re in luck. If your child can score well on the ACT or the SAT, then you can get many scholarships. It might be worth it to invest in tutors to ensure high test scores.
* Loans – The government offers many loan programs for students. While there is a lot of controversy regarding government loan programs, the fact is that they really work well. You just need to be smart about the loans, how you use them and paying them back. It’s very unadvisable for parents to take parent loans, though.
* Grants – Many schools offer grants, and the federal government offers Pell Grants to students who qualify. How they qualify a student under age 23 is by adding up household income. Anyone who earns money in the household is counted, so this can be hard to qualify for. But since everyone must fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you’ll know right away. You can use this calculator now to determine if you do qualify for anything:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/paying-your-share/expected-family-contribution-calculator
Keep in mind that everything changes depending on who is in charge of the government at the time.
* Private School – One way to finance your student’s education is to look at private schools. This might seem contrary to the popular notion that public school is less expensive. But in some cases, private schools give out more scholarships than other schools do to expand diversity in their school. Schools like Berea.edu in Kentucky offer a solid liberal arts education tuition free, and help kids pay their other expenses via work.
Link – http://www.berea.edu/
* Working – It might seem like a lot to work and go to school, but it is very possible to do. Working is only going to supplement the cost in most cases, but it will help. It’s inadvisable to work more than 20 hours a week while taking a full course load, though. You’ll likely make more money in a shorter time being a waiter than most jobs.
* Go Local – If your child goes to a local community college, the tuition is often less expensive and they can live at home. That will help end the problem of room and board costs.
* Online Schools – Avoid for-profit online schools because they are overpriced. But, there are accredited online non-profit schools that you can consider. What’s great about these is that your child can live at home and go to school. Look at SNHU.edu and WGU.edu for ideas.
Using these methods to fund college can help it become a reality for your child. You might both just have to think outside the box and take a little longer to finish, but it can be done if you’re committed to it.
Next time, we’re going to look at the costs and benefits of studying abroad during college.
10. Studying abroad – tips for students
Studying aboard during college can make a huge difference in a student’s life. If you talk to any adult who did it as a college student, they will say that they wouldn’t change a thing and that it added a lot to their life.
Studying abroad can be quite expensive, though. By some estimates, it can cost as much as $35K per semester to study abroad, all inclusive. But there are ways to lessen the cost if you plan ahead. Plus, you must consider the fact that having a study abroad experience that relates to your degree can place you ahead of your peers for a good job.
Book Your Flight in Advance
One way to lower your expenses is to book your flight on your own and well in advance of your arrival date. This may mean you need to book a hotel or place to stay until your program starts, but you could end up saving a lot of money in the long run on a cheaper ticket.
Do NOT Take Credit Cards
You’re not there to rack up a huge bill in credit card charges and exchange fees, so you should just leave it at home. Alternatively, if you do have good credit, you can ask your bank for a card that doesn’t include those fees and gives cash back. Then set a strict budget for yourself.
Apply for an International Student Card
This card can offer you the ability to get discounts on many things around the globe as a student. You will end up on a mailing list, so try to avoid falling for the scams and sales. Just use the card as intended to get discounts, and have proof that you’re an international student. You may even win a scholarship.
Link – https://www.isic.org/
Explore Like the Locals
One huge cost of studying abroad is wanting to travel and see the sights. You can stay inexpensively in youth hostels. Travel with a buddy and fill your backpack so that you can do things on the cheap. If you can meet locals, you’ll do a lot better on experiences, because locals know how to avoid overpriced tourist hangouts.
Ensure Your Choice Is Career Centered
It sounds great to study abroad in a party spot without any concern to your degree, but the best bang for your buck is picking something for your future. You want to pick something that offers both fun and games but also offers you something to boast about in your job interviews. Plus, doing something good for others always feels good, even when it pays off financially with a higher salary offer when you get a job out of college.
You can make your dreams come true if you set your mind to it. If you want to go to college at home or abroad, it is within your grasp. Sometimes you may have to go after it in a way that you didn’t plan, but you can get there.
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