Paying for private school in the DMV area

Tips and tricks for sending your child to private school for Washingtonians

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Five ways to cut college tuition costs by a third in the DC area

In the DMV we are lucky to have a number of education options available. Did you know there are also ways to reduce tuition costs? Here are five ways to cut college tuition costs by a third or more.

  1. Many people we know spend the first two years of school at community colleges and then transfer to their desired school for the final two years of study. For example, Montgomery College has a tuition of $5000 a year. The University of Maryland is $12,000 a year, ($20,000 if you live there). So you can either pay $80,000 for a four year degree from UMD… or $50,000, for the exact same degree by first completing your core credits at a local community college. That move save you $30,000 on tuition costs.
  2. And many companies in the DC area will pay for your tuition. The MITRE Corporate , with offices in McLean, Virginia, will cover $28,000 of your studies. Assuming your student picks up a graduate degree at night over three years at one of these employers that is another $84,000 in tuition assistance. And you get to apply what you learn right away.
  3. Also, DC residents should learn about the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant program which grants up to $50,000 in benefits.
  4. Stay close to home. UVA’s in state tuition is around $20,000 a year. Out of state? Almost $50,000 a year. Save your family $120,000 by selecting avoiding a school that requires a trip on the beltway to get there.
  5. Finally, many colleges offer a discount to children of employees. For example, here is the 50% of tuition remission offered to University of Maryland Employees. That is $24,000 in tuition assistance right there.

Combining these steps can make tuition more affordable for both private and public colleges (and some high schools). These five options total $308,000 in tuition assistance with no scholarships. This will save you from having to earn almost $400,000 in income to pay for the stuff.

Education is a high priority in the DC area given the nature of the work here. Area institutions, governments and employers recognize and support this if you take the steps to apply for the benefits.

Get back on track after vacation season with this simple trick

Often, after a holiday weekend such as the recent July 4th celebration we find our we have upgraded our life style without upgrading our income. This can be detrimental to paying for tuition and it’s easy to go cash flow negative if the fancy new life style becomes the new normal.

Luckily, there is a super easy method to reset life style meter that has been around for thousands of years.

The middle road doesn’t work

At first glance it seems that the right thing to do should be to “get back on the budget” after a big spending trip or “eat right” after festive holiday meals out at fancy restuarants.

However, that is really difficult to do as we experience a downgrade and most of us our loss averse. Who wants to go around with limits and carefully watching every move? Not me. That is too hard!

Go completely without for an instant attitude adjustment

Instead, take the easier path and skip it. And I mean skip it. Hit the easy button to turbo boost your tuition payments for school by going to the opposite extreme for just a few days and avoid the behavior entirely. This will quickly reset your hedonistic meter and is a fun challenge in of itself.

For example, did you just visit a bunch of wonderful restaurant’s last week while on travel? Good for you! Now next week fast for the first day and then eat only at home for the rest of the week.  The benefit is that a fast is an interesting challenge, a break for both your overloaded digestive and financial systems. And, I assure you, after a 24 hour fast, rice and beans and is a flavor fest. And then, when you do go out again, a simple drive through option will seems luxurious and you will naturally be more appreciative and much slower to inflate your life style. Of course check with your doctor before conducting a fast or any major change to your life style. This should not be considered medically or life style advice. It is just the way we do it.

To reiterate, learn to hit the easy reset button by going to the other extreme. Did you drive to the beach and back? Take two days off from driving before you end up jetting all over town using up gallons of gas and depreciating your car as quick as you can start up the engine.

Meditate on the meaning of emptiness

Budgets, counting calories, rationing gas is too hard, and no fun. Expand your mind with the age old practice for completely abstaining from the consumption in question for just a short while. Free your mind and your bank account at the same time.

Our Annual Black Friday Shopping Guide. Get ready!!!!

It is here

Black Friday is in just a few days! One can save thousands by acting fast!  One day sales only! Plan ahead! Quick! Move! Urgent! You Might Miss Out! We Might Miss Out!

Save hundreds by spending thousands.

caption2

By Powhusku from Laramie, WY, USA – Black Friday, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

Sure, your credit card balance will rise but hey, look at all the new fancy stuff you didn’t even know you needed!

Resist

Slow down.

Get out of line. Empty your online cart. Turn of the sources of advertisements that short circuit your brain. Breath in. Hold for ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and one.. And out.

That stuff will still be there next week. And the week after that. And without time pressure you can buy fewer items and spend less money overall.  The easiest way to save 100% is to not spend it.

Simplify

How about this instead? Consider just 4 items as gifts for the holidays.

  • Something they want
  • Something they need
  • Something to wear
  • Something to read

Give them the benefits of a frugal Christmas. This in turn may allow for higher quality items to be purchased while creating less waste.

 

Reasons people send their children to private school

Recently on a message board I occasionally read, a parent was wondering if they should send their child to private school. So she asked the parents of other private school children if her child would feel poor compared to other families and feel bad about themselves as a result.

One respondent decided to inform the original poster on the real reason they were considering private school:

If it were truly “education” that you care about, your kid would be in a high performing public school. Private school parents care more about the “experience” which is code for “rubbing shoulders with rich people to learn their values and customs and not hard working immigrant values.”

Angry person art

By SmurfyOwn work, Public Domain, Link

Wow, I am glad that respondent cleared it up for them – I bet the parent didn’t even know they were against education!

This kind of shaming response is quite common and the main reason for this web site. Those kind of knee jerk responses assumes that parents send their kids to private school to “rub shoulders with the rich people and learn their customs”.

I attended private schools for 12 years and have paid for a child to attend one nearly as long.

Not once in this time have I seen or heard anyone doing some sort of anthropological study of the ways of the wealthy. Indeed, all the kids attend all the same classes and, at many schools, are required to wear the same clothing (uniforms) to avoid status from being an issue.

Here are the reasons I have actually heard from parents sending their children to private or independent charter schools, as well as home schooling.

  • School matches the families religion
  • Alignment with the family values
  • Specialized learning environment where the private school focused on particular area such as
    • Special needs
    • College preparation
    • Military career preparation schools
    • The arts (dance, theater etc.)
    • An international based education where the child learns the language of their culture (very good for diplomats who will need to return to their country at the end of service)
    • Greek tradition (sports and academic having equal weight)
  • Smaller class size enabling better learning outcomes
  • Additional learning resources are available in some of the private schools – one I know of has Ipads, the other offers horseback riding for kids (apparently it calms the kids who have sensory issues).

I am sure I am missing some. And I would love to hear from any parent that sends their kids to private school to study the culture and norms of wealthy people to learn their ways!

And for everyone else – I do want to assure you that selecting a private school means you are focused on providing a good education for your child. And an educated child becomes an educated adult which benefits all of society. Keep up the great work and sacrifice and thank you.

 

Is A Used Car Cheaper To Own Than a New Car?

Is a used car cheaper than a new car to own? For those of us scrounging to pay for tuition there is a better (and easier) question to ask. And that is, what is my cost per use for this car?

Consider Cost Per Use Instead

Folks paying tuition don’t get to pick any car they want to won. Instead, we buy the safest cars possible and determine the correct one by comparing cost per use (in this case cost per miles).

Instead We Consider Cost Per Use on Large Purchases

Here is an example. Our car cost $45,000 new.  A long time ago. We paid net (after sale of the old car) $8000 for it second hand with 70,000 miles on it. Same features as the original owner had but with more miles on it, some character and a bit of a vintage feel. Let’s use the cost per use method to see if we paid a fair price for the vehicle.volvo-wagon-blue

Before we get into the numbers I realize some of you hate this sort of conversation. You find it is tedious and you never trust the numbers you end up with.  Send me a note or post a comment and I will run the numbers for you. And don’t worry about getting the match exactly right, just remember to keep cost per use in mind when facing a major purchase decision.

On to the numbers!

The original owner paid $45,000 for 75,000 miles of use or 60 cents for each mile driven, not counting fuel, tires, service and parts. Assume we keep the car another $75,000 miles and get the 75K, 100K and 125K maintenance work which will cost in total about $4000. Our combined cost for the car is $12,000, again ignoring consumables. Our cost will be 16 cents per mile or only 25% of the cost of the car if it was purchased new.  I declare this to be a good deal as we can get four of them for the same cost as the car was new.

Is A Used Car Cheaper To Own Than a New Car?

This doesn’t mean all used cars are cheaper than all new cars.

Today on Autotrader.com a 2013 Jeep Wrangler with 45K miles is selling for $25,900 despite having a poor side impact safety rating and marginal front impact rating. At the same time a new Subaru Forester, is selling for $26,100. Not as cool looking but stellar safety ratings.

If both cars are driven for 100K miles the Wrangler will need both the 75K, the expensive 100K services and a more expensive 125K service, and new tires for about $5000 in parts and labor. The Subaru will only need the $1500 75K service.

Let’s compare the cost per use of each vehicle in the handy table.

Wrangler (21 MPG) Forester (32 MPG)
Up front cost $25900 $21600
Service $5000 $1500
Gas for 100K miles @ $3 a gallon $14285 $9375
Total cost $45,185

 

$32,475

 

45 cents 32 cents

 

The Forester, despite being newer, safer, and more reliable and more gas efficient, at first glance appears to be about the same price as the used and cooler looking Wrangler. But the cost per mile reveals the Wrangler is 40% more for each mile driven. A brand new Forester is much cheaper then the used Wrangler.

The astute reader at this point will wonder – wait a minute – wouldn’t a used Subaru save us even more? I am glad you asked because today on Autotrader.com a 2013 Forester is $16,488.

Let’s compare cost per use of all three vehicles.

 

Wrangler (21 MPG) New Forester (32 MPG) Used 2013 Forester (27 MPG)
Up front cost $25900 $21600 $16488
Service $5000 $1500 $5,000
Gas for 100K miles @ $3 a gallon $14285 $9375 $11,111
Total cost $45,185

 

$32,475

 

$32,599

 

45 cents 32 cents 33 cents

 

Oooooh!  So sorry! The new car is still the most economical. The less gas efficient 2013 Forester combined with that 100K services hit really put the new vehicle in the lead.

We have found it helpful to think cost per use to get the most out of something so extra funds can be redirected towards tuition and hope you will too.

So the three cars I chose for this example were pretty close. Ideally, you are looking for comparisons that are really easy so that it is fairly obvious by adding up some numbers. But you get the idea. If you find a car that is safe and reliable but makes you go “meh” it is likely to be the correct car. That is why there are so many of them on the road as lots of other folks have come to the same conclusion.

If you are thinking a particular car you are looking into is so cool, move on. Get your excitement out of some fancy new shoes instead.

Our son was transformed within a few weeks

Holly Robinson has an amazing article about how one of her children seemed to need – and then benefit- from a private school education. She reports that “our son was transformed within a few weeks”.

This is an amazing story of where a program and child align well.

Each child is different and  it’s great to at least have the option of something other than school that happens to be closest to your house.

 

Tips and tricks – the paying for private school links page

We aren’t the only voice out there discussing the details of how to pay for private school. Here are some great reads to help you consider the options and the trade offs:

Broad Brush Tips

Real Life Inspiring Stories

Frank discussion of the trade offs

 

Options Analysis

Have a link that you think will help parents and students? Post a comment so we can include it!