Friday, January 23, 2009

Friday's Answer: Exploring 10 Creative Ways For Leaders To Earn Some Cash

I started a home school group in my neighborhood but would like to reach out a little further. We have five families right now. I have my BA in elementary education. Is it possible to get paid to be a homeschool group leader? Or get paid anything for doing something with home schooling?

I have to confess, this great question made us smile. It would be wonderful to get paid for all the hours that you put into leading, serving, helping, and coordinating the homeschool group, but we do not know of any that do. Starting or leading a support group for homeschoolers in your area is a volunteer service from the heart that blesses many families and fills a need. Helping others has its own reward.

That being said, we can give you a few ideas of ways you can explore to earn money in this field.
  1. Teach a class within an area of your expertise and charge a fee. Many homeschoolers look for science labs or classes, music lessons, physical education or sports, or extracurriculars.
  2. Offer tutoring services by the hour in needful areas like math or reading.
  3. Host a used curriculum/book sale. Charge a nominal fee for spaces, and everyone makes money selling their used books.
  4. Sell used curriculum online on auction sites or book listers like Amazon.com.
  5. Host home parties (like Discovery Toys) for the families of your group.
  6. Become a distributer of homeschool materials, curriculum and family books for your area.
  7. Sell supplies, curriculum or homeschool books or your own original product at regional homeschool book fairs.
  8. Write and submit articles of your homeschool experiences to various homeschool magazines.
  9. Find a need and fill it by writing an ebook within your expertise and market it online. Stephen Beck can show you how--click here.
  10. Sponsor an educational or artistic competition for the community that requires entrance fees.

Each of these ideas can be used by an individual, a leader, or a group to earn cash.

Cha-ching! Here's to money in your pocket,
Denise & Kristen
www.homeschoolgroupleader.com

2 comments:

Kristen and Denise said...

I just read a fantastic article by Carol Topp, Homeschool CPA, on fundraising for your homeschool group in the latest issue of "The Old Schoolhouse" magazine. (It just came in the mail yesterday. Great timing on the subject of money and if you looking for more money in your group's budget this year!) Carol gave some wonderful ideas, real life examples, and great guidance to follow. Check it out! (She even mentioned our own fabulous Kristen Fagala!)

If you don't get The Old Schoolhouse magazine, you are missing out on a wealth of information. You can subscribe through us on this page, http://www.homeschoolgroupleader.com/storefront.html

Going to read some more,
Denise :)

Carol Topp, CPA said...

Kristen & Denise,
I sometimes get asked about being paid for leading a homeschool group. I answered some of these questions on my blog HomeschoolCPA Blog>

Here's two entries to help your readers:

Is it a homeschool co-op or Mary Poppins?

Paying teachers in a homeschool co-op is a sticky situation

K&D had some great ideas, but be aware that most of them have tax implications. Check with your tax preparer. Sorry to be a downer, but it is tax season, afterall!

Carol Topp, CPA