What's your tuition bill?

amother

Seafoam

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 2:45 pm

I hardly pay tuition in Israel, that is the main reason we came when we did. We had two special needs kids at the time that would have been $30K a year each at a private special needs school. We wouldn't have been able to afford that and didn't want that facing us our whole lives. So, we made aliyah!

We have been here 13 years now. Those kids here cost less than $300 a year in a special class. My other kids are only slightly more, closer to $400 a year. We pay a book fee and a prepaid lunch is offered, sometimes small trips are extra. My high school kids also are around $300 a year. We pay transportation on one for about $500 a year. I'm home with the baby and work part time in the house. Day care for babies under 3 is relatively expensive. I might skip it for this last child and wait till she's 3 when it's free. My whole tuition bill is around 5000 shekels a year. It's super cheap as they are not in the expensive private schools and the special ed high school is subsidized as is a technical high school that we send to. All religious dati leumi schools.

Some parents do want fancy schools here and so they pay a lot. Nothing like in the US but not basically free. Boarding schools naturally cost more.

If you come here young, the kids do really well in Israeli schools and don't need expensive private schools to cater to them. It is harder when they are older as one most likely has to pay for private tutoring to catch kids up in Hebrew unless they are fluent. For us, it was the biggest priority at the time and we moved across the world and changed our lives so they could be schooled religiously and according to their needs. Best decision EVER. If I were in the US now, I'd probably home school or start a new community. Couldn't handle the stress of tuition on top of everything else frum life makes you feel is necessary. I even worked at the school there to offset our tuition for kindergarten when we lived there. Tuition definitely can be a reason for moving here but, of course, it is a complete change of lifestyle and that must be worth it to you to do with simcha so it works out positively. You have to want it regardless of tuition. My advice is to come BEFORE tuition prices are too much for you to bear. It is still a good thing to come later rather than not come at all, just not as easy.

Salaries are less, food costs enough but can be controlled with smart spending habits. We spent much more on food in the US with a much smaller family at the time. Our mortgage is super low because we bought outside a city and have a small house, around $500 a month. Even double that is still reasonable. We have a car and gas costs a lot but we don't drive around a whole lot more than where we need to. We're not rich here according to what we call rich but the kids are happy and our community is simple and a happy one. Somehow we live here fine although we still don't earn enough on paper. It works out with a miracle if you want to approach it logically. Hashem helps it happen because we want to be here no matter what. Nothing compares to being here and raising kids here. I'd pay a full tuition if I could for that zechut alone! If I have to be poorer rather than richer in life, I'd 100% rather be here.

amother

Aqua

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 3:16 pm

amother [ Royalblue ] wrote:

Lakewood 1 boy 550/month, 1 girl 450/ month. Nursery 375/ per month

I send to chassidish cheder/school in Monsey and pay very similar rates. (This is without discounts or vouchers.) Total of $2025/month for 5 school-aged children. This is according to a 12-month tuition plan, which is typical here, and then I pay extra for day camp (tho that's not expensive at all).
(Not sure if the 12-month payment calculation is also the norm elsewhere, but that is how tuition is charged in chassidishe places locally.)

amother

Hotpink

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 3:37 pm

amother [ Periwinkle ] wrote:

Wow! 3k for 7 kids...wow thats around $428 per child.........

Is this chassidish school? Or is this a huge discount....

So far, my 3 oldest kids in school are in nyc schools and I pay around 1k per kid ....this is with a tiny scholarship...so if im paying around 3k a year for only 3 kids!! I wish I can pay 3k for 7 kids....my tuition bill will be so high wen my younger kuds become school age and ill be paying for them too!! And, I dont earn much !!

Wow!! I always wondered how others managed but I didnt realize ppl are paying so little.....

Op, im sorry if u are stressed about tuition but I have to cut everything out to be able to afford tuition which is a lot more $ for me than I see others here are paying.....I have no cleaning lady, no bungalows, no camp, no vacations, I clean my own sheitel , only buy cheaper foods, take subway instead of driving(saves gas tolls but its harder for us).. etc...otherwise I cant pay tuition.

Since you're anonymous, could you share what NY school is only a bit over $1000 a year ($1000 a year, with only a small scholarship).

mig100

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 5:15 pm

amother [ Hotpink ] wrote:

Since you're anonymous, could you share what NY school is only a bit over $1000 a year ($1000 a year, with only a small scholarship).

I assume she meant 1k per MONTH. LOL

UQT

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 8:40 pm

I live in Lakewood and don't get any tuition discounts
My mesivta boy is $12,000/year
My high school daughter is $6500/year
My elementary girls are $5000/year

turca

Thu, Aug 15 2019, 10:02 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

How do you manage having 10 kids and still find time/ability to earn 75k per year??? Please teach me how to do that!

We all leave the house early morning and I’m back home by 3:30 as I’m a public school teacher. I’ve been on the system for sometime already. I do believe in having a maid as I’m from Mexico. I did earn some nice money being a certified translator, but it’s been sometime I don’t take a job.

amother

Smokey

Fri, Aug 16 2019, 12:06 pm

53k college
22k hs
25k hs
Grand total 100k
After begging for breaks 75k

amother

Periwinkle

Fri, Aug 16 2019, 1:10 pm

amother [ Hotpink ] wrote:

Since you're anonymous, could you share what NY school is only a bit over $1000 a year ($1000 a year, with only a small scholarship).

1000 per kid PER MONTH!! I made a mistake by writing per year.

amother

Aubergine

Fri, Aug 16 2019, 1:24 pm

29,000 / yr. 4 kids in school. She’s 7-13 1 in 1/2 day daycare.