If school is demanding tuition you can't afford

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Forum -> Household Management -> Finances

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amother

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 4:20 pm

If the tuition amount demanded is more than you can afford, even after scholarship, what is your plan?
- Charge it to cc and go into debt?
- Take on a 2nd or 3rd or 4th job?
- Ignore the bill and just don't pay/pay what you can afford?
- Go begging?
- Another idea I haven't thought of yet?
How do you decide which of your kids' schools to prioritize?

amother

Mauve

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 4:22 pm

I’ve charged it to credit cards. I’d rather have debt than not have my kids in a frum school. I’ve also taken a second job.

amother

Babypink

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 4:24 pm

Yes, we have collected money for it

amother

Sapphire

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 4:28 pm

amother OP wrote:

Of the choices you gave, I would choose “begging”, as in, trying to raise the money from relatives and friends. You can frame it in a non embarrassing way if possible, like you’re raising money for the school for children who can’t afford tuition. Don’t have to say it’s your kids. I would NOT put on a credit card.

Hashem_Yaazor

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 4:39 pm

Demanding as in you've spoken with them and they won't budge?
They won't work with you on an alternate payment plan or anything?

amother

Daffodil ↓

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 4:40 pm

We put it on the credit card and will probably ask family for another "loan" to pay off the credit card.

amother

Lotus

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 5:39 pm

We don’t have cc’s to put tuition on even if we wanted to. We prioritize the high school tuition and pay the full monthly amount. For the elementary school we pay less per month then what we’re supposed to but we have no choice. The school agreed that as long as we’re making payments we can have a rolling balance which we will eventually catch up on. Wish the situation was different..

amother

Ginger

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 6:03 pm

We went into massive cc debt for tuition.

amother

Stone ↓

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 6:09 pm

I have let the tuition deduction bounce until the school was willong to come back to the negotiation table.

They arent negotiating in good faith and when I say the money isnt there, it isnt there.

If I only have $4500 to spread over 5 schools each month then thats what I have. I cant give it all to one school and just not pay the others because they are the toughest. And I refuse to go into credit card debt for tuition. Thats a hole I cant come back from.

amother

Clover

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 6:09 pm

Cc that’s where it’s been going

We’re live super simply and don’t spend on extras.

BeH hopefully it’ll be ok we don’t have parents to ask so I believe HKB”H will help us find the means

amother

Salmon

Mon, Jul 15 2024, 6:13 pm

If there is no way to negotiate the tuition down, then tell them what you can afford to pay, and will continue to pay it until it is paid off.

amother

Bergamot

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 2:52 pm

Am I the only one whose school does not accept cc payments? They only take direct withdrawal.

amother

↑ Daffodil

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 3:13 pm

amother Bergamot wrote:

Am I the only one whose school does not accept cc payments? They only take direct withdrawal.

Yup. And the food etc goes on the CC. Its essentially the same CC debt...

amother

↑ Stone

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 9:02 pm

amother Bergamot wrote:

Am I the only one whose school does not accept cc payments? They only take direct withdrawal.

u can open a separate account so its not withdrawn from your main account.

amother

Razzmatazz

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 9:06 pm

Growing up my dad worked 3 jobs (my mom worked 1)

amother

Mayflower

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 9:10 pm

I think I’d make a payment plan and pay a small amount even for years after the kids finish school. Do they allow that?

amother

Lawngreen

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 9:36 pm

I have been crying to the administrator and finance office since my husband lost his job 6 months ago. I work FULL TIME. Like out of the home, 8+ hours of work a day plus commute full time. I get paid less than I am worth because one of us needed a job that could be flexible if kids were sick and he has higher earning potential. (I am a professional as well with degrees but my employer would give me unpaid time off if a kid was sick as I don't abuse it).

The school refused to budge last year as it was midyear. So we begged family for help.
So when we applied for this fall for scholarships I have called and called. Cried. Exposed the true depths of our financial predicament. Talked about using my overtime to buy my daughter socks and my son shoes without holes and that I go to work with holes in my shoes because no one can see them.
We got a decent break but not nearly enough.
We will have to beg family again.
Crying

amother

Hydrangea

Wed, Jul 17 2024, 9:58 pm

Ignore the bill & pay what you can’t
We personally don’t do it, but I know plenty of people do that

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