Tuition: The Bucks START Here

I got my first tuition bill about a month ago and attached to it was an additional “optional” charge for the teachers retirement fund.  Yesterday, I got a letter from the head of school which seems to be laying the groundwork for an impending capital campaign solicitation.  I also know that many school events have a cost involved for tickets, meals or whatever.  I’m not going to miss my kid’s concert because a ticket costs $10, but I am considering how to manage the overall costs.

Requests for donations are more of a challenge.  I went to a private college and have been subjected to a similar fundraising machine.  So I do expect private school solicitations and I even plan to participate.  However, I am trying to get a sense of the “total cost of ownership” of a private school education.  If I am asked once a year for a big donation, I am OK with that.  If I get one every few weeks, I have to think about how to approach it.  And I also know that once I am marked as a ‘giver’, I’ll probably get even more solicitations.