EPISODE · Apr 1, 2026 · 12 MIN
49: Can You Afford to Leave the Classroom? The Financial Reality Teachers Should Know
from Online Business for Teachers | TPT | How to Make Extra Money, Work From Home, Digital Products · host Monica Lopez - Business & Mindset Coach for Teachers
Thinking about leaving the classroom… but not sure if you’re financially ready? In this episode, I’m sharing what I learned after leaving teaching and trying to figure out how to replace a full-time salary with business income. This came up after a teacher friend (and mom of three) asked me how to actually make the transition. And I get it. When you have a family, especially young kids, the decision to leave teaching isn’t just emotional… it’s financial. I thought I was prepared when I left. My business was growing, I saw the numbers going up, and I assumed it would continue. It didn’t. So in this episode, I’m walking you through what I would do differently and what I think every teacher should think about before leaving the classroom. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why business income is not the same as a teaching salary How to figure out where your money is actually going A simple way to separate needs vs wants in your budget Why I started paying myself based on my lowest income months What to look at financially before you leave the classroom Why giving yourself time to build your business matters Who This Episode Is For – Teachers thinking about leaving the classroom – Teacher moms trying to balance work and family – Teachers building a TPT or online business – Anyone wanting to replace their teaching salary with business income Mentioned in This Episode 48: How I Manage the Money in My Teacher Business (Taxes, Profit & Paying Myself) (go back and listen if you haven’t yet) If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here: Free TPT Starter Mini Course And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together. Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call 📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at [email protected]. I read every message and would love to hear from you.
What this episode covers
Thinking about leaving the classroom… but not sure if you’re financially ready? In this episode, I’m sharing what I learned after leaving teaching and trying to figure out how to replace a full-time salary with business income. This came up after a teacher friend (and mom of three) asked me how to actually make the transition. And I get it. When you have a family, especially young kids, the decision to leave teaching isn’t just emotional… it’s financial. I thought I was prepared when I left. My business was growing, I saw the numbers going up, and I assumed it would continue. It didn’t. So in this episode, I’m walking you through what I would do differently and what I think every teacher should think about before leaving the classroom. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why business income is not the same as a teaching salary How to figure out where your money is actually going A simple way to separate needs vs wants in your budget Why I started paying myself based on my lowest income months What to look at financially before you leave the classroom Why giving yourself time to build your business matters Who This Episode Is For – Teachers thinking about leaving the classroom– Teacher moms trying to balance work and family– Teachers building a TPT or online business– Anyone wanting to replace their teaching salary with business income Mentioned in This Episode 48: How I Manage the Money in My Teacher Business (Taxes, Profit & Paying Myself) (go back and listen if you haven’t yet) If you’re brand new and need help getting your TPT store started, I have a free starter mini course. You can get it here: Free TPT Starter Mini Course And if you’re in that in-between stage and you’re trying to figure out your next move, you can book a strategy call with me and we’ll map it out together. Book a Teacher Business Clarity Call 📧 Got questions or want to share your story? Email me at [email protected]. I read every message and would love to hear from you.
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49: Can You Afford to Leave the Classroom? The Financial Reality Teachers Should Know
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