Going back to school as a working adult

I got the crazy idea two years ago to go back to school and get my teaching certificate.  I have been working for the last six years as a special education para pro (assistant).  I enjoy my work and would like to get paid more and be able to make more decisions in the student's education.  So I decided to get certified.  

I found a program at Mercer University that caters to working adults.  The classes are only one night a week and last 8 weeks.  You normally take 2 classes at a time and take one or two in the summer.  The schedule is doable, but not easy.  There are several things that make going back to school doable for me.  Everyone is different, so your list may be different from mine.

1.  Your family has to be on board.  I told my family that I would be gone two nights a week and that they would have to pitch in, and they agreed.  My children are also teens and tweens so this made it easier.  If my children were young or babies this would be much harder.

2.  I relied on the slow cooker.

I don't know any other way to cook and not be home.  I would get it started in the morning, and add pasta, rice, or a salad to dinner before I left.  There are some great recipes on the internet.

3.  I did much of my cleaning with wipes.

This is not very frugal, but they come in bulk from Sams and they clean a bathroom pretty quick.  I also bought swiffer refills for my floors.

4.  I grocery shopped in bulk once a month.  I would spent about half a Saturday or a school holiday and I would go to Aldi and Sams and stock up.  I would then do a quick shop in-between.

5.  I shopped online.  I ordered gifts and clothing online.  It was faster and easier than going to a store.  

These are just a few tips.  I am sure that I will come across more as time goes on.  Luckily, I only have one more year to go.  I am so excited to start teaching really soon!