One thing I get asked pretty frequently as a homeschool mom is how much money it costs to homeschool - some people assume it's pretty cheap, while others are worried that it's too expensive.
From what I have observed, I've found that it is what you make it - some people try to homeschool for as little as possible, while others don't worry about the cost. I used to be very, very frugal regarding curriculum and did a lot of work to utilize free or cheap resources and materials. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but since I have more children and less free time nowadays, I tend to go with what is more convenient even though it may cost a bit more. With that being said though, I always love saving money so I wanted to share with you today five different ways you can save on homeschool curriculum:
5. Buy curriculum you can use/reuse with other kids - Assuming you have other children or are planning to have them, consider investing in a curriculum that you can use again. Just make sure to weigh the pros and cons for your unique family - do you have the time? Copying or printing pages can be time consuming so is it saving you a lot or just a little? Does this curriculum work for your kid's needs? Some curriculum you can reuse the textbooks and so you just might have to buy the consumable materials like workbooks, notebooks, etc.
4. Check out curriculum sales - You can find curriculum sales either directly from a publisher, locally through your homeschool groups/co-ops, or at a big event like a convention. Many publishers offer discounts and deals at conventions. You might also look at the Homeschool Buyers Co-op that often has marked down deals.
3. Utilize an online curriculum/program - An online curriculum won't have the costs associated with it for textbooks, workbooks, etc. or for printing and copying, so it may save you some money in that respect. For the past several years we have used online curriculum and we just make sure to supplement with books to read, handwriting workbooks, flashcards, worksheets, and games so the kids are still getting hands-on learning, practice writing and drawing, etc.
2. Buy used curriculum - Buying used curriculum can prove to be a money saver. It just may take some more planning and searching. There are lots of places to look for used curriculum:
- Facebook Marketplace
- Facebook used curriculum groups
- Brand-specific Facebook used curriculum groups (like for Abeka, Bob Jones, etc.)
- Websites - usedhomeschoolbooks.com // homeschoolclassifieds.com
1. Utilize free resources - my only caveat to this is to remind you NOT to make free resources your only source. I like to use them more in the younger years or as fun supplemental activities. I know there are a lot of people that swear by only using free curriculum and if that works for them, that's great! I used to try and homeschool as cheaply as possible which you may see if you go back through my older posts. But as I have homeschooled longer, I've learned that you get what you pay for sometimes and that as kids get older, you may have to invest more into their education because of certain subjects they may want to take, interests they have, etc.
Our number one free resource is our library - obviously it offers books on a variety of so many different topics but it also offers audiobooks, movies, and activities like story time, summer reading program, reading challenges, and after school games/activities. Many homeschooling websites/bloggers offer free printables, educational worksheets, or unit studies - Pinterest is a good place to find free things like that. Our local dollar stores are also a good place to find educational workbooks for younger grades that are also super affordable.
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