Back to Homeschool on a Tight Budget
Yesterday, in the middle of a television show, my son and I viewed a commercial for back-to-school sales at a local department store. I laughed at how juxtaposed our reactions to this commercial were.
His first reaction was, “What? Back to school already? NO!!!!!”
My reaction was, “It’s beginning! Yay!”
I wasn’t necessarily excited because I am ready to jump back into the school routine, I was excited because I love school supplies.
Since I was a small child I have adored picking out new notebooks and pencils and all the amazing things that my soon-to-be teacher listed on the required supply list. I still remember the first day of school in many grades when I got to pull out my brand new shiny (affiliate link) Lisa Frank notebooks and clicker pencils.
That being said, beginning of the school year preparations are very different for a homeschooler. With a school supply obsession (because it is obsession level) like I have, it is easy to go overboard and break the bank when you’re preparing for a new year. After all, I’m not checking off someone else’s list. It’s hard to know when I’m done shopping when I have the urge to buy all the things!
Overspending does not have to be the case, though; you can easily prepare your homeschool list on a tight budget. You simply have to know a few tricks of the trade.
Don’t Be Overly Ambitious
Make a list of the essential subjects you need to cover and the actual budget you have to purchase these. The 3 R’s—reading, writing, math—should always be your starting point because they are the essential components of a good education. After you secure those foundations, see how much you have left in your budget for adding in other curriculum choices and fun extras.
Look For Ways You Can Teach Subjects For Free (Or Super Cheap)
Yep, I said free. Yes, you could purchase that curriculum company’s amazing (but expensive) set for the year with all of the those exciting read alouds, or you could lean on your public library for free.
Handwriting? Just search on Pinterest, and you’ll find a million free copywork printables.
Or if you have older kids and want to teach them creative writing, Bright Ideas Press has a very affordable ebook titled Writer’s Workshop that will give you easy step by step instructions. That’s what I’m using this year.
Shop Your Own Bookshelves
Did you purchase a geography book last year that you didn’t finish, even though you had great intentions? There is no need for a new one, just pick up where you left off. We have to get out of the mindset of brand new curriculum every single year.
In our homeschool we use The Mystery of History, and we definitely don’t get through the entire curriculum in a year, so we continue where we left off. History for the year = free.
Avoid Stores Until After Public School Begins
Homeschoolers have such an advantage when it comes to low cost supplies because we set our own timetable. If you are patient about your supply list and a little flexible with styles and patterns, you can stock your homeschool cabinet for a fraction of the cost.
Look For Local Homeschool Groups On Facebook
Not only can you generally find low cost used curriculum through online forums, but you are also kept in the loop on cheap or free community activities for your homeschoolers!
I could probably continue this list for days with suggestions like using your Netflix account to your advantage, shopping Dollar Tree and Target’s dollar bins, and on and on.
It is doable. It is. You merely need realistic expectations of your year and a desire to get creative. This year, commit yourself to not being stressed out about homeschool costs. With more digging and creativity you can pull together curriculum and the supplies you need to have a fabulous homeschool year while still having a little extra for that Starbucks habit that keeps you sane.
Happy homeschooling!
Homeschool moms are busy
Bright Ideas gets that. And that’s why we promise to publish Christian-oriented curriculum that will fit into your hectic lives, curriculum that is both affordable and easy-to-use with children of different ages at the same time. Curriculum that busy Moms love! The team at Bright Ideas Press prays that our products and resources will not only help to simplify your life, but also inspire, encourage, and enable you as parents to effectively educate your children.
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Author
Amy Schaffner is a happy West Texas homemaker. Her idea of a great day is taking care of her home and her people, with a hot cup of coffee in hand. Her life is divided into many pieces: Jesus-lover, wife, mother, homeschooler, minister, writer, friend, and the occasional attempt at artist. She likes to share her journey through the hard stuff of life like her anxiety/panic disorder and homeschool shenanigans so that she can encourage other fellow strugglers out there. For more of her life check out www.amyschaffner.com and www.notyouraveragehomeschoolmom.com
Comments (3)
These are great suggestions! I created our entire preschool curriculum based off of books that we had or were available at the library. I truly don’t think a curriculum has to be purchased, except for in math and maybe writing.
I love the idea of waiting to buy supplies until after the public schools are in session. I’m amazed at hoe much cheaper the sales get after Labor Day. This is our first year of pre-k but my kiddo is way too smart for her own good. So we’re doing a combo of pre-k and kindergarten. So much cheaper to pick up workbooks at Dollar Tree and Walmart and to print things I find through Pinterest than to purchase pre-packaged curriculum kits…that are mostly too easy for her anyway. #ShineBlogHop
I love the back to school sales too – nothing like the smell of a new box of crayons and the feel of the pages of a brand new notebook flipping through your fingers! I’m generally a pretty frugal homeschooling mom (love the tips you share in this post!), but I do enjoy splurging just a bit at the beginning of the new school year.