Like which subjects do you skim/find more free resources to cut down on the cost? I am finding myself spending way too much, but I don't want to cut too many corners in what we need. What is your way of doing this? (I hope this made sense)
Well, this next year....I decided NOT to purchase the whole Core package for Sonlight Core 4. I went thru and picked the books we know we want and ended up with about $100 worth that my oldest and I had NO interest in. So I bought the IG and about $90 worth of books from them and then bought about 10 other books at local bookstores with my educator discounts plus a few more at CBD. It took a bit more work but I did save $$....although next time, I'd be tempted to find a different $$ saver and just order it all from SL :lol::lol: Hopefully the younger 2 will do Core 3 & 4 down the road...those years I'll really save $$. Also, all my kids are using Horizons for Math. Because I have 3 kids, I now own all the TEs from K-5th (although we just finished K and I have passed on my K TE to a HS Spot friend). So now, I only have to buy the workbooks...so that saves a bit by using one publisher. While all 3 kids have different learning styles, Horizons is adaptable enough for me to use with all 3. Honestly, I'm not the best at cutting corners yet in our HS adventure but I do like to try the best deal I can. Hopefully I'll continue to get better (we're only 13 months into it).
A friend of mine and I trade books sometimes---that's a cost cutter! I use books over with another if possible. I try to resell (not for too much, but enough to help cut costs for the next year) some books. I make sure we have what we need for math, science, and English. History is easy to "fudge" on---meaning you can find lots of history resources at the library or cheaply other places. I try to buy used from another homeschooler if I can. That helps me, cuz I get a lower price, AND it helps the person I'm buying from so they can get what they now need! I like supporting other homeschoolers before supporting companies!
Boy oh boy, I'm not the one to ask. I spend entirely too much on curriculum. I'm giving myself some slack though because I still consider myself a new homeschool teacher. I am trying to find a curriculum for my special needs son... something that is both user friendly and fun. The search is still on..
We buy used, and when I buy workbooks, sometimes I'll have my kids work them through a plastic sleeve, with a dry erase marker to preserve the book for heir siblings. Also, sometimes I'll stick the pages on the copier. Still other times, I'll just have them write their answer on another page. The library ends up costing me MORE because I never remember to return the books on time, and a late book sometimes costs more than buying a used book. We buy a lot of used books, and love Amazon.com. This summer I'm going to try & find the Sonlight cores used online because we have SO MANY of the books recommended, and others are at the library or my best friend's house. Here's a tip- I keep a list of books we need for next year in my wallet and whenever I'm at a thrift shop or yard sale, I skim through it and I find so many of our books that way. Good luck. Have fun.
I have used several tactics to hold down on cost for homeschooling. First tactic is to SHOP at HOME. Before purchasing anything, I take time to reorganize the bookshelves. I then take the stuff I have for each subject area and evaluate it and see if we are at its level or not.Can I use this stuff. Is the Steck Vaugn math workbook that a former co-worker gave me when I was pregnant usable this year-Not yet, maybe next year. Thats right, we have sight word flash cards, totally forgot. Ditto spanish word cards, I have them left over from college. The chemistry model kit left over from organic chemistry might be useful this year. Perhaps these old slides could be used this year now that someone gave us a microscope. Yep, shopping at home is my first method of saving money. I have found that folks will give us stuff becaue their kids have outgrown it, we just have to wait years to use it,and it can be fogotton. LOL I use a single resource as a spine or guidline in terms of what we need to be teaching. I do not follow this as a law but rather as an overall timeline/backbone so I can feel comfortable using an eclectic collection of materials and not worry we will miss a biggie. I happen to use "What Your Child Needs to Know When" because I bought it. Had I been more experienced, I would have simple used some guildlines from a state dept. of education website or scope and sequence lists from a trusted publisher. I then figure tha we can use whatever works to accomplish the goal of teaching those learning objectives. I make a evaluation of where we are once a month. I then ask myself where I actually need to buy things. For us the main areas are the Lanquage arts. I simply do not feel it in the best interest of my child to teach this on my own. I get the entire kit including TM/TE. I then ask what areas can I totally wing it, and what areas, do I simple need a student text to work with and to supplement the lesson in. I have found that I can wing science totally using free online materials and library resources. But we spend less money and stay on track better using a text. Ditto Social studies. So for these I buy a student text then plan the lessons around what is in the text. We use the text then explore those ideas and concepts with other resources, in cluding internet, and reference books as well as others. We do not use an art curriculum but instead use YOUTUBE and other videos for demo/learning then try it ourselves at home. We also use other types of informational websites, library materials, and visit art exibits etc. I want a bit more structure for this this coming year so I will look for a curriculum outline or outlines to build on. I am thinking that we'll will study various schools of art, then look at art from various cultures in context of what we are studying in SOTW, then do projects that relate. Music is largely accomplished by taking the kids to church. We will also do some YouTube and Cosmeo work and library materials as well. I hope that next year we will be able to start some piano lessons. We have a piano now, but I am not sure what condition it will be in after a move and keeping disasembled in storage. If it costs too much to tune or rebuild it from any damage caused this might cause a delay. I have over many years been bying books at the GoodWill and other thrift stores. I feel that these save time and money as we have a great amount of reference materials on hand. This saves on library trips and makes those trips more about pleasure reading and selecting videos etc. For example, I picked up an entire set of World Book Science Encyclopeadias for .40 a piece. This was less than the cost of going to the library and back a couple of times. They are a nearly new condition 1989 printing, but Bears still hibernate, and plants still have seeds. LOL The scope of these are above the level we are at for self directed reading, but I can read and explain with them to answer those hard questions now, and they will be available for reading assignments later on. We attend things that have free homeschooling benefits like story time at the library. They get a story, a break from mom, information outside of the story is also taught and they get a small arts and crafts session. For holidays there are small parties afterwards. Can we say the S word. We will be getting involved with a 4 H club soon for more S and HS benefits. Where things covered overlap with our science etc I will let 4H be the lesson. I have found that discouragement is the largest expence in homeschooling. It can cause you to purchase un-needed items, when often take a break or a diversion with alternative material for a few days is all that is needed. Example, printing pages off of the internet and using them instead of the lesson in the selected text or workbook. I often get the students input on selecting the alternative items to increase enthusiasm.
Vantage, Thank you!! Wow, you really gave me some good ideas and made me open my eyes to what I already have. I don't have the luxury of having a Goodwill or Salvation Army any closer that 85 miles away. So, I guess my next trip out of town I will have to make sure I stop to look around. Thank you all for your input!
Wow Vantage you really helped me as well. I love Craigslist, and amazon. I am still new at this, but I have to find deals if I am going to get the things I want.
We cut costs by purchasing used where we can, and getting many of our supplies from the warehouse that buys old ps curriculum and stuff. We get readers there, some workbooks, manipulatives, some (very little) curriculum, and accessories (like globes, art supplies, and even flashcards and such)
I sometimes will buy used. I also will cut out anything I can get at the library or online for free. I am trying not to buy everything I see. I have done that and found I had things that mirriored each other too much. So, make sure what you have is not similar to the next book to woo you. lol. You can't read it all in one year! LOL.
I look to borrow, lend, etc. for us... For example, I've been looking at a few different Science programs...well, I have a friend who is willing to lend me Considering God's Creation for the next two years! She's giving me the activity book too - so I'll only need to pay for the copies of the projects I make. I look for things that are inexpensive downloads (like currclick) or freebies and supplement from the library when possible. This year, I'm teaching US history using Homeschool int he Woods, but I'm going to find the Sonlight readers and read alouds from the library to use as literature to go along with what we are doing...that saves $$. Also, my kids are in books clubs...whenever I get the book list for the year, I look for free unit studies online, etc. and try to use that as a companion so it's not just reading the book, but it becomes part of their curriculum. Handwriting is also another area that is where you can cut costs. I haven't bought it for my middle yet - I will this year b/c we'll be transitioning to cursive in the fall, but I've just printed out sheets from www.edhelper.com and www.worsheetworks.com whenever possible. Oh...I do use A/O Lifepacs for a few subjects, I try to buy them on sale or during a conference so that we get the discount and free shipping. Hmmmm....that's it for now, if I think of more I'll let you know!
if you have a printer that prints double sided, you are set. I would suggest not spending anything on history other than the cost of paper and ink. http://del.icio.us/cornopean/ElementaryEnglishHistory http://del.icio.us/cornopean/ElementaryUShistory http://del.icio.us/cornopean/USstories http://del.icio.us/cornopean/yonge http://del.icio.us/cornopean/youngfolks http://www.mainlesson.com/
I think another area to scimp is early math. http://www.smartkiddies.com/ http://del.icio.us/cornopean/primaryarithmetic http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/primary/default.htm frankly, I think that those old time primary arithmetics in that second link are superior to anything published today. anyone?
Well that is too late.:wink: I have already purchased the whole set of A history of US and started purchasing SOTW. I still will use your links though. I do have a printer and it does do double sided, but it is some stupid stop and flip thing, then it wastes a piece of paper telling me what way to flip my paper. (how stupid huh? leave it to lexmark:lol Thank you for the links!!
If any one has an Ollie's near them they sometimes have great deals on some early education items. I have gotten set of starting to read books (20 in a set) for $7 and workbooks (up to grade 2) for $3 including a cd-rom with learning games on it. I just got phonics flash cards and sight words for .99 each. I love the place.
AWWWW.....Blasphemer! I almost choked reading that comment! LOL. I LOVE LOVE LOVE history. I can't imagine not having far too many history resources. LOL.
For me I decide first what is need, and what is want. The needs come first, and if there is budget $$ over I get the things that would be good to have. Also I don't buy what I can find something similar at home for less, or nothing. Counting rods can be popsicle sticks you have to write numbers on things sometimes and be creative with recycling things but its possible!
I get most of my books from the library, bookswaps, auctions, thrift stores, etc --- we our cost stays pretty low for the most part. I went to a thrift store last week and found a TON of educational books, workbooks, & brain-teaser books for a dime a piece!! I came home with 2 sacks full, and it cost me $3.80. Also, the local libraries hear have a FLB (Friends of the Library Bookstore). The put up withdrawen library books and donated books for sale dirt cheap. Summer months are great because, apparently, that's when local schools donate their books, too. Sometimes, they sell sets of books with a theme. Hardback are usually 50 cents to $1, and paper backs 25 cents. The sets can vary from $3 - $15. I once came home with 57 books and spent a little over $7.
