Homeschooling on a Budget

I, like so many other families, must remain within our monthly budget… and that includes our homeschooling costs. Homeschooling can be financially challenging especially in the beginning when you aren’t quite sure what works and doesn’t work for your family. With so many curriculum choices, extra learning materials, books, supplies, etc., your monthly homeschooling costs can really begin to add up. BUT I am here to tell you that a high-quality homeschool education does NOT have to break the bank. There are quite a few ways that we can lower our costs while maintaining our current standards. Below I will discuss several methods to achieve this, such as; cost-saving strategies, affordable methods, free activities, and discounts.

1. General Ways to Save Money While Homeschooling

• Reuse Curriculum and Supplies: Reusing curriculum can be done in a few ways. You could simply purchase the curriculum new for one child and then reuse with other children in your family if you have multiples. You could also purchase secondhand curriculum. There are tons of online groups, websites, shops, etc. that sell lightly-used secondhand curriculum and other learning materials and supplies.

• DIY Materials: Making your own materials are a HUGE money saver. You would be surprised at how many supplies you can purchase at the dollar store for your homeschool. There are so many items you can make from things in your home, such as; flashcards, manipulatives, or unit studies.

• Digital Resources: Like our shop, there are many educators that have begun supplying educational materials online via digital products. Digital products tend to be significantly cheaper than physical products, however you either have to print them out yourself or be okay with using them online. We utilize tons and tons of digital products within our homeschool.

• Set a Budget: Ensure that you set a budget specifically for your homeschool. There should be a set amount that your household agrees on, even if that number is $0, that is spent monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, etc. Being aware of your budget will help to ensure that we aren’t overspending.

• Library Resources: Utilize all of the FREE books, audiobooks, clubs, classes, groups, and educational events at your local library. Be sure to follow your local library on their social medias to stay up to date with all that they have to offer. We are always continuing to discover what our small-town library has to offer.

  
  

2. Cost-Efficient Homeschooling Methods

• Eclectic Homeschooling: this method of homeschooling allows you to pull different resources and materials from all different types of homeschooling methods to create a tailored educational experience. Combine free and inexpensive resources to fit your child’s needs.

• Unit Studies: You can create unit studies from the books, materials, and other items you have in your home. Create family-wide thematic lessons using books and online materials to educate all of your students under that one umbrella.

• Charlotte Mason: This homeschooling method tends to focus more on living books, which can often be found online for free, and nature studies, which can be put together on your own or with online resources for free.

• Unschooling: Use everyday experiences and free resources to foster learning.

• Co-op or Group Learnings: Share resources and expertise with other homeschooling families to create a cost-effective group style of learning.

  
  

3. Free Homeschooling Activities

• Outdoor Exploration: Use nature walks, scavenger hunts, and local parks as learning tools.

• Community Events: Attend free events like museum days, library story times, and cultural festivals.

• Virtual Field Trips: Explore online tours of zoos, national parks, and historical sites.

• Homemade Experiments: Conduct simple science experiments with household items.

• Volunteering: Teach life skills through volunteer opportunities within the community.

  
  

4. Discounted Homeschooling Opportunities

• Homeschool Days at Attractions: There are tons and tons of attractions that host homeschool days where they often block off a few days or a week to homeschool families so they have the opportunity to explore the attraction at a discounted rate when there are fewer visitors.

• Teacher Discounts: Retailers, office supply stores, and large-chain stores will often have discounts and sales for teachers and educators within a specific time-frame throughout the year or a discount code.

• Seasonal Sales: Take advantage of back-to-school or holiday sales for supplies and curriculum. Online curriculum retailers will run sales a few times of year as well.

• Group Discounts: Joining local homeschool groups and co-ops can also aid in granting access to bulk curriculum and supply deals.

  
  

There are a lot of resources out there for homeschool families, sometimes we just have to get creative to find and utilize them. We love the library and all that it has to offer and strongly encourage you to take full advantage of yours. Homeschooling doesn’t have to cost a fortune with a little thoughtful planning.