One of the biggest myths of homeschooling is that it is too expensive. Please don’t let that hold you back! With all the different options available these days, it is more affordable than ever. The beauty of homeschooling is how flexible it is!
I am always excited when I see a curriculum catalogue and can be found drooling over all of the appealing options! I also realize that I cannot teach all.the.things. I need to be careful to focus on the core academics and add in others as time, budget and interests allow. The blessing of many homeschool families is the number of children in their educational program. Combine this with one parent staying at home to provide the instruction, or at least oversee the schooling process, and you have a recipe for a budget conscious teacher and careful decisions made on what is vital and affordable each year.
Today, I am sharing 8 ways that we have been able to homeschool for less as we strive to give our children a solid education as well as being good stewards of our finances.
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1. Books don’t always equal learning
Sometimes the best way we can teach something is through hands on activities and real life experiences. While it may include supplementing with a book, the majority of the student’s learning can be done without expensive curriculum. Remember that learning can happen anywhere we go! It should be fun, not boring! Seek out people around you with skills or materials which could aid in educating your child. Find interesting places to spend time doing hands on learning. Don’t feel you must stay at home all the time just because you “homeschool”.
2. Use your local library
As budget-savvy educators, we know the library is a valuable tool. I can find all kinds of books to use as supplemental material, as well as attending various classes or programs that are age appropriate. Our library has an App called Hoopla that gives us access to thousands of books and movies which can aid in my children’s learning at home. Ask your local library about all of the resources they have available to homeschool families. Do unit studies or special interest learning with strictly books and videos from your library. It saves money and keeps clutter to a minimum.
3. Reproduce and Reuse
Knowing that I will have 4 children going through our homeschool program definitely motivates me to find curriculum that can be reproduced or reused. This means I buy it once and then it is free (or close to it) with the other children who follow. Keep in mind, we must be flexible. What works for once child, may not always work for another, but usually I can get away with reusing curriculum. Notebooking is another option. You buy the textbook but students answer questions or do problems in their notebook so the textbook can be reused. Obviously, this works better for some subjects than it does for others. Be creative!
4. Combine subjects
It can be overwhelming to think about purchasing a book for each subject times the number of children…all I see is dollar signs. And my head hurts trying to figure out how to fit it all into our day. It doesn’t have to be like that. If I can combine writing and Bible into one curriculum, it not only saves me money, but also time. Look for ways to use one curriculum for multiple subjects. It may take some creative tweaking, but especially in the younger years, is quite possible.
5. Teach multiple ages at the same time
There are some subjects where you can choose one book or curriculum and use it for all of your children of different grades at the same time. Science, history, and Bible are some examples of where this works well for us. You can have the older children write a report, create a timeline or retell the information in their own words. Younger children could draw a picture, make up a song or act out a story to go along with the reading. They will all be retaining information appropriate to their age while gaining the experience of learning in a group setting.
6. Buy used
There is no shame in buying used curriculum that still has plenty of life left! Ninety percent of our school books were not purchased brand new. Some places to look are facebook groups, EBay, homeschool classifieds and even your local homeschool community. It is best to begin searching early for the next school year so you have some time to find the best deals, gather needed extras, and make a plan.
7. Be familiar with online options
A quick online search will bring up quite a few options for ways to homeschool your child for free. You may think these cannot be good options, but give them a chance! Many of these are online instead of through workbooks, so you will need to decide what works best for your family. Others are free to download and will only cost you in ink and paper. We are using parts of Easy Peasy and have been pleased with the content so far.
8. Teach what you know
It is often perceived that we need a fancy, expensive curriculum to properly educate our children. How does a teacher for public school get certified to teach certain subjects? He or she studies, researches and learns about those topics! That is often how we can share knowledge with our children. By learning about something ourselves and allowing our children to gain from our research. This takes some extra time, but it can really add to your child’s education, while allowing you to stay within your budget. If you have friends or family who are brilliant in a subject of interest, ask if they would be willing to spend some time sharing their knowledge with your student. Homeschooling can incorporate your extended family, church family, and neighbors. God has placed them in your life as a valuable addition to your child’s growth both academically and spiritually. Seek out support from those with abilities that are different from yours.
Don’t let your perceived cost of homeschooling stop you. Homeschooling is flexible and can cost as little or as much as you decide!
Seeking Wisdom,
