I got this: http://www.net10.com/phone_details.jsp?model=UCMTST_008477 at Walmart. There is no 'net on it, but it can text. It uses the TracPhone network (AT&T, I think). I think it was about $20, and came with a 30 day/200 minute card. If you buy minutes online you can get 2000 minutes that last for 6 months, but you may prefer the $15/mo plan that auto-renews for 200 minutes. It stays charged for days, which is really nice!

FYI, I didn't have an account and it only offered me the $20 for $10 deal, not $20 for $5.

I'll second Little House books, we've been reading them aloud at dinner time lately (because we're reading Farmer Boy and it was making us hungry when we read it when we weren't eating!). DS finds them engaging enough, I think it helps that Laura is a bit of a tomboy and of course Farmer Boy is about Almanzo.

339033 for 10% off some restrictions apply http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=2547320&sp=101083&p=1162499 339031 for free shipping on orders of $25 or more http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=2547325&sp=101083&p=1162499 Cannot be combined. HTH someone :)

I keep forgetting I'll have a K'er too, lol. We'll be doing: Just her: OPGTR FLL Lots of read alouds and some readers if she picks it up fast (big sis was reading independently by 3.5 so I'm a little lost here, lol) Singapore EB math Leading Little Ones to God Evan Moor Beginning Geography With big sis: listen in on history (Miller/Guerber Ancient World and Greeks, may be able to squeeze in some Romans too) Apologia Astronomy and Zoology 1

How many are in your family and what do you spend per average on food? It is myself, and 3 children (10yob and 2 girls 8yo and 4yo). We average $185 per month for food and $50 each for eating out and household items (although I try to cut these down-everything tends to get thrown in here since I budget every penny. So, if we buy some Christmas decorations...it goes here. Extra gifts? Goes here. Etc). I *could* spend more, but we can eat well at this budget level, and I could also spend less, if needed (I could also qualify for food stamps, but choose not to go that route since we have wiggle room in the budget even without them; I'm actually taking a trip to England in April with my Mom, doesn't seem right to be on public assistance with that in mind, kwim?). What do you do to cut corners? I menu plan and shop sales. I watch for things we use a lot of to go on sale (ie PB for $1 a jar or less? I'll get 3 months worth, since it goes on sale for that price about every 3 months. Ditto for spaghetti sauce). I actually budget $35 a week for "regular food" and $35 a month for stock up items. Aldi is my friend. I plan visits to my parents around the JayC ads.... Any great ideas you want to share on saving money on your monthy food budget? I love the people at livinglikenooneelse dot com for ideas and support on frugal living. Otherwise, living in a low cost of living area is *very* helpful, but its not really something one can do much about....

Indiana wouldn't look too pretty, but most other states look worse :tongue_smilie: Here's a report on our fiscal health here: http://www.indianafiscal.org/pdf/IFPI-FY-2010-Closeout-Report.pdf

I combine my 3rd and 5th graders for many subjects; basically, if you look at my siggy they are combined for everything not in parenthesis next to their name (although with Bible they are in the same level but one is in OT and the other in NT so they have different books). This works for us mostly because my 3rd grader is able to keep up with DS (she's strongest in LAs, he's a science nut). Next year I will have to split them up for science, though, but I'll just have the 4yo sit in on science with big sister instead, so her science will still be shared (I think that helps with her comprehension), at least for a while. And, I'll have the 4yo sit in on history with both too. Science is really the only other thing I see us splitting off for the older 2 (she'll even do logic with him, since I think she's capable), but of course if I need to split them then I will :001_smile:

Sorry for not reading all the replies, my hour a day of internet I allow myself is almost up, but I personally found it very helpful. In short, 18ish months ago I had 55k+ in debt and was living on more than I took in per month. Friday I paid off my last credit card (total of 42k debt paid off, still have a student loan) and although my income will drop about 1200 a month next month, we can easily live on our income and continue to pay off debt at a good rate. I really love the forums at livinglikenooneelse dot com for help, try getting the book at the library first. It does take some personal discipline, and it really helps to have some accountability (kind of like real life....). Good luck :)

If you paid via paypal then you have her e-mail address in your paypal :)

I have a 2004 Greenleaf and it has black and white pictures. I can't speak to text differences, but already owned the Greenleaf version so I didn't spring for the Memoria Press version (although I do have their guide).

I was curious about laws around here. I should preface this by saying that I live in the country. I didn't find any applicable laws, but found an interesting study about the minimum cost of living in Indiana for someone to have the "necessities" without using public assistance: http://www.ibrc.indiana.edu/ibr/2005/fall/article1.html My rent is $450 a month (utilities are about $200 a month for gas/electric). The cabin I live in could be considered anything from a 1 bedroom to a 4 bedroom, depending on how you count bedrooms and how the loft (DS's bedroom) is viewed ;) The main bedroom is huge and could easily be partitioned to make 2 rooms. It works very well for us. Before we lived here, we had a 2 bedroom apartment in a smallish town and the 3 kids shared a room (DS on top bunk, the 2 girls shared the full size bottom bunk after younger DD moved out of the crib). The landlord didn't care where I stuck what kid, as long as I paid the rent ;) ETA: I wonder how the level of government "oversight" on housing standards correlates to the level of oversight on homeschooling....just kinda made me think since Indiana has low oversight on both.

Thank you for asking this, OP, my rising 5th grader needs some practice too. And, especially, thank you Lori D. I've used so many of your very informative posts and links this week :)

My parents are in their 70s. Dad's folks went to college (met there, in fact; she was a school teacher and he went to law school), Mom's didn't. Dad took some classes at college, but never went beyond freshman or early sophomore level. He worked for a major auto corporation as the last tool and die designer they had who didn't have an engineering degree (and he frequently taught the degreed guys a whole lot about designing). Mom went to college on a Home Ec scholarship, in 1958. It was $400 per year and paid for her full tuition and books. She lived in a cooperative for room and board and if she had any student loan debt it was minimal (she ended up there for a 5th year). She got a degree in Interior Design (from Purdue, so she had to take Physics for it :001_huh: ) and ended up working as a teacher for a while. She was a secretary when she and Dad met (so the "find a degree that can do something for you" thing isn't new). My brother and I were both expected to go to college. He lasted one semester, I made it 2 years. He didn't care and I never learned study skills (and you can darn well bet I have now and that my kids will learn them...). I don't expect my kids to go to college, but want them to have that option. I do expect them to choose a career and get a degree that goes with the career (if necessary), not chose a degree and try to make a career out of it.

:grouphug::grouphug: So sorry for your loss.