Ack! curriculum sticker shock

[Ravin]

Okay, I know there are a lot more expensive things out there. But I added up the cost of the curricula I plan to use with DD next year, and yeoch!

 

Lively Latin $55--can't get online support if I were to get it secondhand, but we have a good printer, so we can go the cheap online pdf option, but still...

 

R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Earth and Space, with rock kit $56.75 at RR

 

Classical Writing Primers $21.95 each for three, not yet available at RR and probably not going to find secondhand because it's so new

 

Miquon books 3 and 4 $11 at RR, maybe $10 if I find them secondhand

 

Beginning Geography $6.75 x 3 workbooks

Geography Songs $22.95, both at RR, can look for seconhand though

 

Ergermeier's Bible Story Book $12.95 at RR, can maybe find cheaper 2nd hand

 

Wee Sing America $7.25 at RR

 

I also want to get a timeline and an internet-linked atlas, and I need to find a spine I like for American history, though we may just do that with library books.

 

The only thing not really costing us is a few volumes already in my library, and Webster's Spelling.

[PeterPan]

You must have access to a good library. I've always bought all our books, so you don't even want to know what I spend on homeschooling... Let's just say my only consolation is private school is still more expensive. You're getting by at about $200, so I say be happy.

[Scarlett]

You must have access to a good library. I've always bought all our books, so you don't even want to know what I spend on homeschooling... Let's just say my only consolation is private school is still more expensive. You're getting by at about $200, so I say be happy.

 

Thanks for adding that up for me....it was just too much for my brain.

 

And I agree $200 is not bad.

[Brindee]

 

Thanks for adding that up for me....it was just too much for my brain.

:iagree: That's funny, I was thinking the same thing! :tongue_smilie:

[HSMom2One]

I'm with the rest of the girls. I'd give just about anything to have our curriculum cost $200. We don't have a very good library system either, so we buy our books and I try to resell any that we don't want to keep in our family library in order to recoup as much as possible. And my saving grace, like another poster said, is that it is still much cheaper than private school.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[MommyJo]

I've been stressing over our curriculum next year as well. I'm a bit of a curriculum junkie so I spend out quite a bit of money on items that I have to subsequently end up selling. A lot of moms sell their old curriculum to pay some of the cost for new but with us it's cheaper in the long run to just keep what we have since we will have more sons going through it later on. I also have to pay out for sensory equipment to help my oldest ds with his sensory issues since we have to make our "classroom" bearable.

One option for timelines that I love and save tons of money by is using the Hold That Thought cds. The timeline figure cds have hundreds of figures and they are of very nice quality so for about $20 a cd you can have it through ALL of homeschooling and it covers (if I remember correctly) all time periods on one. Also, they have some very cute timeline notebooks for $15 that I think are not only beneficial for space saving but nice for keeping and referring back to later. I have quite a few of their cd's and am very pleased with them and their customer service is GREAT! Just thought that may be a cheap route for timelines since you can use throughout the years and reprint the figures at any time needed. Oh and seeing that you are also doing American history they have notebooking cd's that we also have and they are wonderful. It saves me the time and effort of planning the notebooking, dictation, etc. out.

[buddhabelly]

Actually, judging by the number of people on this board who say they tried to use CW (Aesop) but gave up, I think you would be able to find it on the For Sale board. But I haven't looked.

 

Julie

[swellmomma]

I second ( or maybe it is fifth by now) the other ladies. $200 is a steal of a deal imo. Between what I have already received this year, the backordered stuff, and the orders I am placing next week I am at about $7000 (however, that is nearly 2.5-3 years worth of living history books for the massive history study we are doing, 4 science programs, all our electives, and extra hands on projects, and of course the elusive shipping and exchange rate etc). In the end it works out to around $4000ish for the first half of the program and $3000ish for the remainder (with some books/resources used for the entire stretch of time). Those costs are spread between 4 kids and much will be moved down the line. Still Having spent $7000 within 8 weeks, spending only $200 seems like pocket change.

[rockermom]

Saying that $200 is a "steal" doesn't take into account the fact that many homeschoolers simply can't come up with that extra $200 easily. Expensive/cheap is all relative to your income/budget.

 

I just wanted everyone to keep that in mind. Not everyone can spend nearly a grand (or more!) per child per year. It's great for those who can, but some may have a budget of less than $100 per child per year... or even less. :)

[Aurelia]

I had the same reaction adding up prices for next year, so I thought, maybe it would be better to put her in private school. That was a huge sticker shock! I felt like I had to walk away slowly so I wouldn't break anything and be forced to pay for it. :tongue_smilie: I guess I'll be piecing our curricula together for awhile longer. :001_smile:

[JudoMom]

I had the same reaction adding up prices for next year, so I thought, maybe it would be better to put her in private school. That was a huge sticker shock! I felt like I had to walk away slowly so I wouldn't break anything and be forced to pay for it. :tongue_smilie: I guess I'll be piecing our curricula together for awhile longer. :001_smile:

 

:lol: I bought a new printer on Sunday, which caused dh & I to discuss what the cost of sending the boys to our local private cost would be. It would've been over $20000 just for tuition for the older 4 (next year would be close to $30000), and that's not including fees (at least an additional $100/child) (for example, even though you're paying several thousand per child to attend, you still have to pay $10 for a math workbook :001_huh:). And from what I've heard from former students, this school isn't even that good.

 

So, we concluded that the exclusive private boarding school that the boys are attendeding currently is a steal, even if it requires the purchase of a $150printer.

 

I do understand not having the money, though. My budget has increased over the years, but in the beginning it was a struggle to come up with the $150/$200 to spend. That's when you have to decide what's most important from the list of subjects you want to cover, and when you might have to choose the program that isn't your first choice because it's more affordable.

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[katilac]

I agree that what is a 'reasonable' amount for curriculum corresponds to your income level, but you would easily spend $200 per year at public school just on extras like field trips and fund raisers.

 

Yes, very easily! The supply list alone can be crazy, and definitely far exceeds what I spend at home (because the lists specify certain types of items, not just any ol' notebook or binder will do). Activity and/or supply fees are common at many of our local public schools, and so are uniforms.

[G5052]

All I can say, is just wait. In some ways the higher levels are better because there's more reuse, but the volume of books you buy increases significantly. I'd go down without used books...

[elegantlion]

Saying that $200 is a "steal" doesn't take into account the fact that many homeschoolers simply can't come up with that extra $200 easily. Expensive/cheap is all relative to your income/budget.

 

I just wanted everyone to keep that in mind. Not everyone can spend nearly a grand (or more!) per child per year. It's great for those who can, but some may have a budget of less than $100 per child per year... or even less. :)

 

:iagree: We've been blessed in the last few years to be able to buy what we needed. However, one year I homeschooled with a 100.00 budget, it was all we had. I had to make what we had worked and bartered with friends for curriculum.

 

That is one of the things I like about homeschool, you can pull together materials on a budget and have fewer/none extra expenses throughout the year. Our income varies greatly and when ds was in private school (prek & K) it sucked that we couldn't participate in many book orders, fundraisers, etc, because the short time period they were available we didn't have the money. Inevitably dh would get a nice paycheck the week AFTER the orders had closed.

[elegantlion]

Okay, I know there are a lot more expensive things out there. But I added up the cost of the curricula I plan to use with DD next year, and yeoch!

 

Lively Latin $55--can't get online support if I were to get it secondhand, but we have a good printer, so we can go the cheap online pdf option, but still...

 

R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Earth and Space, with rock kit $56.75 at RR

 

Classical Writing Primers $21.95 each for three, not yet available at RR and probably not going to find secondhand because it's so new

 

Miquon books 3 and 4 $11 at RR, maybe $10 if I find them secondhand

 

Beginning Geography $6.75 x 3 workbooks

Geography Songs $22.95, both at RR, can look for seconhand though

 

Ergermeier's Bible Story Book $12.95 at RR, can maybe find cheaper 2nd hand

 

Wee Sing America $7.25 at RR

 

I also want to get a timeline and an internet-linked atlas, and I need to find a spine I like for American history, though we may just do that with library books.

 

The only thing not really costing us is a few volumes already in my library, and Webster's Spelling.

 

I would check at your library to see if they have the Wee Sing America, I also notice RR has a few bargain cassettes of Geography Songs for considerably less. Personally, I would have a hard time spending 23.00 for geography if I had such a tight budget. Does your library have geography DVDs? Aside from mapwork I've concluded that geography is a subject best visualized, not just read about in a book. As for CW primers, I would buy one at a time to make sure they will work for you.

 

Homeschooling on a tight budget sometimes requires more time to pull things together but it can be done. If you have thrift stores I would check them on a regular basis. I ended up using several books I found at thrift stores for our US history study in 4th, including a high school textbook that I used as a reference for myself.

 

:grouphug:

[LadyAberlin]

That isn't that bad. I spend about that much on science. I tutor in the evenings to pay for our curriculum though.

[PeterPan]

Saying that $200 is a "steal" doesn't take into account the fact that many homeschoolers simply can't come up with that extra $200 easily. Expensive/cheap is all relative to your income/budget.

 

I just wanted everyone to keep that in mind. Not everyone can spend nearly a grand (or more!) per child per year. It's great for those who can, but some may have a budget of less than $100 per child per year... or even less. :)

 

Nobody said you have to spend a lot of money to have a good education. A WTM education doesn't NEED all these fancy curricula at all. I could homeschool on about nothing and a library card, IF I HAD TO. I don't, so I don't. There have been many threads to that effect, schooling on a shoestring budget or for under $100 a year, and I'd be happy, as would many others, to share thoughts on how to get there.

 

My friends who moan about money have kids with Wii and PS2 and junk. I don't buy those things; I buy books.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Geography Songs is on iTunes for $9.95.

You wouldn't get the world map or the text of the lyrics (on the other hand, I've never used either with our tape).

[aggieamy]

I agree that what is a 'reasonable' amount for curriculum corresponds to your income level, but you would easily spend $200 per year at public school just on extras like field trips and fund raisers.

 

Here here! The school is ALWAYS asking for things where Sophia goes to school. I'm disgusted by it. They need snacks for the whole class, extra art supplies, field trip fees, blah blah blah. Horrible. On top of that our taxes are incredibly high.

[Tree House Academy]

We have a homeschooling budget that gets $160 a month all year long. That gives me almost 2K to spend and curriculum for 2 kids usually takes 2/3 of that money. The rest is used for fun stuff outside the house.

 

I do agree, though, that curriculum is expensive - some much moreso than others.

[Scarlett]

Saying that $200 is a "steal" doesn't take into account the fact that many homeschoolers simply can't come up with that extra $200 easily. Expensive/cheap is all relative to your income/budget.

 

I just wanted everyone to keep that in mind. Not everyone can spend nearly a grand (or more!) per child per year. It's great for those who can, but some may have a budget of less than $100 per child per year... or even less. :)

 

Well, this is true. Me for one. :tongue_smilie: I am using a Virtual Academy through the state and it is free. So it sounds kind of dumb for me to say that $200 is a deal eh?

 

Also, the OP's child is very young. So $200 for a young child is a fair amount of money.....I don't think I was planning on spending that kind of money on ds when he was going into the first grade. I ended up not spending any money because he got into the VA.

 

Your point is well taken RM......we get a little snobby on here sometimes.

[Ravin]

You must have access to a good library. I've always bought all our books, so you don't even want to know what I spend on homeschooling... Let's just say my only consolation is private school is still more expensive. You're getting by at about $200, so I say be happy.

 

I can't even imagine affording private school. The only charter nearby I'd be anything like satisfied with sending her to starts 6th grade. We're definitely committed homeschoolers

 

Nobody said you have to spend a lot of money to have a good education. A WTM education doesn't NEED all these fancy curricula at all. I could homeschool on about nothing and a library card, IF I HAD TO. I don't, so I don't. There have been many threads to that effect, schooling on a shoestring budget or for under $100 a year, and I'd be happy, as would many others, to share thoughts on how to get there.

 

My friends who moan about money have kids with Wii and PS2 and junk. I don't buy those things; I buy books.

 

There's a PS2 in the house; it's DW#2's, bought secondhand for her boys to play on when they're here. I mostly buy toilet paper these days. :tongue_smilie:

 

We are blessed with good libraries; between the Tempe library and the Maricopa County library, we have lots of options, and DH is going back to school so soon we'll have access to the ASU library.

 

I'll definitely check for more things at the library. Thanks for the reminder! I just wish some schmo hadn't stolen Minimus; Tempe used to have it but it's been gone a while now.

[Pippen]

I'm with the rest of the girls. I'd give just about anything to have our curriculum cost $200. We don't have a very good library system either, so we buy our books and I try to resell any that we don't want to keep in our family library in order to recoup as much as possible. And my saving grace, like another poster said, is that it is still much cheaper than private school.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

The 5th grade math program I bought was $179, and I won't be able to recoup much in resale.

 

I'm just sick: the most expensive book I purchased was a science text for $50 and yesterday the water bottle in my book bag opened up and completely drained. This text has a high resale value but no one is going to want it now. :glare:

[Macrina]

I agree you CAN hs for $200 or even less, but not necessarily hs the way you WANT to for that much or less. We spend less then $500 a child per year but more then $200, but it's spread out, we hs year round, so when we finish something (and we never finish everything at the same time) I by the new one. I don't notice the expense so much this way.

 

I know a mom who hs's classically, she has a preschooler, 2nd grader and 4th grader and she's NEVER bought anything. Library, online, homemade, hand-me-downs and co-op is all she uses, and she does it really well.

[Lori D.]

I'm just sick: the most expensive book I purchased was a science text for $50 and yesterday the water bottle in my book bag opened up and completely drained. This text has a high resale value but no one is going to want it now. :glare:

 

 

I know it's not cash-in-hand, BUT for both the math and the science, if you DONATE them to a non-profit school, a homeschool library, or a non-profit organization such as Book Samaritan, you can actually get far more as a tax credit for the books than you would as cash (typically about 50-65% for reselling good condition, recent editions). Sympathy -- a water logged textbook would make me sick too! Books are very special around here. BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[Murphy101]

Wow. For 2nd grade? I think that's a lot for second grade.

But if you are getting what you want and will use it and benefit from it - it's worth it.

 

One can always do cheaper but no always better.

ESP when you consider the time factor of less expensive options.

 

Personally I wouldn't by the geography songs. It's been gathering dust on my shelf for three years now.

I found a four book and CDs set of the wee sing collection for $10 at my local borders.

Edited October 15, 2009 by Martha

[caitlinsmom]

Sticker shock happens here too. I have a very limited buget to make do and finding a great workbook for $10 has sent me into tears before! $10! I cant spend that on one simple consumable book. LOL I feel your pain.

 

One trick I use is to keep a list of books in my purse. When I hit the thrift stores I spend a large amount of time just sifting through. I have found Spelling Workout books for $1, Horizon workbooks for $1, a HUGE amount of classical read alouds etc. It takes a lot of time but I find them.

 

My second (and life saving) tip is use your tax return. :D We use out federal return for other things but our state is just like a huge bonus gift. Last year I think it was $250 or so. For weeks I scoured Amazon and WTM sale board. I got all of our curriculum for 1st grade, all workbooks for K, and a large selection of read alouds for $250. I still choked paying that much but it really was a great deal.

[Murphy101]

Sticker shock happens here too. I have a very limited buget to make do and finding a great workbook for $10 has sent me into tears before! $10! I cant spend that on one simple consumable book. LOL I feel your pain.

 

One trick I use is to keep a list of books in my purse. When I hit the thrift stores I spend a large amount of time just sifting through. I have found Spelling Workout books for $1, Horizon workbooks for $1, a HUGE amount of classical read alouds etc. It takes a lot of time but I find them.

 

My second (and life saving) tip is use your tax return. :D We use out federal return for other things but our state is just like a huge bonus gift. Last year I think it was $250 or so. For weeks I scoured Amazon and WTM sale board. I got all of our curriculum for 1st grade, all workbooks for K, and a large selection of read alouds for $250. I still choked paying that much but it really was a great deal.

 

YES! Exactly what I do to. Next to using what I already have, this is my biggest money savers.

[Closeacademy]

Some ideas. You can take them or leave them. But if you want to get creative and save yourself some money then here they are:

 

Lively Latin $55--invest money here

 

R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey Earth and Space, with rock kit Do you really need the texts? Will you really use them? Try looking at your library and see if they have some good books on these topics, maybe do the Solar system lapbook at homeschoolshare (it's free and there is a lot of stuff to do with it) You can also find lapbooks and books on various earth science topics for free or at the library. Go ahead and buy the rock kit.

 

Classical Writing Primers Do you really need them? You could just make copywork from whatever she is reading. And talk about the parts of speech with the selections.

 

Miquon books 3 and 4 Invest money here as math is something that is hard to do on your own.

 

Beginning Geography and Geography Songs Do you really need geography? There are some nice cards at http://www.montessorimaterials.org/ These explain different land/water formations. Then you could do contient studies and check out different non-fiction and fiction books for the various areas. If you find craft or cookbooks then you could have a lot of fun.

 

Ergermeier's Bible Story Book Does it have to be this one? Can you find a story Bible at a second hand store?

 

Wee Sing America This is worth investing in. We listen to it on trips or when we get to certain periods in history.

 

timeline--There are some at http://donnayoung.org/history/timeline.htm, and http://highland.hitcho.com.au/historyforms.htm I took a 3 prong notebook and several sheets of paper and made my own. I thought it was worth the investment to buy the History through the Ages CD though.

 

Just some ideas if you want to cut down. Otherwise about $200 isn't bad.:001_smile:

[gingersmom]

If I spent only $200 I would be doing the happy dance.

[LadyAberlin]

I've gotten Miquon on paperbackswap.com. Also someone is selling REAL science odyssey Earth is listed by Cactus Pair you could buy that.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132054&highlight=Real+science

 

Rainbow Resource Center has bargain versions of the Miquon books right now for $4 each.

 

Here's Geography songs used:

http://homeschoolclassifieds.com/show_search.asp?searchWords=geography+songs

 

Here's Wee sing America used:

 

http://homeschoolclassifieds.com/show_search.asp?searchWords=wee+sing+america

 

Here's the Bible used:

http://homeschoolclassifieds.com/show_search.asp?searchWords=Ergermeier%27s+Bible+Story+Book

 

There are few Lively Latin's listed on the swap board. They are more than $55 but you won't have to spend all the money on ink.

 

Also someone on here just sold the Classical writing primers so if you keep your eye out, you might find them used.

 

RR has bargain versions of 2 of the geography workbooks too and the Bible.

 

Here are the student pgs to RSO - You can just print them though.

http://homeschoolclassifieds.com/show_search.asp?searchWords=R.E.A.L.+science

Edited October 15, 2009 by LadyAberlin

[Trixie]

... Just some ideas if you want to cut down. Otherwise about $200 isn't bad.:001_smile:

 

:iagree: I agree with all of these suggestions. The library is an absolutely indispensable resource. If you check the TOC of any curriculum, you'll find that the course is almost always reproducible with library and other available materials. So far, only Latin, Greek, and math programs have been absolutely necessary purchases for us.

 

And $200 really is a pretty derned good deal. Like Wendy, I tend to spread purchases out; so I'm not sure how much I actually spend per year. But I'm sure it beats whatever the tuition would be for a comparable education at a school that would meet my standards. ;)