Question for my fellow Hawaiian Homeschooling wahines (ladies)

[battlemaiden]

Are there any tricks to ordering curriculum and supplies cheaply?

 

I've always used Amazon Prime for book purchases but I don't qualify now that I'm in Hawaii.

 

I need to purchase some miscellaneous items but the shipping costs are crazy- and I'm not patient enough to ship media mail since I hear it can take up to 2-3 months to arrive. For instance, I need a map, Italics books, science supplies, and some literature selections.

 

I had hoped to find some things at the CHOH conference (grrrr)...what a waste of money that turned out to be. My feelings about this conference would fill another thread. ;)

 

Anywhooooo.

 

Any shipping hints?

 

Thanks WTWahines.

 

Jo

[Mrs Mungo]

Are there any tricks to ordering curriculum and supplies cheaply?

 

I've always used Amazon Prime for book purchases but I don't qualify now that I'm in Hawaii.

 

I need to purchase some miscellaneous items but the shipping costs are crazy- and I'm not patient enough to ship media mail since I hear it can take up to 2-3 months to arrive. For instance, I need a map, Italics books, science supplies, and some literature selections.

 

I had hoped to find some things at the CHOH conference (grrrr)...what a waste of money that turned out to be. My feelings about this conference would fill another thread. ;)

 

Anywhooooo.

 

Any shipping hints?

 

Thanks WTWahines.

 

Jo

 

I currently have no advice. I'm resorting to making my relatives buy stuff for me and ship it because shipping is much cheaper than some companies make it out to be. My order from Rainbow Resource was shipped on February 11 and it's nowhere in sight. My aunt is sending her (homeschooled 15 year old) daughter to visit in April and I'm giving her a shopping list of stuff for her daughter to bring. PLUS, did you see my bad mood post? It deals partly with the idiocy of the local post office.

 

So glad I opted out of the CHOH conference. Given the number of parking spaces they said they had? That you *had* to attend the workshops and couldn't do just the book fair? That they strongly encouraged you to join HSLDA? Yeah, I took those as bad signs.

[Tap]

I am not in Hawaii, but I wonder if you did a group buy with some friends, and were placing a significant order, if you could talk to a company like Rainbow Resource and ask if they will ship Priority Mail for less $$. CBD and Timber doodle would be other possible companies to talk to about it. Area127 is another homeschool company, while they charge full price typically, will match prices. If you compile a list of what you want and the price matches, then email it to them, they will give you an estimate of what they can price match and what they can't. Then they will charge you shipping, but they are more likely to charge you just a typical shipping charge instead of a handling charge too. They are a homeschool family and are really nice.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Are there any tricks to ordering curriculum and supplies cheaply?

 

I've always used Amazon Prime for book purchases but I don't qualify now that I'm in Hawaii.

 

I need to purchase some miscellaneous items but the shipping costs are crazy- and I'm not patient enough to ship media mail since I hear it can take up to 2-3 months to arrive. For instance, I need a map, Italics books, science supplies, and some literature selections.

 

I had hoped to find some things at the CHOH conference (grrrr)...what a waste of money that turned out to be. My feelings about this conference would fill another thread. ;)

 

Anywhooooo.

 

Any shipping hints?

 

Thanks WTWahines.

 

Jo

 

Jo,

I don't have any shipping secrets other than ordering when you don't mind waiting for six weeks.

However, you might try:

- ordering small orders from Amazon that are just enough to trip the free shipping. Why small orders? Because they will often hold the order until all of the items are available. If there are only a couple items, that batch will ship sooner (I once had a $400 shipment held up for a $2 coloring book).

- having Borders order the item into their store. You might even be able to apply the teacher discount on what you order.

- calling Logos Bookstore (on Queen Street downtown) and seeing if they have the item in stock or if they can order it in. I haven't used them yet. Their prices seem to be cover price rather than discount, but you might be able to get around the shipping.

- calling Education Works, a teacher supply store down at the Dole Cannery. I haven't been there myself, but I've heard that they have a pretty good supply.

Sorry the CHOH conference wasn't great for you. I was off camping with my kids and didn't end up going.

[umarider]

The suggestion about Education Works is a good one. Also, there is a Teacher's supply store up in Waipahu... nearish to that Costco.

 

Another good resource is a store called "Ike Pono". This is the website: http://www.coursetextbooks.com/textbooks/ They carry all the textbooks for a lot of the private schools on island, including Punahou and the Priory, etc. They have just recently started to carry a lot of other school supplies, so it might be worth a try.

 

Other than that, I go w/ media mail, Amazon, buy used (often postage-paid) or borrow from a friend. And for literature I LOVE the library system here!