How much do you spend each year (per child)?

[AnneGabe]

My first grader: $300

 

My preschooler: $50 (handwriting without tears and babybug + ladybug magazine subscriptions)

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

We started homeschooling last year so this is our 2nd year. I have not hit any repeat grades yes, and next year I will start our 3rd. I am estimating about 800-1000 but that will drastically drop when we hit repeat grades. Also, I just got a copy machines so hopefully that will help with my reproducable comsumables that I can make copies of. I am MORE than willing to get suggestions myself!!

[Poke Salad Annie]

Wow! I'm impressed by you! Good job!

 

Okay, I just noticed I underestimated a bit.

 

I spent $1 on the Usborne Book of World Geography. I also bought a vintage math text at a used book store for $4. I probably won't use it this year, but I guess it could be added to my total. I also bought the Provensens version of Iliad and Odyssey for $12---eek! Beautiful book though, and worth every penny. I spent $12 on PHP mp3's of lectures too.

 

Oh my! My total is growing, and I guess it looks like I'm not so frugal after all. Oh well...

[Paintedlady]

It's different for each kid. My dd needs much more specialized curriculum b/c she's dyslexic, so that can vary the cost quite a bit. For instance, we use Barton Reading & Spelling for her, which costs a ton more than the average. Each level costs me about $300, compared to the $15 Spelling Workout book that works just fine for ds, and no formal reading program for him. It also varies year to year. If I had to add it all up for both, I probably spend about $1,000 + a year for both. I could certainly do it for much less if I didn't have to get such specialized curriculums.

 

ETA I try to buy as much as I can used, but also insist on having seperate workbooks for each kid, which can also drive up costs.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Paintedlady

[shinyhappypeople]

Most often I find our goodies in thrift stores. If I see something I'm interested in that I deem worthy of ordering, I scour all the used book sellers, and also use coupons if there are any that apply. A few of the books I found while looking through a used bookstore. The Hillyer and Huey set I found at a thrift store for 50 cents each book. I love the storytelling-type narrative of these books. I am adding in the other books listed for extra interest, and freebies from the web.

 

It is very possible to homeschool this way, using the WTM as your guide. Since we are behind on the history cycle, I am using two books to get an overview of American and world history, going slowly through, and notebooking according to directions in the WTM.

 

It seems so easy to simply order a pre-scheduled curriculum, and that works for a great number of people. I just prefer to find things that work for us. I enjoy the thrill of the hunt, and have found a great many treasures that way.

 

:thumbup:

 

That's awesome! I'm building our girls library from thrift stores / library book sales. I can't bring myself to buy books new when I know I'll find the same title for 50c or less and (bonus) save it from a landfill. Win/win :)

 

Our "budget" is about $1,400/yr for 2. At this time, I think I'll get away with only spending $100 (maybe less?) on curriculum. The key is that, except for art (we love Artistic Pursuits), I'm not focused on a "must have" curriculum. I use what's available and will work.

 

That leaves $1,300 for experiences (ie: field trips/lessons) and super cool art supplies we wouldn't buy otherwise. I'd rather save our money for things that I can't get for free/cheap, kwim?

 

It's also nice to know that should our circumstances change, our homeschooling really won't change much at all. I'd drop Artistic Pursuits (sob!) and life would go on as usual.

[Elm in NJ]

I try not to go above $3,000 for the year for my 4 kids. My oldest does online 3 online classes which takes a big chunk of this.

[stripe]

I also bought the Provensens version of Iliad and Odyssey for $12---eek! Beautiful book though, and worth every penny. I spent $12 on PHP mp3's of lectures too.

 

Hey! Check this out:

http://iliadodyssey.com/

 

By selecting the "Embark!" option from the main menu, you will enter the world of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey, adapted by Jane Werner Watson, illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, and transformed into a multimedia experience by Jean-Philippe Marin. You will find:

 

• "Prelude" Section: 2 of the 3 scenes are on-line.

• "The Iliad" Section: only the teaser is on-line for the moment.

• "The Odyssey" Section: the first of the 19 scenes is on-line for the moment.

 

By selecting the "Extras!" option from the main menu, you will find:

 

• Alice and Martin Provensen's illustrations ready to be downloaded as desktop backgrounds

• The Iliad and the Odyssey in downloadable eBook versions (coming soon)

• A downloadable version of the Iliad teaser

 

[Poke Salad Annie]

Hey! Check this out:

http://iliadodyssey.com/

 

 

 

Kewl! :coolgleamA:

 

I have to shamefully admit however, that my yearly total just climbed with the recent purchase of Ivan Moscovich's puzzle book from Dollar Tree--$1.:D

[jonesloonybin]

Last year I spent about $3000 dollars but that was the first year of high school. We bought things like microscopes and TOG.

 

This year the total so far is right at $1000. But that does not show the fact that much of the cost was defrayed by my selling TOG and other curricula.

[stripe]

I have to shamefully admit however, that my yearly total just climbed with the recent purchase of Ivan Moscovich's puzzle book from Dollar Tree--$1.:D

You're amazing. My husband sort of suggested I cool down from the local library's book sales for a while. You clearly have far more restraint than I. I raided the art section in the last 5 minutes of last year's bag sale so now I have all these books about art and art history (including Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain) that I grabbed up for $5 for the whole bag before they kicked me out. Wish I'd managed to hit some other sections! Maybe this year!

[jenL]

I think for curriculum, I've spent at least $300 so far, but what I'm buying will be reused for my 2nd son (ie. SOTW book, AG, audio cd's), and I've tried to find most of it used. My total will probably come to $1K though after we add in soccer, riding lessons, art classes, field trips, and children's theater plays. Like others, I LOVE books, so that is where I tend to go overboard! :D

[Poke Salad Annie]

You're amazing. My husband sort of suggested I cool down from the local library's book sales for a while. You clearly have far more restraint than I. I raided the art section in the last 5 minutes of last year's bag sale so now I have all these books about art and art history (including Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain) that I grabbed up for $5 for the whole bag before they kicked me out. Wish I'd managed to hit some other sections! Maybe this year!

 

 

Great finds! I love a good book sale too.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

You don't want to know.

 

Really? Do you?

 

First semester - Jan '09- May '09 - $1500; hsing came on suddenly and we enrolled ds is online classes through CDIS

 

This year - about the same; that is because I had absolutely nothing and that $$ included big purchases like microscopes, lab equipment, textbooks, whiteboard, and a couple of online courses

 

Next year - I am hoping to keep it under $1000; but my science 'wants' are already adding up

 

BTW- this is for junior high and I didn't know much about what was available and so when I had the chance to get something I just bought it. That was pre-WTM and before I knew about buying things used.

[Sandy in Indy]

My total this last year dropped WAY down as my oldest ds graduated from high school, so no more expensive cc classes!!

 

I think I spend under $300 for my youngest. Next year, I'm spending a bit more as I'm doing BF history and science so there's lots of books to purchase. (I'm getting some at the library, but I just HAVE to buy SOME of them!)

 

My bf and I curriculum share and that saves us a ton of money. For instance, we purchased together MOH 1 and 2. She uses vol 1 one year; I get it the next. (Her dc is older than mine.) This was especially wonderful when I had kids in high school. I saved a TON of money on curriculum by using what my friend already had or co-purchasing with her.

[ballle_98]

On the "books" (according to the budget), I spent $600 for 3 kids.

But I really feel like their education is important and I will purchase what I need to and cut back on things that I feel are not as important. We are not going into debt to homeschool but we do feel education is an investment.

I can usually "justify" my spending by reminding myself that my SIL spent $15,000 on her daughter's private school kindergarten education.

[LynnG in Arizona]

I haven't read all of the replies.

 

BUT . . . I can tell you that this type of thread typically makes me feel as prodigal as the "How much do you spend per month to feed your family?" threads. You know, when a family of ten spends just $80/month to feed their family? :D Ok, not really, but often I wonder how these people can *possibly* spend as little as they do. I mean, more power to them - honestly - but I can't seem to do it.

 

So I will tell you that in the early and middle years, I probably spend around $500-$800 per child. We admittedly buy a lot of books because our library system is not very good, and because my ability to resist buying books is very low. ;)

 

In the high school years, we easily spend more than $2,000/year/child. Much of that is because our high schoolers typically take 2-4 online classes from Potter's School and/or Pennsylvania Homeschoolers. I acknowledge that it is easily possible to spend much less.