How much is your annual homeschool budget?

[sheryl]

This thread is related to my "friends being mortgage-free thread".

 

Before I left C's house Wed she and I talked about budgeting for homeschooling.

 

I've never actually budgeted anything and not even homeschooling.

 

How much do you spend on your annual homeschooling needs? How much for 1 child? How much for "your number" of dc? This would include: books, notebooks, misc, co-op, lessons, classes, special events, fieldtrip tickets and anything else I can't think of that is truly/fully homeschooling. Not down to the utilities though. :D

 

Please help keep this up for a little bit as I'd like for this to be read by the pm people, am people, etc.

 

Thanks. Sheryl <><

[Nakia]

It depends on how much money I make selling the stuff we are done with. :D

 

I don't budget either. And I try to buy everything used. I don't know what I have spent for this year.

[vonfirmath]

Last I talked to my sister, for 3 kids (11,9, and 7 this year) their budget was $100/month. Anything she can sell supplements the budget.

[Dandelion]

Whatever it takes... :) But we really don't spend all that much (I would say we spent less than $500 last year total for one child - but I honestly don't keep track).

Edited August 12, 2010 by Dandelion
Updated amount after re-reading the original post...

[DawnM]

I try to stick to around $500 per year, but this past TWO years we had some "this isn't working" issues and had to spend more I think. I didn't keep great track.

 

I buy used as much as possible. I re-use with other kids.

 

This year I have spent about $300 so far I think. I haven't added it all up, but I do plan to spend another $200 or so.

 

Dawn

[Garga]

I spent $450 last year for 2nd grade and preschool.

 

However, some of the stuff will be used again when the preschooler is in 2nd grade.

 

So future years may cost less. Dunno.

[StephanieZ]

Oh, my, you're including music lessons? Well, that throws a wrench in it, for sure.

 

I don't budget for the kids b/c I just can't face it. :)

 

That said, we likely spend $1500-$2000/yr on books/curricula for the 3 kids.

 

We spend an additional. . . ohhh. . .. $10,000 or so on music lessons, music, workshops, etc. (4 serious instruments over 3 kids, so that is 4 sets of serious lessons/etc. . . Plus various competitions/workshops/fun stuff like fiddle lessons/etc)

 

Do you see now why I don't want to add it up?

 

And, well, I won't put a $ on how much we've spent on instruments. Dd13 plays the harp, so it is just obscene (more than our cars put together. . .). ;)

 

I like to remind myself that tuition to this great little gifted kids' school where we used to live in NoVA was around 15k-19k per year per kid. Makes me feel like I am not as insane as I probably am to spend what we do on music.

[ChrisOR]

For the entire 12-month year:

 

$300 for curriculum for all children (Pre-K, 2nd, 4th grade)

$2500 (gasp) for karate, ballet, piano, and swim lessons for 2 older kids

[OnTheBrink]

It depends on how much money I make selling the stuff we are done with. :D

 

I don't budget either. And I try to buy everything used. I don't know what I have spent for this year.

 

I try to buy things used, but sometimes I get frustrated by it all and just buy new.

 

Adding in my head, I think I've spent about $500 for curriculum (most was new) and for lessons...Co-op class for the year is $70, Music class for the year is $120, clarinet lessons are $10 a lesson and piano lessons are the same.

[Nakia]

I try to buy things used, but sometimes I get frustrated by it all and just buy new.

 

Adding in my head, I think I've spent about $500 for curriculum (most was new) and for lessons...Co-op class for the year is $70, Music class for the year is $120, clarinet lessons are $10 a lesson and piano lessons are the same.

 

After the fiasco I just went through with the science curriculum, I am really going to pray that we will be able to afford to purchase it all new next year.

[Tap]

Under $1000 for curriculum, memberships, field trips and supplies. (things we wouldn't do if we didn't homeschool)

 

I don't count the kids classes in the homeschool budget because we would do those anyways. Classes have cost us anywhere from $35/mth rec center art class to the $6000/year on swimming. It varies too much year to year to put down a number. The kids classes are directly related to extra money that I bring in on my job. I didn't work much this year so we were much leaner on classes than in years past.

[dansamy]

This is our first year. So far, less than $1000. That will include a new printer, books, covering, co-op, supplies, required HSLDA membership.

[Guest Fabion]

I have two childs and thier school bughet is 200$........... chicago condos*

Edited August 16, 2010 by Fabion

[choirfarm]

I will say that it has gotten A LOT more expensive since my oldest started high school. I paid 450 alone for his statistics course this year with AP homeschoolers. In 2010, I've paid 2200 so far and I've purchased everything. In 2009, I paid 3300. In 2008 it was 2200. In 2007 1900. In 2006, it was 1900. In 2005 it was 1300. In 2004 it was 860. ( I love microsoft money where I can just pull up each category.)

 

I have three children 10th, 8th and 3rd. TOG has gotten more expensive since I started, but I now have all 4 years of redesigned!! You can tell that I really added materials for my 3rd in 2006. 2009 was my most expensive year because I had 3 children on three different levels in TOG and I tend to buy books and even used it is expensive. This year the older two are both doing rhetoric and I've saved some money doing that! To me, this is still much cheaper than private school for 3!!!

 

Christine

 

Christine

[Carrie12345]

I don't know how well I meet the definition of "budget", lol, but we pretty much only set a number for the Back to School phase - main curricula, bulk supplies, etc. This year, it was $1500 for 3 kids. It was about the same next year.

 

Extras throughout the year (more supplies, miscellaneous books, an extra activity or field trip) are usually squeezed out of other budgeted areas like grocery surplus, or sometimes covered (and inspired) by a bonus or commission check.

 

While it may not be a firm budget, I try to be careful about sticking to what we really need. If I feel we need something that's rather expensive, I try to cut back somewhere else.

[Quiver0f10]

We use TOG and I buy all the books so it has been pretty expensive the last three years, but after next year we should be done with the bulk of our TOG related shopping. I also have all the english, most of the science, writing, latin, logic and most of the math for K-12. I will only need a few work books here and there down the road.

 

Unless we change curriculum. again. :lol:

[elegantlion]

I usually plan in reverse. I plan what I need to use then create the budget. In the early elementary years it was a lot if I spent 300/year. Since we switched to classical and added in two foreign languages, middle school level our budget is higher. I spend about 700/year on material for ds, about another 300 on items for my own self-education.

 

We don't have the budget for expensive activities, but we try to have him in at least one or two per year. Not sure what he'll be doing this year.

[angela in ohio]

I'll include music lessons, because honestly, if my dc were in public school, I would have just put them in band and never thought of private lessons. I'll also include sports, because gym in school and public school sports (I know those might cost a bit,) would cover that. I won't include our general home library purchases, because we would have that anyway. We use the library heavily, and I purchase most of our fiction/novels at book sales for about $.50.

 

Music lessons: $208/ month

Orchestra: $250/ year

Sports or phys ed related lessons: about $1500/ year

Art lessons: about $600

Homeschool materials, conferences, teacher training materials: about $1500-$2000/ year (minus the $300-$500 or so I make selling our old materials)

Field trips, memberships, activities: $100/ month or so

 

Total budget: about $7000 per year

[holdoll]

For dd - 11th grade it has gotten pretty expensive. I had budgeted 1750.00 new - spent $827.56 used

 

(This includes $550.00 for Apologia Adv Bio online class.)

 

Plus $840/yr for dance

 

 

For dd - 6th grade I budgeted $585.00 for new - spent $162.82 used

 

Plus $432/month art lessons

 

Buying used is a hassle! I hate it, but it's definitely worth it.

Edited August 12, 2010 by holdoll

[AngieW in Texas]

It was pretty cheap right at first.

 

When I was only hsing my oldest (way back in K), I spent maybe $300-350. A lot of that got reused for later kids.

 

By the time I was hsing all three, costs started going up. My youngest is dyslexic, so the programs that worked well for my other girls often bombed for her. From about the time my youngest was 6yo, I was spending about $1000/year on all three together. About 45% for my oldest (she got all the new stuff), 45% for my youngest (because she needed different stuff) and 10% for my middle (she mostly reused stuff from the oldest and just needed the consumables).

 

By the time my youngest was remediated, my oldest was in high school and that's a whole other price point. I was still spending about $1000/year on all three the first two years she was in high school, but the breakdown was different: about 70% on the oldest, 20% on the youngest, and 10% on the middle.

 

Then my oldest started taking classes at the cc and her costs went way up. While the classes themselves were free, the books and supplies were not. This year she's taking almost a full load at the cc. The first 2 classes are free, but we have to pay for the others. Just for the extra classes for fall semester, we're paying about $400 and then her books for the 4 classes are going to be about $400 also. She sent emails out to the teachers yesterday to find out if they really do need to purchase the online access that all of them have listed as required. The online access costs as much as buying the books new (with free online access), so right now buying new looks to be the only option. Spring semester will be the same tuition cost and two of her classes will be new, so she'll have to buy new books for them.

 

My youngest is the only one taking outside classes this year. She's taking private guitar lessons (and they're not cheap at $100/month for weekly 30-minute lessons) and will take a couple of sewing lessons also.

[KS_]

How much do you spend on your annual homeschooling needs? How much for 1 child? How much for "your number" of dc? This would include: books, notebooks, misc, co-op, lessons, classes, special events, fieldtrip tickets and anything else I can't think of that is truly/fully homeschooling. Not down to the utilities though. :D

 

 

 

I budget $70 a month, which includes all the books I buy for our home library. We don't do music lessons anymore (but they were about $40 a month for every other week piano for both kids). I don't count notebooks and pencils in that - I just buy those out of my grocery budget when they go on sale. I will be adding an online class for ds this fall that runs $100 a semester, and has not been included in that monthly budget. If he wants to continue it, I'll adjust the budget to include that cost.

[Cera]

Curriculum, supplies and memberships we wouldn't buy if the kids were in school is probably around $1000. That is all I really count since we would be doing most of the rest anyway (music and languages aren't offered to elementary kids in our area).

 

Music lessons - $50 per month (1/2 hour once a week for one kid)

Language - $80 per month (1 hour once a week with private college tutor for one kid)

Soccer - $200 a year (2 kids for 2 AYSO seasons)

Dance - $180 per month (2 kids, 2 one hour classes each per week)

Gymnastics - $100 per month (1 hour per week for kid #1, 1 1/2 hours per week for kid #2)

Swimming - $200 per year (2 kids, one hour lesson each week per kid)

YMCA membership - $90 per month (to get the good deals on swimming for both kids and dance for younger child)

 

I forgot coop classes at $200 per semester (we get a deal because I teach some classes).

[patchfire]

I don't budget for the kids b/c I just can't face it. :)

 

Exactly! LOL.

 

I like to remind myself that tuition to this great little gifted kids' school where we used to live in NoVA was around 15k-19k per year per kid.

 

If I still lived in my hometown, there's a good chance we'd be preparing to go through the admissions process for my alma mater with my oldest. The tuition for one year, not including books & uniforms, is $19,500. Dh's alma mater, in the same town, has a similar scheme (doesn't include books and uniforms), and is over $20,000 a year. Elementary schools? In that area, we'd be looking at $12,500... compared to all of that, we're coming out far, far ahead. That's what I tell myself, anyway. :lol:

[cjzimmer1]

My budget is $1800 for the year. This covers curriculum for one high school level kid, one middle school kid and one elementary school kid. All school supplies and arts supplies for the 3 kids in school as well as the two little ones coloring projects. It includes all swimming lessons and phy-ed classes as well as any other outside classes we choose to do. Also covers any field trips and any self-education books for hubby and myself (homemaking skills for me and computer programming stuff for hubby). Needless to say, there is not alot of fun activites that get done because the money only stretches so far. We actually will be cutting down on swim lessons this year because my oldest son is starting calc soon and I need to buy some more expensive online resources to help with that.

[s.z.ichigo]

We spend $500-$550 each year on books and supplies, plus MAYBE another $50 on replenishing things that have run out. We don't participate in co-ops, and we don't really take any solely educational trips. We could spend a little less by buying cheaper curricula, but school and toilet paper are two places I refuse to go cheap!

[Sarah CB]

I spend $1000 per child, but that typically doesn't include lessons. We're in a funded program, so I have $1000/child to work with. This is what I use to buy curriculum, books, and educational games and resources. Sometimes I'll use some of that to pay for a lesson or activity, but I prefer to buy books.

 

What I do not count in my homeschool budget are activities that we'd do whether or not the kids were in school. We spend a lot of money on music, then the kids also have TKD and we usually try a new activity (this year they did a 6 week set of tennis lessons) and do a set of swimming lessons each year.

[Blossom'sGirl]

We budget $40 a paycheck paid every other week. This is for 4 children and will cover the basics but not much extra. It seems like so much to me compared to when we started but I still could use more.

[sheryl]

OK, well in light of my other money related thread regarding "working with budgets to become" mortgage-free or at least going in that direction", I'm showing what we spend on h'school.

 

I'm questioning if I can "cut" anything out to "save money" that will not compromise my dd's h'scooling education.

 

Books - I really don't know as I buy most of my books here from y'all at great prices....:D Guess "about" $200 for 4 core (Eng, Math, Sci, Hist), plus $100 more in supplemental books, but this isn't every year.

 

Books $200-300/year

Paper filler, notebooks, pencils, etc $15 (last year's great deal at Staples, 1 cent notebooks, remember?)

Music - $45/mo Sept - Nov and Jan - April/May......$315/year

Co-op - looking to join one "maybe" $100/year

Horseback - $50/mo Sept-Nov and Jan-April.......$350/year

Field Trips, Admissions, Souveniers, etc - average here maybe $50/year

Misc - $100/year

 

Total $1180.00

 

For one 11yo/6th grade dd I'm wondering if that is too high, just right or low. Should we cut out music and horseback? I just feel she needs music and horseback I know is a bonus. What do you think?

 

Adding: that averages to $100/month when divided by 12 months. Does that sound reasonable?

[cjzimmer1]

OK, well in light of my other money related thread regarding "working with budgets to become" mortgage-free or at least going in that direction", I'm showing what we spend on h'school.

 

I'm questioning if I can "cut" anything out to "save money" that will not compromise my dd's h'scooling education.

 

Books - I really don't know as I buy most of my books here from y'all at great prices....:D Guess "about" $200 for 4 core (Eng, Math, Sci, Hist), plus $100 more in supplemental books, but this isn't every year.

 

Books $200-300/year

Paper filler, notebooks, pencils, etc $15 (last year's great deal at Staples, 1 cent notebooks, remember?)

Music - $45/mo Sept - Nov and Jan - April/May......$315/year

Co-op - looking to join one "maybe" $100/year

Horseback - $50/mo Sept-Nov and Jan-April.......$350/year

Field Trips, Admissions, Souveniers, etc - average here maybe $50/year

Misc - $100/year

 

Total $1180.00

 

For one 11yo/6th grade dd I'm wondering if that is too high, just right or low. Should we cut out music and horseback? I just feel she needs music and horseback I know is a bonus. What do you think?

 

Adding: that averages to $100/month when divided by 12 months. Does that sound reasonable?

 

Reasonable is whatever your priorities are. Is it more important to you to offer your kid some opportunities that she make not get later in life or is it more important to you to pay off your mortgage early? No one can say for sure what is best for you.

 

For ME music is completely unimportant. I had lessons as a kid. I hated them. I have no desire to play an instrument or sing. I don't even like listening to music. I've made no attempt to get my kids invovled in such activities because then I would have to listen to them practice or worse attend concerts or recitals. So for ME spending any money on music is wasteful. However, many, many people like, enjoy, and value music. So for them to deprive themselves/children of those experiences would be a colossal mistake. Neither approach is right or wrong, just depends on what you value.

 

The same concept applies to any of your other choices. There will always be cheaper or more expensive options for anything. You just have to deicde your priorites and budget your money accordingly.

[JenC3]

I used to say $75 a month just for books related to HSing. I'm budgeting $200 per month for books, supplies, and field trips. I don't count ballet, piano, etc. since we would do that if they were in public/private school. I figure if they were sent to the private school we looked at I would be paying $5,400 a year for my 2nd grader and the preschool program for ds would be $250 per month. So I'm NOT paying $795 per month! Even though I won't use the entire $200 for sure I will have a rollover account to draw from when I need it. As they get older it will be more expensive and yet cheaper since I'm buying new for the first and just reusing for the other 2.

[MamaT]

I don't really budget for homeschool. I just buy whatever I need for that year. It usually comes up to about $1500 a year for 4 kids. I don't really like to use the library though, so I buy all the books we will need.

 

If you include activities, we spend about $15,000 a year for all four kids. Most of that seems to be my girls. Gymnastics is especially expensive, and that doesn't even include travel expenses to meets.

[AHASRADA]

I do my best to keep curriculum expenses below $2000 per year (last year it was $1500--yeah!) for my 2 kids. I buy as much as I can used, and usually make back at least $500 from selling books we are finished with.

 

We probably spend another $1500 per year on karate, homeschool swim & gym, soccer, and a few fieldtrips.

 

If money weren't such an issue, I would probably spend more on on-line classes, and full enrollment for ds in an accredited distance learning program. Dream scenario: K12 for dd10, and either Oak Meadow or Laurel Springs for ds13. Since that could easily add up to $10K, I'm sticking with my somewhat moderate budget.

[Mimm]

We could spend a little less by buying cheaper curricula, but school and toilet paper are two places I refuse to go cheap!

 

Ha! I'm with you there. My husband doesn't understand my toilet paper purchasing decisions, but he can go buy his own if he wants the cheap stuff. :)

[elegantlion]

OK, well in light of my other money related thread regarding "working with budgets to become" mortgage-free or at least going in that direction", I'm showing what we spend on h'school.

 

I'm questioning if I can "cut" anything out to "save money" that will not compromise my dd's h'scooling education.

 

Books - I really don't know as I buy most of my books here from y'all at great prices....:D Guess "about" $200 for 4 core (Eng, Math, Sci, Hist), plus $100 more in supplemental books, but this isn't every year.

 

Books $200-300/year

Paper filler, notebooks, pencils, etc $15 (last year's great deal at Staples, 1 cent notebooks, remember?)

Music - $45/mo Sept - Nov and Jan - April/May......$315/year

Co-op - looking to join one "maybe" $100/year

Horseback - $50/mo Sept-Nov and Jan-April.......$350/year

Field Trips, Admissions, Souveniers, etc - average here maybe $50/year

Misc - $100/year

 

Total $1180.00

 

For one 11yo/6th grade dd I'm wondering if that is too high, just right or low. Should we cut out music and horseback? I just feel she needs music and horseback I know is a bonus. What do you think?

 

Adding: that averages to $100/month when divided by 12 months. Does that sound reasonable?

 

I think your budget is reasonable. You have activities and curriculum in your budget. 350/year is not unreasonable for an activity, imo.

 

I struggle with activities and having an only child. Is she an only child? Then if you have the money I don't think two activities is out of line. My son has yet to find something that he wants to continue doing. We're moving soon and I know that will change (crossing fingers and toes).

 

My ds is 12, almost 13, and we want to find him an activity that he can continue throughout his schooling. we want to use it as an outlet for making friends, but also learning how to work in a group setting, teamwork, build friendships, etc.

[LisaKinVA]

We are currently budgeting $3600 a year (about $300 a month). Right now, I am operating at a smaller budget than that, but in 2 years, costs will start going up a bit more, especially as the swimming (activity) costs go up, and our oldest hits high school level courses.

 

We have 4 in school.

[TKDmom]

I'm not sure I'm wiling to admit how much I spend. :blushing:

 

I was just discussing with a friend yesterday, how I feel like I could hs for less, but I like owning new books. So I'm building a library (which I'd want to do anyway) and hs'ing.

 

This summer I spent just over $2000 on curriculum for my 3 kids. I think I'm good for the year (I should be if I stay away from the K-8 board ;)).

 

This doesn't include activities. I had all 3 in gymnastics this summer. This fall, I have one in dance, 2 in piano, and I'll probably be putting one in soccer. I'd say that amounts to almost another $2000/year.

[leighp]

I expect to spend around $1000 per kid. But that doesn't count any extra curricular activities or field trips.

 

If we didn't homeschool, our kids would go to private school and that would be $3-4000 a year per kid. So, the way I look at it is, I am saving $2-3,000 a year!

:)

[mycalling]

$500 for 3. A bit more for adding twin K'ers this year. It's a coincidental budget, not really planned. I could spend double or triple this, but I've found we don't use more anyway...it's just a waste of money and shelf space...plus added guilt!

 

I don't do many consumables so I can, in theory, keep it roughly at this number by mostly investing in the oldest's grade and reusing for littles. K-2nd has a few workbooks that eat the rest of my budget.

Edited August 12, 2010 by MyCalling

[*********]

We budget $220 per calendar year for the two little boys. Of course, Moose is just starting kindergarten, and quite a few things that Zee uses can be saved for Moose.

 

I buy used as much as I can. We don't really go in for competitive sports or karate, and we've yet to do a co-op. We do a weekly park day, which is free, and I know people who play instruments if/when the boys show an interest beyond recorder, which is all Zee wants to do so far (I can swing teaching recorder).

 

Dh and I don't feel it should cost much to educate our children. We do, however, expect the cost of materials to rise a bit each year, especially when we get to middle and high school.

[TKDmom]

Ha! I'm with you there. My husband doesn't understand my toilet paper purchasing decisions, but he can go buy his own if he wants the cheap stuff. :)

 

Ha, ha. My dh gets upset if I buy the cheapo stuff. He calls it John Wayne TP. It's rough, tough, and it don't take no cr@p off of nobody. :D

[sheryl]

Ha, ha. My dh gets upset if I buy the cheapo stuff. He calls it John Wayne TP. It's rough, tough, and it don't take no cr@p off of nobody. :D

 

:lol::lol::lol: I grew up with John Wayne and loved him! I was and still am a cowgirl wannabe!:D

 

 

We budget $220 per calendar year for the two little boys. Of course, Moose is just starting kindergarten, and quite a few things that Zee uses can be saved for Moose.

 

I buy used as much as I can. We don't really go in for competitive sports or karate, and we've yet to do a co-op. We do a weekly park day, which is free, and I know people who play instruments if/when the boys show an interest beyond recorder, which is all Zee wants to do so far (I can swing teaching recorder).

 

Dh and I don't feel it should cost much to educate our children. We do, however, expect the cost of materials to rise a bit each year, especially when we get to middle and high school.

 

Bethany, We're there with ya too. We believe it shouldn't take alot to home teach. However, I see the costs going up and up.

 

$500 for 3. A bit more for adding twin K'ers this year. It's a coincidental budget, not really planned. I could spend double or triple this, but I've found we don't use more anyway...it's just a waste of money and shelf space...plus added guilt!

 

I don't do many consumables so I can, in theory, keep it roughly at this number by mostly investing in the oldest's grade and reusing for littles. K-2nd has a few workbooks that eat the rest of my budget.

 

That's a good point to find, buy, use, resell when you can by not buying consumables. I never looked at it that way. Thanks.

 

I expect to spend around $1000 per kid. But that doesn't count any extra curricular activities or field trips.

 

If we didn't homeschool, our kids would go to private school and that would be $3-4000 a year per kid. So, the way I look at it is, I am saving $2-3,000 a year!

:)

 

We can not afford a private school. However, we sent her to a little academy (fancy co-op) and that would equal what we're spending this year, so I see your rationale. In your case, you're saving. And, we would be too compared against her taking 2 or more classes there.

 

 

I'm not sure I'm wiling to admit how much I spend. :blushing:

 

I was just discussing with a friend yesterday, how I feel like I could hs for less, but I like owning new books. So I'm building a library (which I'd want to do anyway) and hs'ing.

 

This summer I spent just over $2000 on curriculum for my 3 kids. I think I'm good for the year (I should be if I stay away from the K-8 board ;)).

 

This doesn't include activities. I had all 3 in gymnastics this summer. This fall, I have one in dance, 2 in piano, and I'll probably be putting one in soccer. I'd say that amounts to almost another $2000/year.

 

That may very well be typical for multiple kids, but we have an only child. I think $1200 sounds OK for one...hope so.

 

 

We are currently budgeting $3600 a year (about $300 a month). Right now, I am operating at a smaller budget than that, but in 2 years, costs will start going up a bit more, especially as the swimming (activity) costs go up, and our oldest hits high school level courses.

 

We have 4 in school.

 

 

Thanks for sharing. Comparatively speaking we're spending about the same.

 

I think your budget is reasonable. You have activities and curriculum in your budget. 350/year is not unreasonable for an activity, imo.

 

I struggle with activities and having an only child. Is she an only child? Then if you have the money I don't think two activities is out of line. My son has yet to find something that he wants to continue doing. We're moving soon and I know that will change (crossing fingers and toes).

 

My ds is 12, almost 13, and we want to find him an activity that he can continue throughout his schooling. we want to use it as an outlet for making friends, but also learning how to work in a group setting, teamwork, build friendships, etc.

 

Yes, we have an only child...11 yo dd. You're so right. For me, it breaks my heart she doesn't have a sibling. There are pros and cons. So, for her socialization beyond church and Bible study, I have to jump through hoops to keep her plugged in. I want her to enjoy the company of her friends. Activities, as you mentioned, is an outlet for that. So, yep, I can understand!

[Ali in OR]

We budget $100 per month for homeschooling. It is automatically taken out of dh's paycheck and put in a separate account. So $1200 per year for 2 kids or $600 each (but 2nd one is cheap--first kid costs more). This covers curriculum and books only. Piano lessons, ballet, swim lessons, etc. are things we would do no matter where they went to school.

[gingersmom]

I budget $300/month for books and once books are paid for it goes towards museum membership, field trips, etc.

 

I spend about $600/year on art classes and $1200/year on skating lessons for my son.

 

I spend about $25,000 year on my daughters ice skating. :eek:

[Jennifer in MI]

Let's see . . .

 

Homeschooling curriculum: $800

Tuition/books for CC classes for ds14: estimated around $1500

Karate for three kids: $2500 (approx)

Piano for two kids: $2800

Baseball for two kids: $500

Lacrosse for two kids: $300

Rocketry club for one kid: $500

Zoo membership: $85

Ballet for one: $800

 

TOTAL: $9785!

 

I'm sure there's something I'm missing. I didn't include summer rowing. But, we often barter for that. Gas to get the kids to these things? Should I include travel? We travel as a family often (this year - FL, Mexico, TN, GA, Canada, VT, NH; next year even more!!!). And, we try to make those trips as educational as they can be with state parks, national parks, and museums thrown in. If so, add another $7000 or so!!

 

Still cheaper than ONE year at a local private school nearby!!

[caitlinsmom]

This year for 2 kids I have spent approx. $250. I still have yet to purchase materials for science and history but for the most part I am done. I would say the total year (assuming I have to buy everything new) will cost about $550. We are going to be moving and adding piano lessons, baseball, and dance so I would imagine that will add up to another $100 a month.

 

Grand total guess: $1700 for 2 kids sports, music and school.

[5LittleMonkeys]

For 3 children this year.

 

Curriculum: $300.00

Supplies (pencils, notebooks, paper): $20.00

 

I don't consider memberships or extra activities strictly homeschool related because we have always done those even when dc were in ps, but those run $150.00 per year for zoo and museum membership and $3600.00 a year for two in horse riding and one in acting class.

 

I expect to spend another $100.00 on books (not curriculum) that I'd like to have for our home library by the end of the year.

 

So, grand total....too much! The horse riding is really expensive but my two oldest do so much around the house and with the smaller dc so I feel that is their "pay" for going above and beyond. Financially I could have spent more on curriculum but it chaps my you know what to pay full price for just about anything. All the curriculum and books I buy are either used or borrowed from someone I know.

 

Craft and art supplies are usually taken care of by family in the form of birthday and Christmas presents.

[southcarolinamom]

Last year it was:

$1000+ for curriculum, science experiment supplies, paper, ink cartridges, etc

$500 for guitar lessons

$360 for art lessons

$900 for piano lessons

$400+ for 2 soccer seasons

$150 for lifeguard renewal/classes

 

(I was able to sell their old curriculum for almost what I paid for it)

[Pretty in Pink]

Curricula, paper, ink cartridges, etc. ~ 1500.00 this school year (that's for 3 school-aged kiddos, grades K, 2, and 7).

 

Spring co-op will be 25.00.

 

Swim lessons, music lessons, art lessons, field trips, memberships, etc. will probably be ~ 1000.00.

 

So that's 2525.00. I wouldn't be surprised if I top out around 3000.00 though. It's still a bargain compared to private school tuition for three children. The only school nearby that I would consider sending my eldest to is 5700.00/yr in grades 6-8 and 6300.00/yr in grades 9-12. There isn't a school nearby that I would send my younger ones to, unless I enrolled them in the part-time Montessori program, and that wouldn't be for academics.

[justamouse]

all in all, I'm going to take a big guess at about 5-10k for 6 kids. You do what you CAN. Don't let anyone guilt you into paying what you can't afford, or make you feel bad for spending a lot because you can. To each their own.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I think I spent about $700.00 on curriculum and supplies. I joined the natural history museum for $95.00 and the zoo for $85.00 and both have reciprocal agreements with other zoos and museums. I will sign both boys up for a sport or gymnastics or dance, but I don't know how much that will be, yet.