TOG... I am freaking out....

[cseitter]

because I just went to their book ordering site and added just the Unit 1 books for Y1 Rhetoric and it is $341. That doesn't include any of the alternate reasources... Yes a few of the books are for multiple years but this is just for UNIT 1! I checked my library and they have very few (maybe 3 of the books on the list).

 

How do you afford TOG? Or do you use it differently?

Edited August 13, 2010 by cseitter

[KnitWit]

I have students in all levels.

 

I try to buy all Rhetoric level books. For us, that has been an investment that will serve 6 children over time.

 

When I can, I buy the core and multiweek Dialectic. I try to see how *book specific* the questions are, what my library actually carries and I try to find used.

 

I only buy Lower and Upper Grammar if I find them at Goodwill or such. Those levels are easy to substitute.

[BethInNH]

Cindy,

Try looking here for the books on your list: http://gildedbooks.com/ . They have

a HUGE selection of books to rent. I have just recently joined, and I'm telling you- every book I have searched for- I have found. I am on the 2 books out at a time plan, and it's less than $12 a month. This may be a good option for you, and then maybe just purchase only the books that you'll be using frequently.

~Beth

[Judy in AZ]

Have you tried using Google to search for the name of the book to see if any are considered public domain books? If you find the books you need are public domain books, you may be able to just read them on-line, or download them. We are using TOG Y2, and I have found several books that way. You can also try www.librivox.org or www.gutenberg.org. Good luck.

 

Judy

[specialmama]

Do you have your year plan yet? If not, don't buy a thing until you go through the unit/s. At the end of every week there will often be money saving ideas, like "to save money, you could get this one book for these 3 levels." Also, look at the alternate book list on the right. You could often sub in SOTW or Streams of Civilization for dozens of books on the same topic. Remember, Literature is the ONLY subject that you MUST have that exact book for. All others are topic focused, not work focused. So if you're studying the Nile, any book on the Nile will work. As mentioned by a previous poster, the upper level books are the best choices because you get the most bang for your buck: they will be used by multiple students. One final thought: think of books as an investment. Because they are. :001_smile:

[choirfarm]

I will also add that year 1 is the toughest to find books!! It becomes easier every year. I had a really hard time finding books used for that year and that is the only year that I had to make a substantial book purchase directly from TOG. Interlibrary loan is another possiblility if you have it and if it is reliable. I just never new if I would get a book in a few days or a month. Then I could only keep it for 2 weeks, so if it got there to early...

 

Christine

[unity]

Do you have your year plan yet? If not, don't buy a thing until you go through the unit/s. At the end of every week there will often be money saving ideas, like "to save money, you could get this one book for these 3 levels." Also, look at the alternate book list on the right. You could often sub in SOTW or Streams of Civilization for dozens of books on the same topic. Remember, Literature is the ONLY subject that you MUST have that exact book for. All others are topic focused, not work focused. So if you're studying the Nile, any book on the Nile will work.

 

:iagree: I made the HUGE mistake of buying all my books with the year plans (I wanted a big "box day"). If I had waited until I had the year-plan in hand I could have seen that I did not need all those books. One textbook can replace many other books, and in our family at those levels, we could easily have skipped "history in-depth" and just stuck to Core. And it really is true that you can substitute what you have or what your library has for the lower levels.

[nchser]

I don't use TOG, but as a Sonlight user, I feel your pain. The only way I can afford to use Sonlight is to buy used and sell used.

If I buy my core this year at a used price of 325.00 I can probably sell it again next year for 300-325. My cost would be less than 50.00 in the end after shipping is accounted for.

I would love to keep all the books and have a library of wonderful literature, but it just isn't something I can do.

How easy is it to find a complete package for TOG?

[choirfarm]

How easy is it to find a complete package for TOG?

 

It's not. If they have DE, then they cannot resell. Plus, what do you mean complete package? For rhetoric? dialectic? lower grammar? Plus most people merge levels or use what they have.

 

Yes, don't buy any books without having your curriculum in hand. I also made that mistake first year. They are right. I look at what I have on the shelves or what my library has and then buy only what I need or what is used multiple weeks. Don't forget your co-op library. I've been able to get some neat stuff through ours.

 

Christine

[Guest ME-Mommy]

You need to go check on the TOG Forum -- someone posted Y1 Rhetoric books --

 

HERE:

 

http://tapestryofgrace.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4671049621/m/780101705

 

AND HERE:

 

http://tapestryofgrace.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4671049621/m/745102494

 

AND HERE:

 

http://tapestryofgrace.groupee.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4671049621/m/394104594

 

(just a few to get you started...)

 

I have purchased MOST of my books used -- either here or on the TOG Forum. I have never been disappointed.

 

Hope this helps!!

Amy

[momofkhm]

I only buy from Bookshelf those books that we use for many weeks. For me that is 3 because that's how long I can check a book from the library. If it's longer than 3 weeks, I buy it. If it's an R level book, I usually buy it.

 

I can tell you that I spent $304 at Bookshelf Central for unit 1 books yr 4, for 3 levels. BUT I did buy some books ahead from Barnes and Noble, because I was there and had school money. I also have been buying "classics" for years so I had some of those on my shelves. I'm looking at spending somewhere around $1000 on TOG books for this year - for 3 levels.

 

But like I tell dh, this year and next year will be that expensive. After that we will be reusing books I've already bought. Very soon, I will feel "rich" because I won't have to stretch the budget that much to buy books. Oldest is in 10th grade. Pretty soon I'll have "everything" and will only have to buy workbooks of which we use very few.

[M&M]

You do not need alt resources in addition to the main resources. You do not need both alt resources are substitutes for the primary books often older books that you might already own some may be oop. I agree with the other posters, wait until you get your year plan before you buy books.

[cseitter]

I only purchased DE YR1 Unit 1 so we could try it out for the first 3 months. I will check out the Yr1 forums for used. I just was unprepared for the extra cost involved. I was hoping my Library would have some of them. :001_huh:

[johnandtinagilbert]

I only purchased DE YR1 Unit 1 so we could try it out for the first 3 months. I will check out the Yr1 forums for used. I just was unprepared for the extra cost involved. I was hoping my Library would have some of them. :001_huh:

You can also ask others for suggestion on books. Each "reprint" of TOG may have different books b/c they try to offer available to purchase books, as opposed to out of print books. OoP books are easy to find at libraries. I own the 1st printing of Y1 and was able to get most from the library and can find most used currently.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Plus the library had some of what we needed, maybe yours does?

[KnitWit]

I agree on waiting to decide about purchase, but I will tell you that MUCH of the Rhetoric level work *is* book specific. Some really is *edition* specific because TOG has tried to serve us in helping the kids to identify exact passages from which they draw their discussion. For the most part, we've done okay. But I can remember two different times when my dd was SO LOST that I decided it was worth it to get *the book*. LOL!

 

We have MANY TOG'ers in the area and it is next to impossible to get the books from the library now. The only way I could do it would be to run an *off* schedule. I may try to do that this year.

[momee]

We couldn't afford it and I ended up choosing Sonlight. I'm still spending a ton.

 

Homeschooling is just expensive, and that's all there is to it.

 

I found just as these ladies once I had the year plan in hand and became more familiar with what work exactly we were going to tackle my book list looked different than it did at the beginning of the year.

 

Plan one unit at a time, and buy USED!!! This takes time yes, but the savings are definitely there.

[Karenciavo]

I buy used, I switch out books, use a different edition, substitute web sites, etc.

I would put off getting the following:

Music: An Appreciation

The Story of Painting (internet research or any book on art history)

The Story of Architecture

The Feasts of Adonai (internet research or any book on Jewish holidays)

 

That gets you under $200 before buying used or using library.

[Quiver0f10]

I buy 90% of the books off Amazon. They have a 3 for 4 deal on some of the paperbacks that saves you some and generally I find Amazon less expensive than The Bookshelf.

[angela in ohio]

I think Year 1 is going to be the hardest to use the libray for, as our library just doesn't have books about Biblical history. I was able to find a few resources from the library, and to combine levels (I have a R, a D/R, and an UG,) and buy some used, and to use some alternate resources instead. It was cheaper than I thought it would be originally. There were also a few times that I figured out that I could use a book from the library that is similar to the TOG recommended title.

[Guest ME-Mommy]

Another thing I'm going to try this year is to use the Alternate "spine" book (like SOTW or Streams of Civilization) for the History: Core and then only buy the History: In-Depth, Read Alouds, and Literature books...and combine some resources where I can.

[BlsdMama]

I haven't used Tapestry's Year 1 yet. But I have experience with needing books for 2 & 3. I think the advice you got to buy any Rhetoric books is a good one. If you can purchase Dialectic, great. Otherwise if it is within your budget purchase the books that are used in multiple levels and/or units, or for three or more weeks.

 

It is helpful to have your unit in hand and check your library first. I know that I can get the MAJORITY of the TOG books for Years Two & Three at my local library or through ILL.

 

Then just pick up books used as it's possible if you want to library build. Keep an eye out at Goodwill & garage sales - you never know what you'll run across!

 

The hunt might end up to be part of the fun. :grouphug:

 

In the end it's worth it. I planned my own curriculum for years, piecing together this and that. Then I tried Sonlight and finally spent the extra $$ for Tapestry. Loved it. For some (insane) reason this year, I thought I might want to go back to planning myself again... I lasted three weeks and am re-purchasing Tapestry. :lol: It's worth it. I'm the poster child for why people love Tapestry at this point.

[Cinder]

Do you have your year plan yet? If not, don't buy a thing until you go through the unit/s.

 

Remember, Literature is the ONLY subject that you MUST have that exact book for.

 

You may also decide to drop certain lit selections. Our co-op whittled out all the "little" books that covered 1 or 2 weeks so they could spend more time digging into the others.

 

Lots of good advice already. I found a lot of my books used at Half.com. Several of the Yr1 rhetoric books are college texts--pricey, even used.

 

Cinder

[Guest karenl]

Hi - I am new to this board and am seriously considering TOG having used Sonlight for ages. I've downloaded the free three weeks for Year One. So i have the complete list of books needed (i see suggestions here to wait till you get the "year" before buying books, so not sure if this would apply to me, as well). I checked our local library and they had TWO books available, so I, too, am looking at having to buy all the books. I've not checked out the TOG forum (yet) but have found some sets on ebay....I sure appreciate what i'm reading here and wish i'd found this forum years ago.

 

ETA - I want to use this for my 14-yo (Dialectic). IF it won't be too much more $$, I'd add the 10-yo, too, tho we've got a whole 5th year core from Sonlight she can use, but it'd be fabulous to have them both doing the same subjects! :-)

 

Karen, homeschooling the last two: 10 & 14

Edited August 15, 2010 by karenl

[jananc]

Hi Karen,

 

welcome to the WTM boards and also to TOG. I just wanted to encourage you to include your 10 year old if at all possible. A good bit of the fun and advantage of TOG is having the whole family involved. The nice thing is, in the UG years you can easily substitute titles if your library has anything on the topic. Dialectic isn't hard to substitute either (you would want to try to find the literature books, though). Good luck, and have fun!

[cseitter]

Does anyone know if the books are edition specific? What I mean is can I buy the 6th edition of Norton Anthology instead of the 8th? I wasn't sure if the readings that are specified on the schedule matched up with the pages. I can buy the 6th edition on amazon for $4.99 used and the 8th edition used for $50

[Kareni]

Hi - I am new to this board ...

 

Karen, homeschooling the last two: 10 & 14

 

 

Welcome, Karenl. (When I saw your post, I thought I was seeing my own name! There's not too much difference between an 'l' and an 'i'.)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Karen FL]

I think this blog post may be helpful to you.

http://homeschoolblogger.com/teacupsinthegarden/category/tapestry-of-grace/

 

-Karen

[melmichigan]

Hi - I am new to this board and am seriously considering TOG having used Sonlight for ages. I've downloaded the free three weeks for Year One. So i have the complete list of books needed (i see suggestions here to wait till you get the "year" before buying books, so not sure if this would apply to me, as well). I checked our local library and they had TWO books available, so I, too, am looking at having to buy all the books. I've not checked out the TOG forum (yet) but have found some sets on ebay....I sure appreciate what i'm reading here and wish i'd found this forum years ago.

 

ETA - I want to use this for my 14-yo (Dialectic). IF it won't be too much more $$, I'd add the 10-yo, too, tho we've got a whole 5th year core from Sonlight she can use, but it'd be fabulous to have them both doing the same subjects! :-)

 

Karen, homeschooling the last two: 10 & 14

 

 

Depending on which cores you have you might want to chech out the TOG yahoo groups files for each year and the Loosethread group as well. I copied out the list that correlates all the SL books to the TOG year and week. Up until rhetoric it appears much easier to sub in and use different books, and the alternate spine in many is SOTW. I have 7 SL cores on the shelf and just ventured to TOG for all my kids this year. :)

[Guest karenl]

For the welcome and further direction. I continue to read!

 

Karen (in WA)

[joyfulmomSDG]

I totally had sticker shock over the TOG books also! I am new to TOG and using Y2 in a D/R combo fashion for my 9th grader. I am definitely more comfortable substituting for History using the library but Lit seems like a different ball game.

 

Have you read the section on the Loom CD about paring down the Literature? That was a big help to me since we will not have a separate Lit credit - it will be a part of "English" along with Comp & Grammar. I was able to find a 7th edition of one of the Anthologies at our local used bookstore for $3. From what I see, the page numbers are the only difference (I could be wrong about that but it will just have to work anyway).

 

I was able to find a couple of the books used, and ordered some of the new through the B&N site with the B&N Educator Program discount (20% off retail). In some cases Amazon was still cheaper, and in others B&N won.

 

Also, I'm taking it unit by unit in order to avoid a large hit financially. Once I make it through U1 I hope to have a little more confidence in substituting!

 

HTH!