S/O How early have you bought curriculum?

[mom31257]

The other thread about buying for next year caused me to wonder how early some of us have bought curriculum. I don't mean buying something for a current child to use and saving for later.

 

I actually bought my ds's reading curriculum (that he is using this year) four years ago. I like BJU elementary reading, but it is expensive. I found a 2nd grade set for $24 including shipping. It would normally cost about $150. I couldn't pass it up.

 

How about all of you? What's the earliest you've ever bought curriculum?

Edited December 3, 2010 by mom31257

[ElizabethB]

I bought things even before I had children!

 

I tell people half-jokingly that I had to homeschool with a Classical Christian focus because I had half the books already.

 

(I bought Latin and Greek for myself and learned a bit of each before having children. I bought a bunch of phonics and spelling programs for my remedial students before having children and while my children were young. I also bought the 1000+ page book "High School Subjects Self-Taught" either before having children or when I just had my daughter and she was very young.)

 

Two or three years ago, a homeschooling store near where I used to live went out of business, things were so cheap I bought a ton of interesting stuff for all ages...

[Ray]

Math, the main books until around 11th grade age range. Not known whether children will wish to continue homeschooling that long, but it helped me map out where I wanted them to end up and what resources would be needed along the way

[Ibbygirl]

I've bought things 3 to 4 years before I would actually use them if I found a good deal on it somewhere.

[Rosie_0801]

I bought a preK-8 maths curriculum when dd was 20-something months old. I was pregnant with #2 and blame hormones :lol: It didn't seem nearly so urgent by the time it showed up!

 

I have a variety of things for the early primary years, but that's because buying it is the only way to get a look so I can think about it properly.

 

Rosie

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I am not sure this counts, but I have all the SL books listed on my want list at PBSwap. I pck up any SL book at garage sales and library sales. So far I have cores 3, 6, and 100 almost complete...we will not need the core 3 and 100 for 3 yrs.

[stripe]

My husband surprised me by not letting me get rid of my (college) calculus textbook and physics book, or my French dictionary. He insisted the kids might need it. So...I've got those all lined up.

[Leav97]

I purchased MM 1A-6A when it was on sale. I won't need 6A for 5 more years.

[dhudson]

If it's on sale - I will absolutely buy it early. I started going to homeschool conventions when my oldest was 2. (Of course, I went when I was a teen as I was home schooled but I don't count that)

[Susan in KY]

3 years for us... we decided to stick with Singapore thru grade 6, so I got it on sale when I could.

[justamouse]

over the years I've learned to not. But this is me, 9 years into homeschooling. I have *not a clue* as to what my 11 yo will need at 15. I hope that he might do well with what his sister and brother already have used--I can hope, but I won't know until we get there.

[WeeBeaks]

A year in advance. I want the flexibility to change easily and pretty painlessly should something not be working.

[AZDeb]

If I find a really good price at the used bookstore I will buy early. Otherwise I wait until I need it lest I change my mind about curriculum choices. If funds are tight, and they are now, I make do with my great deals regardless. This year I have been very thankful for those deals and they have turned out to be a surprisingly good fit. We are using a full Write Source Grade set with teacher's editions that normally sells for over $200 new that I found for $30 new at the used bookstore. The set was still in it's original box! We are also using a civics textbook that I picked up at the Friends of the Library book store for $1. My son really likes both of these programs so I'm one happy mom.

[Aoife]

I purchased up to grade 2 in science, math and history because I love the programs, had the extra money for it and knew it would be used. :)

[PrincessBride]

I hoped to be able to homeschool when I was still pg with #1. :) I've been accumulating things here and there ever since, it seems!

[BearWallowSchool]

My oldest is 3 years old and I have some 6th grade teachers manuals! :tongue_smilie:They were 50% off. :lol:

[In the Rain]

I voted 6+, but that was one program I intended to use myself and then use for dd in middle school. I didn't like it, but have kept it just in case I change my mind. Really, that has just amounted to many years of seeing it on my shelf and regretting the purchase. Dh has read a few of the books from it.

 

I have bought numerous items for 1-2 years in the future. I will say that I have regretted almost all of these purchases. Apparently I am not good at predicting what we will need or enjoy more than a few months from now. I wish I had saved myself the money I spent on these "great deals". :glare:

[Daisy]

The only thing I've really bought in advance was R&S English. We had used grades 2 and 3 and I knew we were hooked so I bought all the way up through 8th grade.

 

Usually I just buy from one year to the next even if I'm just buying the next thing.

[1Togo]

Does 12 years qualify as early? When we first began homeschooling, we bought RC from a used curriulcum sale and a complete set of Saxon textbooks. We have used a wide variety of materials, but Saxon and RC have been keepers. We are now have a third student working through Saxon, reading RC books, etc.

[Mom22ns]

I chose other because I always buy less than a year ahead. I wait until one year is well under way and I have a chance to evaluate what we are doing and where we will want to go. I usually start shopping in Jan for the following fall, but since I buy most things used, I don't always have my shopping done until summer. The last thing I do is make a HST order for science supplies in July. I always feel lost in August-December when I'm not really shopping.:001_huh:

[sarahv]

Unfortunately, I found out I change my mind fairly easily - and new stuff pops up too much on these boards for me to continue to buy in advance. I buy about 6 months before I begin to teach it. Then I can change my mind (which I often do at the LAST MINUTE! sigh....)

 

But...sometimes I order several good resources per subject to help *me* be a better teacher. Lots of money goes that way.:lol:

[mammaofbean]

if it is an AMAZINGLY good deal i get it early. when i spent $2.50 on LLATL blue when dd was 1yo i knew that if i couldn't use it at all i would know someone who could and wouldn't care about giving it away. same goes for $2 on the kingfisher science encyclopedia, 75 cents each an a couple of history of US books, etc. As far as things that have been given to me I have a high school physics textbook and teacher guide and my oldest child is only 6yo. I loan out stuff to friends I am not yet using and then don't feel too bad if i don't get it back. now, for any price approaching retail i won't buy more than a year out unless it is packaged in with something we are going to start using soon.