When should we start buying for next year?

[Dolphin]

This is my first year doing this. I spent all of ds son's second grade year researching and buying things for this year. This is my first year as an already established homeschooler.

 

When do next years things come out. For instance I am looking at Clavert for PreK next year (I think I might want to use it for middle school for ds, so preK seems a good trail year with dd). They are still selling their 2010-2011 school year. When will they have their new one out.

 

Is there a time that curriculum publishers put out a lot of new material. I see that there are a lot of conventions in March. I don't want to buy in Febuary and then find out that there is a flood of new editions and curriculum on the market that I missed as I already spent my budget.

 

Also, do people sell out of things? I don't want to wait to long and find that I am back-ordered and can not get started.

 

What is the ebb and flow like? We had conversations this week, and we are all happy with home school and are going to do it at least another year (ds included)

 

Thanks in advance

Nicole

[Momling]

I like to wait until the last minute... After all, what if I find something amazing in July that I didn't know about in February?

[kristinannie]

This is my first year of buying for homeschooling and I am buying a little each month so that it is more affordable for me. I have bought a couple of things that I am completely sure about and will probably buy one subject a month.

[coffeegal]

It really depends upon what or from whom you're purchasing. :001_smile:

 

When we were doing Calvert, the new catalog came out about a month before the change over so we could choose to purchase last year's curriculum or this year's curriculum. Sometimes the only difference between the two years is the price, making it more economical to puchase last year's. I think the new catalog comes out in March or April.

 

Rainbow Resource tends to busy in July and August, so I prefer to purchase anything I need from them in May or June. Also, there seem to be a lot of end of the year sales happening in the spring that can be useful. However, if I'm purchasing an item used, such as my Rod and Staff books, I purchase them as soon as I find it at the price I want regardless of the month.

[Dolphin]

Thanks for the info about Calvert. I was thinking of starting to purchase things slowly, I just didn't know if there was a time when new things tended to come onto the market. I think I will buy what I know for sure I am using, and leave my question marks for June

[ChrissySC]

Now - I get to add neat little things along the way. We typically use the same main texts ... Saxon, STOW, R&S, et cetera. However, it is the "extras" that make the year awesome!

 

I will toss in some LOF soon!

[abbeyej]

Most of the new catalogs come out in April-June. But I generally start planning in January/February. For me, it's a good time to assess how the current year has gone and begin thinking about the next year. It's also the time of year when I'm starting to get a bit bored and antsy (and occasionally panicky), so thinking about next year (rather than focusing so much on this one) is a welcome distraction. It also gives me plenty of time to adjust and refine my plans before the new year.

 

I often order a few things now -- things that will help me plan the coming year. Other items wait 'til the summer (though the longer you wait, sometimes the longer to have items shipped, since so very many people order in August).

[Medieval Mom]

For K and 1st, I purchased *almost* everything all at once.

 

For 2nd and 3rd, I am purchasing with a set monthly budget, bit by bit. Having done both, I prefer buying bit by bit for these reasons:

1) I get to look through everything as it comes, returning anything I don't like, taking my time. I'm not overwhelmed.

2) I take advantage of library book sales and the used book market throughout the year.

3) I can change my mind, depending on what I "find".

4) I suffer from buyer's remorse whenever I buy a large amount of items, or very expensive items. If I purchase bit by bit, I have no buyer's remorse whatever. (It's my frugal nature, I guess! I'm strange! :lol: )

 

Honestly, though, there is no right or wrong answer. I imagine it mostly has to do with your temperament, what curricula you use, what your family budget is, how many children you have, etc. ad infinitum. :)

 

In other words, you can't (really) go wrong! :D

 

ETA: Just wanted to add that Rod and Staff has a sale in March or April... ;)

[Dolphin]

What about PHP? Do they ever have sales?

[Just Robyn]

I'm planning to buy most of the things we need for next year in May to give myself the summer to look at it all and plan things out. Also, by then I should be able to box up some things to make room for new materials on the shelves.

 

However, I am considering using part of our tax return, depending on the size of it, to purchase a few bare minimum necessities for next year to put my mind at ease.

[KrissiK]

I buy quite a bit from A Beka, they have free shipping in March, and also at homeschool displays. So, I buy then. Free shipping is huge for me! Generally, I try to buy before summer, so I have my curriculum during the summer and can plan. We start the new school year at the beginning of August.