What is your Schooling Budget?

[DawnM]

I think we will spend around $1,500 this year on curriculum. That doesn't include extra curricular items.

 

We are cutting some other expenses to do this. There are a couple of curriculum choices/changes I think need to be made for my kids......for example, we used to get Singapore Math, very cheap. This year I wanted more help for my struggling math learner.....so I got MUS.....it isn't working with him so we are switching to TT.....and that is more expensive. I am also planning to get TT for my 2nd grader as he seems to have some of the same issues with math.

 

Now, some of that $1,500 will be off-set with sales I am doing and some of what I buy can be sold again next year, so it may not be a full $1,500.

 

Dawn

Edited March 24, 2011 by DawnM

[DawnM]

To the OP, your kids are in private school now? Can you not use some of that tuition you would have spent to up the curriculum budget?

 

Dawn

[mammaofbean]

we spend what we can afford to spend. if my dh and i sat down and paid all of the bills and cut back where we could and we came up with $4-5 a week, that is what we would have to use. i try not to use money that doesn't really exist. there have been times where we would have been dancing for joy to see dollar amounts in the positive after paying essentials.

 

now, if my dh was spending $15 a week on sodas or cable tv or frivolous driving or any number of other things that fall far down very far on the list of financial priorities for us as parents and he mandated that we could only spend $5 per week on education we would have to have a Talk.

[hollyfred2002]

When my son was in preschool, we paid more than $200/month in tuition so I allow myself $200/month for homeschool stuff but we don't always need that much. So some months I can spend much more since I spent much less other months.

[Farnie6]

I have no clue what I spend on educating our kids. I do know that every penny is absolutely worth it!

 

I'm addicted to buying books though, I admit it. I go through the additional reading lists and do the most damage right there. There is something wonderful about pulling the book you need right off the shelf to read.

 

I'm just not organised to order it from the library and take it back again :blush:

 

I blame SatoriSmiles, everytime I read her blog, I end up spending money heehee

[Amirah]

im still about a yr out before i offically start homeschooling but hybby pretty much didnt give me a budget. he told me whatever it will cost to get what i need to teach is fine. we plan to teach reading,writing, and math in both english and arabic and all other subjects in english so it is a bit much for reading materials in arabic. i did get math books in arabic for free so i am looking at about 1300 before shipping/ handling and customs fees for 2 years of kindergarten and that is minus paper, crayons etc. but its still cheaper than the best islamic school in the area i am in which cost 600 a year for uniforms and books and 4000 a year for tuition for kindergarten. so i am doing maybe 2000 at most for both years of k instead of 9,200 for private school so for DH it was a steal

[yucabird]

4. Our local public school will provide text books upon request but no TE's (I could supplement some with them but I couldn't fully depend on them and they are not from a biblical perspective).

 

If you decide to use a public school text, you might talk to teachers about allowing you to peruse their edition on a regular basis (monthly?) so you can take notes. That way you can gather teaching ideas and obtain answers to problems.

[AnthemLights]

 

I think sometimes all of the money spent on curriculum sometimes gets in the way of actual teaching, fwiw.

 

:iagree: The shiniest curriculum isn't worth anything unless you use it. ;)

[leann_in_tx]

My kids are still young - I will start formal school with my son in the fall, after we've gotten used to the new baby:) but money has been very tight this year, which has made me think a little more about how to homeschool on a budget. I'm hoping to have around $200 to spend for next year. (We already have a story Bible and Phonics Pathways - I found an older edition for under ten dollars at Amazon. Too bad my son hates the book, but it's given me a place to start anyway.) Here are some inexpensive options you could consider:

 

I have not read Ruth Beechick's books, but she has one for k-3 called the Three Rs, to help you teach reading, writing and math with whatever is around the house. She has a second book for 4th -8th called You Can Teach Your Child Successfully. I think this is something of a unit study approach - I know sonlight is based on her methods. You could certainly add more rigorous grammar or writing programs to this, but theoretically, these two books could help you create your whole curriculum.

 

Khan Academy has free lessons for math and science, and they are adding subjects I think. This is not from a Christian perspective. There might be some good options there for your oldest though. There are complete lessons for algebra and so on. homeschoolmath.net (which is put together by the lady who created Math Mammoth) has a ton of free resources and links also.

 

A book called Writer's Inc is supposed to be a really good source for teaching writing and grammar.

 

I also read a thread a while back that I can't find now, about a Brother Laser printer from Amazon for less than a hundred dollars, and supposedly this would allow one to print for a penny per page? It would be a great way to save on literature. If our library was better, I would be less inclined to go this route.

 

Also, Abebooks seems to have really low prices on used books. Can't go too far wrong with lots of good books on a variety of topics, notebooks, and art supplies, that's what I'm hoping for at least.

 

There's also the Bluedorn's book and website, triviumpursuit.com. Very different approach to classical ed. than the WTM, but it could be done on a really tight budget.

 

Good luck! I hope you are able to find what you need. If there is a local homeschool group in your area, you might just ask if anyone has materials you can borrow. I've been given some great things from homeschooling families with older kids who just wanted to see there unused stuff get used.

[texasmama]

I will spend about $1000 next year for all of the curriculum for three kids, including co op classes, sports and school supplies. This does not include piano lessons.