---- Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 We're looking at possibly using core 3 next year. Is it worth your time to piece together a core? Or are you better off just buying the whole lot from Sonlight? I don't want to spend hours just to save $20, kwim? Is there a big difference between the IGs from one year to the next? Does it matter whether you use a 2000 IG instead of a 2011 IG? Are the booklists different? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jentancalann Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 The booklists can change. If you buy used you better buy the IG first, then go from there. I've purchased a core once, then pieced together every other year. For next year I've purchased only the books used in the first 12 weeks- the IG and a few books from SL and the rest from Amazon. I won't need the 2nd 12 weeks til at least October so I'll be able to spread out my purchase. I think I saved about $30 so far. I don't mind spending a lot of time comparing, but if you do, you may want to buy the core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I buy A used IG and do a combination of using the library, borrowing from friends and buying books and usually pay around $100 per year. I wouldn't SL if I had to pay list on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susesmiles Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Watch the forums (here, VegSource, ebay) for sales. Being spring time people will begin selling entire cores. You should be able to buy an entire core for less than from Sonlight. A friend of mine will be selling her Core 3 sometime this spring, not sure what site she'll list it on. But a year ago she got it all for $250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Well, I saved $250 this year piecing together Core 5, including the Core 5 science. I bought an older main IG and EHE and a brand new science IG. With the exception of one or two books, all the books I bought are brand new. I was careful to take advantage of Amazon's 4 for 3 deal. One of the reasons I saved that much is because I am able to get a lot of the readers at the library this year. I really don't find it necessary to own the readers if I can get them at the library, but I do like to own all the other books. If you want to buy all the books, I'm not sure you'd save that much unless you bought a large bundle of them used. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyR Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 If you have the money its easier to just buy from the company. That way everything will match up. Sometimes some books have different editions and you need to pay close attention that you have the right book to match the IG. I used Sonlight in the beginning of our homeschool journey and it took a lot of time to find the right books for the right price. If I would have had the money I would of just bought it all from the company because it took me several months to piecemeal everything together. In the end I didn't keep track of how much I spent but I know I didn't save a whole heck of a lot in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 It is so much easier in my mind to just purchase from Sonlight. Everything comes at once! We are building a library, so I have no issue with the cost. I did piece together core K, it wasn't near as much fun as having a box day with beautiful new books and all the fixings at once ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meena Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We are looking at doing a modified version of Core 3 next school year. I'm going through the book list right now, and my local library system has multiple copies of almost every book. Definitely do a search through your library's catalog if possible and see what is available. For the books that my library doesn't have, I will either order from Amazon (many of these books are on their 4-for-3 deal), get through Paperbackswap or Ebay, look for at local library book sales and used curriculum sales, or substitute with one of the many wonderful American History books that are available. As mentioned by someone previously, IG's from different years can vary on what literature is scheduled. If you are planning on buying a used IG, definitely buy it first before purchasing any books. I would also suggest buying the newest IG that fits your budget. I used a couple of the older (circa 2001 or so) IG's to 'test-drive' SL. Once we decided it would work for us, we bought Core 2 new. I can't recall right now specifically what differences there were, but I do know I like the newer IG better. When we bought Core 2 we did the whole package. I think we could have saved quite a bit if we had pieced it together on our own. I just didn't have the time, as we decided to switch curriculum in the middle of the school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnMomof7 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Well, Core 3+4 is one of the most stable cores, so Core 3 maybe quite stable too - few changes from year to year. I bought next year's core used in one go, I would do that or buy new, but wouldn't piece together. We're rural and shipping many parcels would cancel out the savings for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PentecostalMom Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 It is so much easier in my mind to just purchase from Sonlight. Everything comes at once! We are building a library, so I have no issue with the cost. I did piece together core K, it wasn't near as much fun as having a box day with beautiful new books and all the fixings at once ! :iagree: And, my dh likes me sane! Trying to find all of the books drives me crazy! I have put three together (when we could not afford to do otherwise) but now starting over with my littles, we are on our 3rd core, complete with box day and love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodhaven Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 We've always just purchased them from SL. Keeps me sane. :) I don't have to wonder if I'll get everything I'm suposed to with a used Core, or try to find the missing pieces somewhere. I don't have to search for the correct edition of a bunch of books so that the topics, chapters and page numbers line up with the IG. It's easier, if you can afford it. Also, I reuse my cores with younger children, making my purchases less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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