Anyone else have CWA (consuming-workbooks anxiety)?..yet forced to by printer ink $$$

[mhg]

Am I the only one who wishes I could afford to print every page from workbooks/materials to keep them pristine/un-used/perfect. I've been a school supplies junkie since the 80s.....since I absconded a Michael Jackson Trapper Keeper from my dad's drugstore.....and it's still here with me: the borderline obsession with keeping our school stuff pristine. I laminate(clear contact paper) my workbooks, laminate our flashcards.....it's getting over the top already -- and I HAVEN'T even really started official homeschooling yet (my son will be K in the fall!!!). Maybe it's because I'm so excited and it's all so new to me. I've got my little homeschool bookshelf all ready and everything.

 

If printer ink weren't so INSANE, I'd doubtless copy everything to keep my stuff LIKE NEW!!!

 

I know I've gotta get over it, but I'm curious if I'm a lone duck on this one. Am I the only weirdo in this respect?

[Coffeemama]

:lol:Me too...but I took a step toward getting over it today. I have shelves of workbooks from my PS teaching days which have been copied hundreds of times...Today I tore out a cut and paste sequencing activity for my DD6 to do since I probably will never use it again...and she said "Wait shouldn't you copy this first!":001_huh::lol:

[stripe]

What will you do with the pristine workbooks if you save them?

[Mama2Many4]

If you're really worried about the price of printer ink, just refill your ink cartridges yourself. I do. It's really easy and really cheap. I use this ink and it lasts me a year, no lie. I used to copy every book, but I hated sitting there having to do that. Plus I have a problem with needing the see them turn the pages and having the pretty cover of the book. It's universal ink too, so you can use it with multiple printers. I don't know how it would look when printing out photos, but for regular color school work it's great!

[mhg]

If you're really worried about the price of printer ink, just refill your ink cartridges yourself. I do. It's really easy and really cheap. I use this ink and it lasts me a year, no lie. I used to copy every book, but I hated sitting there having to do that. Plus I have a problem with needing the see them turn the pages and having the pretty cover of the book. It's universal ink too, so you can use it with multiple printers. I don't know how it would look when printing out photos, but for regular color school work it's great!

 

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!!!

What an blessing this advice will be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!

[stripe]

You might want to read some of the threads about others' experiences with reselling material and see what most people manage to get for their used stuff, even if pristine: 50 % of commonly available price, which includes postage, so a $15 workbook at $7.50 will translate to 52c to Paypal and $3+ for postage, leaving you with maybe $4 from the sale, after (let's be really conservative) at least 20 min work listing it, responding to emails about it, and packing it, and that's assuming anyone wants it at all, the curriculum is still popular, and there hasn't been a new and improved edition. You might be happier to just let your kids write in the book even though you feel you shouldn't. Or at least, this might help you cope with the feeling that you 'shouldn't' have kids write in their books.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108686

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265887

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146980

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205425

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281890

 

I had a friend growing up whose parents kept the couch wrapped in plastic. What were they saving it for?

[boscopup]

You might want to read some of the threads about others' experiences with reselling material and see what most people manage to get for their used stuff, even if pristine: 50 % of commonly available price, which includes postage, so a $15 workbook at $7.50 will translate to 52c to Paypal and $3+ for postage, leaving you with maybe $4 from the sale, after (let's be really conservative) at least 20 min work listing it, responding to emails about it, and packing it, and that's assuming anyone wants it at all, the curriculum is still popular, and there hasn't been a new and improved edition. You might be happier to just let your kids write in the book even though you feel you shouldn't. Or at least, this might help you cope with the feeling that you 'shouldn't' have kids write in their books.

 

:iagree: I hate selling materials. Even new materials that haven't been used can be hard to sell. Unless the workbook is really expensive, why not write in it? I use so few workbooks that the cost of replacing them for each kid will be minimal. Let's see... for K, I'm using ETC, which is $6.50 per book. I don't know how many we'll get through, but let's just ballpark 3 by the end of K. That's only $19.50 for the next kid's K year. For math, we're using SM EM K, which is $7.50 per book, so $15 for math. Total for K is $34.50. That's less than I'd pay for various expenses if I sent my kid to public school K. :tongue_smilie:

 

I do a lot of PDFs where possible so I can print stuff out. There are a lot of great printing options (even laser printers are cheap these days).

 

I know some people use permanent marker on transparency film, then color over it with dry erase to "erase it". That's a lot of work! Not to mention the hit their handwriting takes when they use a marker all the time instead of a pencil. Not worth it to me. My time is worth more than that $6.50 ETC workbook.

 

I'm even using the $22.50 science workbook with no qualms. If I use this science again, I'll just have to replace the workbook, so $22.50 for a subsequent kid's science really isn't that bad. I'm sure that the replacement costs of workbooks for each kid in total would be $50 or less per year, and again, that's still less than we'd likely be paying for the various expenses of public school.

[Hunter]

Nowadays, I tend to aquire ebooks which contain a lot of generic worksheets that can be used over and over again. I don't gravitate towards lessons that are used just once.

 

I was given a slightly older printer that uses ink that I can buy online for really cheap. It prints fast and sloppy, but it's perfect for worksheets and ebooks. I have another regular printer/scanner for color and things that need to look nice.

 

I would find a cheap way to print, and then buy resources that are not meant to be consumable.

[curlgirl]

I am actually thinking about buying a real copier. They are not too ridiculous on price and since I am currently homeschooling four children my poor printer is waving the white flag!

[ChrissySC]

Staples has the new HP laser for 174 this week. :)

 

You can print 1000's of workbook pages on fast draft in black ink. If you are going to be insane, you need the right tools. LOL

[meggie]

No, I don't worry about it anymore. I had put all my son's PreK workbooks into page protectors and let him write on them with a wet erase marker. I'd used paper towels and baby wipes to clean them so he could do them again (he loved "playing" school). I probably spent more in baby wipes and paper towels than the cost of new workbooks.

 

Now I have a laser printer. Got it on sale for $60 at Office Depot. I am never going to worry about the cost of printing again. The toner we got with it is still going strong, no sign of fading yet and I've printed over 500 pages so far. My DH told me to get a replacement cartridge on Amazon, since that's where I was getting his Father's Day present from. The replacement cartridge cost $48 including shipping and says it can print 2600 pages. That's less than 2 pennies a page. Rounding up to 2 pennies (not exactly sure what the cost of paper is) a 200 page book (I am only buying electronic versions now) would only be $4 to print. And if something happens to it, I can just print it out again for future children and not worry.

[Soror]

I bought a printer that prints 1c black copies- so I just make copies of everything- that way I have it for the little ones coming up.

[Geo]

Staples has the new HP laser for 174 this week. :)

 

You can print 1000's of workbook pages on fast draft in black ink. If you are going to be insane, you need the right tools. LOL

 

 

Ah yes, pragmatic insanity...now you're talkin'.

 

Geo

[Geo]

No, I don't worry about it anymore. I had put all my son's PreK workbooks into page protectors and let him write on them with a wet erase marker. I'd used paper towels and baby wipes to clean them so he could do them again (he loved "playing" school). I probably spent more in baby wipes and paper towels than the cost of new workbooks.

 

Now I have a laser printer. Got it on sale for $60 at Office Depot. I am never going to worry about the cost of printing again. The toner we got with it is still going strong, no sign of fading yet and I've printed over 500 pages so far. My DH told me to get a replacement cartridge on Amazon, since that's where I was getting his Father's Day present from. The replacement cartridge cost $48 including shipping and says it can print 2600 pages. That's less than 2 pennies a page. Rounding up to 2 pennies (not exactly sure what the cost of paper is) a 200 page book (I am only buying electronic versions now) would only be $4 to print. And if something happens to it, I can just print it out again for future children and not worry.

 

 

:001_wub:Sigh, I needs me one of those.

[Swirl]

Do you have a church you attend?

 

Our church recently purchasd a new color copier. When I was visiting with the secretary about it, she mentioned that color copies cost them 7 cents to make, but black ones are much cheaper.

 

I talked with the pastor, and he let me use their color copier to make all of my Tapesty of Grace activity pages and maps for next fall. I purchased a pack of paper and some cardstock from Walmart and then paid them 7 cents a page. So much cheaper than me doing it at home or Kinko's- and all my pages are in COLOR.

[nikkistone]

If you're really worried about the price of printer ink, just refill your ink cartridges yourself. I do. It's really easy and really cheap. I use this ink and it lasts me a year, no lie. I used to copy every book, but I hated sitting there having to do that. Plus I have a problem with needing the see them turn the pages and having the pretty cover of the book. It's universal ink too, so you can use it with multiple printers. I don't know how it would look when printing out photos, but for regular color school work it's great!

 

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!!!!

What an blessing this advice will be !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks so much!

 

3Blessings4Me, I think you're enabling our Office Supply Junkie! :001_smile: --from one office supply junkie to another, I completely feel your pain --

[eloquacious]

Yeah, I have the Workbook Window and the Crayola worksheet holder thing. I print what I can, and those workbooks that are too big to fit into the two methods listed I'm thinking long and hard about opening up the spines so they can be reused. ;)

[Tam101]

Consumable workbooks I don't have an issue with consuming them! LOL But everything else I want to keep like new and laminate the covers. Heck, I get frustrated when a eraser breaks! LOL

[ChrissySC]

Ah yes, pragmatic insanity...now you're talkin'.

 

Geo

 

Well, if you are going to do something, at least do it well. :lol:

[wapiti]

I've got my little homeschool bookshelf all ready and everything.

 

*snicker* (you're going to need more shelves - no such thing as too many bookshelves :D)

 

If you are going to be insane, you need the right tools. LOL

 

:iagree:

 

ah..the Trapper Keeper :001_wub: :D

 

:lol: I still remember my blue one (very early 80s?)

[mhg]

You might want to read some of the threads about others' experiences with reselling material and see what most people manage to get for their used stuff, even if pristine: 50 % of commonly available price, which includes postage, so a $15 workbook at $7.50 will translate to 52c to Paypal and $3+ for postage, leaving you with maybe $4 from the sale, after (let's be really conservative) at least 20 min work listing it, responding to emails about it, and packing it, and that's assuming anyone wants it at all, the curriculum is still popular, and there hasn't been a new and improved edition. You might be happier to just let your kids write in the book even though you feel you shouldn't. Or at least, this might help you cope with the feeling that you 'shouldn't' have kids write in their books.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108686

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265887

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146980

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205425

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281890

 

I had a friend growing up whose parents kept the couch wrapped in plastic. What were they saving it for?

 

May the meditation on this post ease my qualms!

[mhg]

:lol:Me too...but I took a step toward getting over it today. I have shelves of workbooks from my PS teaching days which have been copied hundreds of times...Today I tore out a cut and paste sequencing activity for my DD6 to do since I probably will never use it again...and she said "Wait shouldn't you copy this first!":001_huh::lol:

 

 

Oh...that hurts.

Today I tore out a page from our Saxon Phonics workbook (lesson 1) which are hole-punched and I had such unease that I ran up and copied it then got the TAPE OUT and refastened it back in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Isn't that HURTING!!!!! Darn this Perfect Paula Pupil in me!!!! (she's still there!!!!!!!)

[mhg]

I am actually thinking about buying a real copier. They are not too ridiculous on price and since I am currently homeschooling four children my poor printer is waving the white flag!

 

Why will this help?

Are they cheaper to print from?

If so , why?

Don't they require the same expensive ink refills?

[mhg]

Staples has the new HP laser for 174 this week. :)

 

You can print 1000's of workbook pages on fast draft in black ink. If you are going to be insane, you need the right tools. LOL

 

 

I may need to procure this.

Now what about my beautiful full-colored MAZE books?!?!?! :lol::001_huh::lol:

[mhg]

No, I don't worry about it anymore. I had put all my son's PreK workbooks into page protectors and let him write on them with a wet erase marker. I'd used paper towels and baby wipes to clean them so he could do them again (he loved "playing" school). I probably spent more in baby wipes and paper towels than the cost of new workbooks.

 

Now I have a laser printer. Got it on sale for $60 at Office Depot. I am never going to worry about the cost of printing again. The toner we got with it is still going strong, no sign of fading yet and I've printed over 500 pages so far. My DH told me to get a replacement cartridge on Amazon, since that's where I was getting his Father's Day present from. The replacement cartridge cost $48 including shipping and says it can print 2600 pages. That's less than 2 pennies a page. Rounding up to 2 pennies (not exactly sure what the cost of paper is) a 200 page book (I am only buying electronic versions now) would only be $4 to print. And if something happens to it, I can just print it out again for future children and not worry.

 

OH MY GOODNESS! YOu guys have such good ideas. Gotta go and try to extract my ostrich-head from this sand!

[mhg]

Do you have a church you attend?

 

Our church recently purchasd a new color copier. When I was visiting with the secretary about it, she mentioned that color copies cost them 7 cents to make, but black ones are much cheaper.

 

I talked with the pastor, and he let me use their color copier to make all of my Tapesty of Grace activity pages and maps for next fall. I purchased a pack of paper and some cardstock from Walmart and then paid them 7 cents a page. So much cheaper than me doing it at home or Kinko's- and all my pages are in COLOR.

 

 

I do have a church, but if I did this, my secret would be out and they'd suggest an OCD drug ! :lol: I'd feel too much guilt for the wear and tear which would inevitably croak on my watch/during my use as I'd be the one using it 98% of the time! My husband would know where to find me: up at the church copier.

 

 

Seriously...this is a good suggestion.

[ChrissySC]

I may need to procure this.

Now what about my beautiful full-colored MAZE books?!?!?! :lol::001_huh::lol:

 

 

For a bit more, HP has a colored laser too. :) Buy them both, remember you are nuts! LOL

 

I grab refill ink for something like MM that I will print from my regular HP printer, Photosmart Premium (all bells and whistles, geesh). Anyway, I like that I can refill these at least twice before the printer stops working and spits at me. :tongue_smilie: This requires that you remove the ink cartridges, turn off the printer and unplug the power too. Turn it back on and add new factory cartridges. The black is usually a bit more forgiving in the number of times I can use it, but I think that was only three.

 

It is a chip on teh cartridges by the way that lets the printer know that you used it. We could force a factory reset - but why bother. The cartridges are great twice - which means I can use it for 4 or five dollars at a time.

 

Gosh, I babble when I first I get up!

[Mimm]

Nope. These workbooks were bought to be used. By the end of the year, the covers will be bent and torn, the pages will be ragged and the margins will be covered in doodles. They will have been dragged through the house, left in the car, lost under the couches and someone will have spilled something on them, for sure.

 

I'm filing this year, so I took my brand new pristine workbooks and chopped them up. And I admit that made me a little sad that I'm going going to see this well used, messy workbook at the end of the year, full of a year's learning. Really, the Latin for Children workbook was the one that kind of made me flinch. It was so pretty. :)

[ALove]

I also keep things from being consumed. For three reasons:

1. Cost of replacing (including shipping) At $7-10 per workbook and several kids in several subjects it isn't a small savings, it quickly adds up.

2. Trying to live a less consumeristic life and show my kids the value of frugality

3. And my number one reason? Ease of future planning. I love to have the whole program sitting there ready for the next child. I can flip through the workbooks to remind myself what is in the and then decide if it's really a curriculum that I want to pass on to the next child. In the spring I am ONLY ordering new things, no repeats.

 

I do not copy though, that doesn't make much more sense then buying again (except for reason 3). During the school supply sales I buy several sets of sheet protectors and spend one evening placing any consumable in them and then into binders (both are reusable for the next year). We just use fine tip dry erase markers, not wet erase so cleanup is no big deal.

My kids handwriting practice I do not do this for, obviously. That is a paper and pen sort of thing. But for everything else I love it! They can erase so easily and that saves me epic amounts of time with little ones.

I can imagine that when you reach the years where bigger kids are writing longer sentences and whatnot it would become difficult but for early grades and all of math I love it! But honestly, the savings, especially spread out over a few kids is really amazing.

One last thing...my mom hs us all and today I am using curriculum with my kids that I used growing... consumables and all. I think that shows a lot of care and I certainly appreciate that she put such effort into it. It's neat to use the exact same book to teach spelling that you used to learn spelling. That's probably unique to me but I'm sure it's shaped my attitude to this.

[Mama2Many4]

You might want to read some of the threads about others' experiences with reselling material and see what most people manage to get for their used stuff, even if pristine: 50 % of commonly available price, which includes postage, so a $15 workbook at $7.50 will translate to 52c to Paypal and $3+ for postage, leaving you with maybe $4 from the sale, after (let's be really conservative) at least 20 min work listing it, responding to emails about it, and packing it, and that's assuming anyone wants it at all, the curriculum is still popular, and there hasn't been a new and improved edition. You might be happier to just let your kids write in the book even though you feel you shouldn't. Or at least, this might help you cope with the feeling that you 'shouldn't' have kids write in their books.

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108686

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265887

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146980

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205425

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=281890

 

I had a friend growing up whose parents kept the couch wrapped in plastic. What were they saving it for?

 

When I was making full copies of my workbooks, it wasn't for selling afterwards. If was for the youngers to use as well. That way I wouldn't have to buy the same book 3 times or more. But I've given up on that fight. ;)

[hollyandab]

If printer ink weren't so INSANE, I'd doubtless copy everything to keep my stuff LIKE NEW!!!

 

 

We have a new Lexmark printer, and the black ink cartridges are only $5 at any office supply store...or maybe even Walmart, but we usually go to Staples. I think it's like 1 cent per page, or something like that. So I just print away! :auto:

[hollyandab]

We have a new Lexmark printer, and the black ink cartridges are only $5 at any office supply store...or maybe even Walmart, but we usually go to Staples. I think it's like 1 cent per page, or something like that. So I just print away! :auto:

[hollyandab]

Man, I was trying to highlight what someone else said, but since I'm a newbie, I can't figure it out!! So I guess I posted twice and didn't get the quote highlighted...Grrrrr... I wish I were a bit more computer savvy!

[MeaganS]

I'm planning on getting most of our workbooks in PDF format. We have a laser printer that I got for $80 (wireless even!). It's B&W, but I don't need color. I get generic brand toner for like $17 for tons of pages and get all my printer paper for the year for free at the back to school sales. It literally costs me less than $.01/page to print. I got a ton of those Scholastic preschool skills workbooks and can print them out and not worry about my 2 year old messing them up, because I can just print them out again! Like I said, PDF is my friend!

[meggie]

I'm planning on getting most of our workbooks in PDF format. We have a laser printer that I got for $80 (wireless even!). It's B&W, but I don't need color. I get generic brand toner for like $17 for tons of pages and get all my printer paper for the year for free at the back to school sales. It literally costs me less than $.01/page to print. I got a ton of those Scholastic preschool skills workbooks and can print them out and not worry about my 2 year old messing them up, because I can just print them out again! Like I said, PDF is my friend!

 

Details on how you get your paper for free, please:bigear:

[boscopup]

Details on how you get your paper for free, please:bigear:

 

Most of the office supply stores will run "free after rebate" type promotions during the back to school sales. I think I got 2 reams from Staples last year (and got another ream a couple months ago when they ran another free after rebate deal).

[meggie]

Most of the office supply stores will run "free after rebate" type promotions during the back to school sales. I think I got 2 reams from Staples last year (and got another ream a couple months ago when they ran another free after rebate deal).

Do you have to sign up or get coupons somehow?

[meggie]

Man, I was trying to highlight what someone else said, but since I'm a newbie, I can't figure it out!! So I guess I posted twice and didn't get the quote highlighted...Grrrrr... I wish I were a bit more computer savvy!

 

Just hit the "Quote" button on the bottom right of their post. You can delete stuff out of it if it's too long or add your own words in (usually helps if it's in another color, just so people have an easier time separating them out)

[AmyinFL]

With the price of ink and time to copy, I find that it is more cost and time effective to just buy replacement consumables...although I do still copy from some. I do plan ahead in that I look for workbooks at used curriculum sales and online way ahead of time. I am ALWAYS trying to find ways to save money, but this is one area where is often doesn't pay to make the copies.:confused:

[Ellyndria]

No, this is not a problem for me. To me, a fresh, pristine workbook calls out, "WRITE ON ME, PLEASE!" I sit there and imagine the whole workbook filled out, every single problem, every single page, all nice and neat. I sit there and imagine a happy child writing in the workbook, doing page after page, neatly, soaking up all the learning from it. (Ha!) In fact, I would love to write in the workbook myself and fill up all the pages...too bad I can't. Then at the end, when every page is done, I imagine flipping through the workbook and looking with satisfaction at all the completed pages.

 

Now, if only my child shared my workbook enthusiasm...

 

PS. I'm thinking the desire to write in and fill up workbooks is somewhat related to my love of paper. I love paper, I love fresh notebooks, and can't wait to write on it and in them.

[boscopup]

Do you have to sign up or get coupons somehow?

 

Nope, just watch the weekly ads. Make sure you also get a teacher card at places that have one (Staples does).

[shinyhappypeople]

Just buy a workbook window or page protectors and you can keep your workbooks pretty and not worry about violating copyright. Win-win!

[hollyandab]

Just hit the "Quote" button on the bottom right of their post. You can delete stuff out of it if it's too long or add your own words in (usually helps if it's in another color, just so people have an easier time separating them out)

 

 

I got it to quote last time but it isn't highlighted. Different color....let's see...good grief, IDK!!! I don't see the a color option. :confused: Ack!

[hollyandab]

Alright, it worked this time! Thanks for the help!

 

Holly

[meggie]

Alright, it worked this time! Thanks for the help!

 

Holly

When you want to change the color of your letters, just click on the arrow right next to the "A" at the top of the message box. You can pick any pretty color you want :001_smile: I like the purples, however, I think we need a bright pink.