cost of hs'ing am I missing something?

[aim4balance]

This is my first year homeschooling. After spending lots of time reading through all the curriculum options, I'm going to buy pretty much what the WTM recommends. This is easiest for me since I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the choices anyway and I think I can adapt as I go for my kids learning styles.

 

I am astounded at how much everything is costing. Am I missing something, is there a cheaper way? So far from the peace hill press I have spelling/reading/writing/grammar and the SOTW books, for my rising 2nd grader & a rising K/1, and my cart says $231.00! I haven't even bought a math, science, or nature curriculum...or other learning materials like notebooks, art supplies, etc.

 

I'm going to be paying for art lessons locally, and then of course we joined a co-op for enrichment activities which also cost money. The umbrella organization also has fees.

 

Yikes!!

 

I will reuse all these materials (right?) with each of my kids when they grow into it (I also have a 3 yr old). Unless versions get updated...and I realize I spent money on public school too--but the total so far is daunting!

 

Sande

[....]

I think they say a year of homeschooling equals roughly a MONTH (sorry, TYPO!) of private school tuition.

 

I've started breaking it down by the month. Every month on the 15th (or so), I order the materials for the next month. Last month, I spent about $50 for the month. Also, I have younger kids, so a lot of stuff is getting passed down.

 

Edited to say: I changed it from a year of private school tuition equals a year of homeschooling expenses. That's what I get for not having my coffee before I post. :lol::lol::lol: Sorry, Peeps!

Edited July 8, 2011 by starrbuck12

[Irishmommy]

Yes, you will use these materials again in future years!

 

Do you need a curriculum for nature study? I'd say if you could just get a copy of The Handbook of Nature Study, you'd be good to go. Just go out and observe and sketch what you see.

 

As far as public school goes, you'd be spending that muCh for all those candles, wrapping paper, and small tins of chocolates that they make the kids sell every year!

[johnandtinagilbert]

Certain investments come over time, with the wonders of reusing and family copy rights. In the younger years, I spent about $400 a year, not including any co-ops or outside activities. Now that we're into high school, it costs a good bit more. I average around $1500 a year ---- waaaay less than private school for 7 students!

 

I'll also share a bit of my experience....I have gotten what I pay for. I used a lot of $20 here or there materials and that's what we got out of them. My more expensive endeavors have paid back dividends!

[Irishmommy]

Oh, and my cart in Rainbow Resource is already at 200, and I have the major componets of my curriculum already!

[Shannanlee]

Have you tried to see if you can find the materials on different website for a lower price? My total curriculum was about 350.00 for everything.

[mmasmommy]

You can also look for items used or check Amazon for cheaper prices.

 

I know I've spent way more than I anticipated but it's worth it. :001_smile:

[ElizabethB]

You can do it cheaper...you have to weigh cost vs. convenience.

 

Personally, my favorite phonics programs are free (well, I do print them out, put the printing costs are minimal since we have a laser printer.)

 

I used to put my own history together when I was just teaching one, but found it easier to spring for MFW once I was teaching 2. If you spend the time, you can find things used for 1/2 to 1/4 of the price of new, but you will spend more time shopping and comparison pricing.

 

Also, some things are non-consumable. I am re-using my Singapore HIGs and text books (some write in theirs but we do the text books orally and write in the workbooks.) I also plan to re-use FLL and then MCT for my language arts.

[amsunshine]

Yes, you will be able to re-use your curriculum for the youngers.

 

Don't forget that, with homeschooling, the library is your best friend!

 

Welcome to the journey! :)

[warneral]

Amazon is cheaper. You might want consumables as pdf so you can easily print multiple copies. So I would buy consumables from peace hill and the textbooks from amazon.

[nmoira]

 

I think they say a year of homeschooling equals roughly a year of private school tuition.

I don't spend nearly that much (and I'm a junkie "lite"), unless summer camps and *all* outside classes and are included, things the kids would be doing even if they were attending public or private school.

[JudoMom]

Check Amazon & Rainbow Resource to see if the prices are less expensive.

 

And yes, you'll most likely reuse a lot of the items you are purchasing. I bought SOTW 1 in 2004, and we've used it again and again :001_smile:. I'm reusing the Writing With Ease workbooks with my younger guys as well.

[cholderby]

I spent a lot my first year that I ended up not using because it didn't mesh well with DS' learning style or my teaching style (I was expecting the learning style thing, but was kind of blindsided by my own quirks).

 

If what you have chosen comes in multiple books, i would caution against buying them for the whole year. You may not like them or you may come accross them used. All of our supplemental reading comes from teh library which has to be requested through inter-library loan quite often. But its free.

 

I drive past several homeschool groups to get to a low cost co-op. Even with the price of gas, it is so much cheaper than the other two near me. There are also plenty of lessons that I can get cheaper because of our availability (we do "homeschool" piano lessons at 10 am on Fridays for $15, the same lesson would cost twice that after school lets out).

[twoxcell]

 

I think they say a year of homeschooling equals roughly a year of private school tuition.

If I was to send my kids to a private school here it would cost me about $450 dollars a month per child. I have never spent anywhere near that. This year I bought almost everything used which cut my spending nearly in half, but even if I had purchased all new I could have with about two months of private school tuition. Yes if you want to buy high quality curriculum it is going to cost you, but it is an investment we are willing to make. There are cheaper options, and you can buy used as well. I forgot to add that I frequent thrifts stores as well and have found a ton of our reading materials there.

[nikkid]

So far from the peace hill press I have spelling/reading/writing/grammar and the SOTW books, for my rising 2nd grader & a rising K/1, and my cart says $231.00!

 

It does take time, but if money is tight, you can purchase many things used. Right now is the time to buy used...there are so many Peace Hill Press items people are trying to sell (on this forum and homeschoolclassifieds.com) so they can earn money to pay for next year. This is one way to reduce the cost of homeschooling over time. This was a shock to me at first to realize it's not cheaper to homeschool for the kind of education I want to give my kids. And I have learned that the only way to really find out what works for us is to try it. I learn much faster by buying and trying, then by reading and agonizing and posting questions for hours on end to help make sure I'm buying the best thing the first time.

 

But it does help to remind myself I no longer am buying an extra pair of tennis shoes to keep at school, the school t-shirt required for gym class, and more durable clothing to withstand recess. I don't need as much snow gear since we don't go out daily in the winter to play in the snow, "school lunch" costs less at home, my kids get sick A WHOLE lot less so not as many medical costs, no more idling gas costs for pick up/drop off, plus the fundraising aspect. And my dd doesn't see what's most in at the moment so she's not even begging for the latest trend (like silly bands, which aren't that expensive, but I think you get my point).

 

Welcome to the world of homeschooling. It's not easy, and it goes in cycles, but the benefits for us outweigh the challenges.

[twoforjoy]

I think they say a year of homeschooling equals roughly a year of private school tuition.

 

Wow. The cheaper private schools here are around $350-400/month. I'd say that that's what I spend total on homeschooling materials each year. So I'd say I spend about a month's private school tuition for a year of homeschooling.

[mazakaal]

As others have said, you can do it cheaper. I frequently try to buy used when I can to save money. And I just don't buy the more expensive materials. Even still, I spend between $500-$800 per year for all my kids. This year is going to be more because I'm buying some more expensive Spanish courses and I want to get some science kits in the hope that I'll actually get around to doing experiments finally. So I'm looking at around $1200 for 3 kids. I'm really struggling with spending so much, but then I thought about it compared with the cost of other things. My mom is visiting from the States right now, and this morning I mentioned that in the grand scheme of things $1200 isn't that much for an entire year's worth of curriculum for 3dc. It's actually less than what she had to spend on a plane ticket to get here. One plane ticket - a year of education. Really $1200 feels like a bargain when I think of it that way.

[Matryoshka]

I think they say a year of homeschooling equals roughly a year of private school tuition.

 

Wow, they must have some really cheap private schools were "they" say that! Round these parts the private schools are running from around $8000 at the low end to around $40,000 at the high end. Per kid. There's no way I spend anywhere near that much on each kid per year, even once you include outside activities that would not be included in private school tuition.

[Birdwinglips]

I was fortunate to have been a former 1st/2nd/3rd grade teacher so the early years were pretty cheap as I had many files, etc. to pull from. We used a lot of library books as well. I did purchase some curric. here and there though.

 

This coming year I have 2 rising 4th graders and a rising K'r so I am starting at scratch. Well, I have purchased nearly EVERYTHING used or through a sale forum and I have spent well over $300.

 

Don't be discouraged. From my experience between choosing to go cheaper (copying pages, writing own lessons etc.) vs. paying for curriculum....I feel the money I am spending is worth the time I am saving!!

[aim4balance]

Totally helpful to read all the posts. Thanks!! I definitely am more interested in high quality curriculum so I guess I may as well get used to it. I will need to become well-versed in buying used as well :)

[Lily_Grace]

Totally helpful to read all the posts. Thanks!! I definitely am more interested in high quality curriculum so I guess I may as well get used to it. I will need to become well-versed in buying used as well :)

 

High quality doesn't have to equal high price. :001_smile: There are many, many resources available that have lower price tags but are great fits for lots of children.

[RahRah]

I'd shop around before hitting the purchase button.

 

That and I'd look at everything you're buying - what do you really need and what don't you need? What can you wait on? What is pressing now?

 

First question - are both dc doing the same SOTW? Will you be reading it or will you listen to the CD's?

 

Second - are both ready for Writing with Ease, or could you wait on that until next year when they're both ready? Same with FLL - are they ready for it now or should you wait until next year.....or even later in the year to start, so you can wait to buy or look for sales?

 

One thing I've found helps is to cart things on Amazon, into the "save for later" area of the shopping cart - it's amazing how often what I have placed in the "save for later" cart then appears in my deals for the day at some really good prices.

 

Right now on Peace Hill Press's site, the "everything pack" for SOTW 1 is $66 - that's for the paperback of the book, the activity book, and one extra set of student pages in the activity book and the test book - not bad, right?

 

Except on Amazon the paperback book is $9.41, the activity book is $20.97 and the test book is $10.97 - so $41.35....better, but only one copy of the student pages with the activity book.

 

What about the book at Amazon $9.41 + the test book $10.97, so $20.38.....then from Peace Hill Press buy the activity pages (unless you really, really want the rest of the book saying how to do them) for $9.95 (or PDF for $7.95).....now you're looking at 30.33-32.33 and you're ready to go. If you have a kindle (or other kindle capable device) you could get your cost of the book down to $8.95 with the kindle version.

 

Almost all the books you're looking to buy are cheaper right now on Amazon.

[stripe]

 

Do you need a curriculum for nature study? I'd say if you could just get a copy of The Handbook of Nature Study, you'd be good to go. Just go out and observe and sketch what you see.

 

i highly recommend you download the PDF, as it's a massive book. You could print out the page or two relating to your topic. I doubt you'd want to actually bring the book out with you. I don't.

 

Eta here it is

 

And there are lots of others on google books too.

I also recommend library book sales and buying used online. Also there are some great free programs. At least if you change your mind it doesn't cost you money.

Edited July 8, 2011 by stripe

[Koerarmoca]

between buying used, using the library and the Catholic thrift store that always has curriculum (all books are FREE there but I still donate something) I have been able to keep our budget under $200 per kid for the year. I also have stocked up on things that where cheap and have a few years worth of other subjects. It helps to know that I don't have to buy math for my middle 2 from 5th-8th grade because I already have it all (that is if saxon works for them) rarely do I buy anything new. It also helps greatly that my community has a TON of homeschoolers its rare that I find a yard sale that isn't full of curriculum :D

[warneral]

You can try a lot of SWB's books from the Library for the first month or two and see how it works for your family before purchasing them permanently. I can get WWE, FLL and SOTW from the Library.

[MamaSheep]

I'm finding that in a lot of cases I can either spend time or I can spend money. You could spend time making a list of topics you want to cover for history and science, for example, and then go down to your library and find books that cover those topics, are age appropriate, and would fit within your available time. You could even write out an approximate schedule and plan activities at home or field trips that would coordinate with the topics you'd be reading about. That would take a fairly significant time commitment, but wouldn't cost anything monetarily other than gas to get to the library and a notebook and pencil. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can spend a few hundred dollars to have someone send you a big box full of history books along with a schedule, discussion questions, writing assignments, hands-on projects, and so forth. That doesn't take much time, but the price can really add up. Or you can aim for something in between--for example, you could purchase just the schedule and teacher materials for the above box and then try to track down all the books at the library or used book store, which would reduce the cost in money but increase the cost in time. I've tried both extremes and find myself more and more hitting a middle of the road approach in which I spend more time on some subjects and more money on others.

[Dmmetler]

It's also worth it to talk to some PS parents over the next month. When those school supply and uniform and beginning of the year fee sheets start coming out for their children's "FREE" education, suddenly, HS curriculum prices start looking pretty darned good!:tongue_smilie:

[twoxcell]

I'm finding that in a lot of cases I can either spend time or I can spend money. You could spend time making a list of topics you want to cover for history and science, for example, and then go down to your library and find books that cover those topics, are age appropriate, and would fit within your available time. You could even write out an approximate schedule and plan activities at home or field trips that would coordinate with the topics you'd be reading about. That would take a fairly significant time commitment, but wouldn't cost anything monetarily other than gas to get to the library and a notebook and pencil. On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can spend a few hundred dollars to have someone send you a big box full of history books along with a schedule, discussion questions, writing assignments, hands-on projects, and so forth. That doesn't take much time, but the price can really add up. Or you can aim for something in between--for example, you could purchase just the schedule and teacher materials for the above box and then try to track down all the books at the library or used book store, which would reduce the cost in money but increase the cost in time. I've tried both extremes and find myself more and more hitting a middle of the road approach in which I spend more time on some subjects and more money on others.

 

:iagree:I went the first route our first two years, and it was starting to take more and more time the older my ds got. I now go the third option. I actually enjoy hunting down books used, and I'm always on the look out for them.

[Mrs Twain]

I heard a quote that the average homeschool spends about $500-$600 per year per student. You can probably do it cheaper, especially if you buy programs that you will reuse for multiple kids, and if you buy used. I buy a lot of used books on Amazon which saves a lot of money. It is cheaper to piece yor curriculum together yourself than to buy a boxed set. You can plan to resell books after you are finished with them to recoup some of the cost.

 

I spent about $200-$300 per year per child when my kids attended public elementary school between required school supplies, teachers' gifts, PTA fund raisers, school pictures, book sales, art projects..., and I was trying to be frugal. Homeschooling is more expensive, but not that much more.

 

Our private schools run anywhere from $5,500 to $50,000 per year per student, so I think homeschooling is a bargain in comparison.

[KrissiK]

You can do it cheaper...you have to weigh cost vs. convenience.

:iagree: I buy a lot of my books for history because I'm so bad at turning books into the library, it's almost cheaper to buy it used from Amazon. Also, just because you're capable of developing your own curriculum, doesn't mean you have the time to do it. I write a lot of curriculum (for jr. church at our church and I wrote a lot of curriculum when I was teaching, I have my MA in Teaching and Curriculum) and I had a lot of good intentions to put together my own science curriculum, but it just didn't happen. I bought REAL Science Odessey this year. Not because I couldn't write it. It's another one of those convenience things. Another way I help fund my homeschooling is that I have the Chase Amazon Credit Card. So, I rack up points to get the $25 gift cards and that goes exclusively to school stuff. I put everything on the credit card (we have no problems paying it off every month, so using a credit card works for us), including groceries and all the med. bills DD and I had at the beginning of the year to meet our deductible and I've been doing pretty well, there.

[silliness7]

This is my first year homeschooling. After spending lots of time reading through all the curriculum options, I'm going to buy pretty much what the WTM recommends. This is easiest for me since I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the choices anyway and I think I can adapt as I go for my kids learning styles.

 

I am astounded at how much everything is costing. Am I missing something, is there a cheaper way? So far from the peace hill press I have spelling/reading/writing/grammar and the SOTW books, for my rising 2nd grader & a rising K/1, and my cart says $231.00! I haven't even bought a math, science, or nature curriculum...or other learning materials like notebooks, art supplies, etc.

 

I'm going to be paying for art lessons locally, and then of course we joined a co-op for enrichment activities which also cost money. The umbrella organization also has fees.

 

Yikes!!

 

I will reuse all these materials (right?) with each of my kids when they grow into it (I also have a 3 yr old). Unless versions get updated...and I realize I spent money on public school too--but the total so far is daunting!

 

Sande

 

Shop used.

Shop new at Amazon or Rainbow Resource. I would venture to guess that if you take your PCP cart and put the same things in an amazon cart you'll save 30-40% right there and still get new books.

 

However, if you spend another $200 for math and science, notebooks and crayons you're doing great!!

You have 2 kids? So that's $200 for each one for the year. That is waaaaayyyy less than private school tuition.

 

If money is tight there are ways to extend those workbooks (without infringing copyright) and keep passing things down.

 

Your pricing sounds right on target. People don't homeschool because it's cheaper than public school. It's cheaper than private school. :001_smile:

[Tarreymere]

You'll reuse it or you'll hate it and sell it used and buy or trade for something else. You can also buy used curriculum instead of new, or look into what is available at your local library (mine has odd things like Simply Grammar and Power Glide Latin and some unit studies and whatnot) or search for the famous threads here on this forum on free curriculum finds or go to a website like www.freelyeducate.com to find really interesting curriculum totally free, or any combination of the above. I don't know anyone who buys all new curriculum, I'd like to personally but DH refuses to rob a bank for me so I am stuck making compromises :D

 

I also like downloading free vintage school books on google books and other sites. Currclick has something free every week too. You may not get exactly what you want but you really can homeschool for free. I have figured that out but I still buy some curriculum because I really really want it, and other curriculum I look for a free alternative because it isn't as important to me. You'll find a balance, and it really is overwhelming at first.

[Nestof3]

I rarely buy read alouds unless they are out-of-print or if my library won't order them. I also resell what I can and reuse for the next kid. I've reused all my Saxon math and Rod and Staff Grammar.

 

This is my first year homeschooling. After spending lots of time reading through all the curriculum options, I'm going to buy pretty much what the WTM recommends. This is easiest for me since I'm feeling overwhelmed by all the choices anyway and I think I can adapt as I go for my kids learning styles.

 

I am astounded at how much everything is costing. Am I missing something, is there a cheaper way? So far from the peace hill press I have spelling/reading/writing/grammar and the SOTW books, for my rising 2nd grader & a rising K/1, and my cart says $231.00! I haven't even bought a math, science, or nature curriculum...or other learning materials like notebooks, art supplies, etc.

 

I'm going to be paying for art lessons locally, and then of course we joined a co-op for enrichment activities which also cost money. The umbrella organization also has fees.

 

Yikes!!

 

I will reuse all these materials (right?) with each of my kids when they grow into it (I also have a 3 yr old). Unless versions get updated...and I realize I spent money on public school too--but the total so far is daunting!

 

Sande

[skueppers]

You don't need $231 worth of stuff from Peace Hill Press. Of course, if you have the money, buying these materials may well save you time, but it's not necessary.

 

If you look at your copy of The Well-Trained Mind, you will notice that there are instructions in the book for doing copywork, narration and dictation using your content materials. You do not need Writing With Ease unless you don't want to find appropriate sentences and passages yourself. It does not take long, and I honestly would rather have my child copying my handwriting anyway.

 

You probably do need a copy of whichever volume of Story of the World you plan to use. If money is an issue, buy used. You don't actually need an activity guide; with a modicum of creativity and a library card you can figure out your own activities and supplemental books.

 

Whether either of your children actually need to study grammar or spelling at this age is something you could consider. Some children learn spelling and usage well simply through reading, dictation and copywork. You could easily put off the study of grammar until third or fourth grade.

 

You get the idea. There are many ways to meet your educational goals within whatever budget you have.

[chepyl]

Check out Ebay, you can get curriculum materials for a little cheaper there. I got our math and grammar for $20-30 less (total) than I would have spent. Now I have spent that "extra" on some enrichment and supplementary materials.

 

Check out CurrClick.com. I just bought a bunch of handwritting practice booklets for $2. I had to print them, but it includes printing, D'Nealian, and Cursive AND they are all history sentences! I can reuse them in a couple years when we learn cursive (or if you have kids of different ages, you can print the sheets they need.

 

Use the library! Get a "spine" for history, SOTW or something you like that walks you through history, go to the library and check out books to fill it out. I used What Your Kindergartener Needs to Know last year and I have the first grade one for this year. We read the history or science lesson, go to the library and get more info if he is interested in the subject and learn until we get bored...then move on. I have an actual science program this year but I will still use the library to supplement.

 

I also try to buy reusable stuff. I get hardback when available (it is really just a few dollars more) so that the books stay in good shape longer. I can use them for DD later and any other kiddos we may have in the future.

 

With consumables, some things can be copied for use in your family. Just weigh the benefits....some workbooks are cheaper to buy than to copy :)

[Mom in High Heels]

For this coming year, so far I've spent about $400 for 4th grade. I have SOTW 3&4 plus the AG's (we're doing an abbreviated version of early modern and modern)-$60, TT4 (math)-$119, MPAH (science)-$140, GWG4 & WWW4 (LA) $70. From last year we're still working through Lively Latin ($55). I do not use a paid spelling program. I get all my lists (and activities) free from super teacher worksheets. I love this site. They have loads of math, spelling, science, grammar, reading comp, and social studies work sheets. I used them a lot more when Indy was in 1st and 2nd grade. That might be an option for you. And they're FREE!

[HiddenJewel]

I think they say a year of homeschooling equals roughly a year of private school tuition.

 

 

For us that would be about $3500 per student for a year at private school. That would be A LOT of homeschooling material even if it was for all 3 of my students.

Edited July 8, 2011 by HiddenJewel

[Critterfixer]

Don't overlook home-school fairs either. We have been able to pick up some good used things that way.

I tend to price a book at one source, then shop around. Often I can find the very thing I want at a used-book seller or something similar at my used book store.

I also use the library A LOT.

For nature study, I'm going to put a plug in for your local Forest Service. There are tons of things going on there and at state parks that are wonderful for nature study.

 

Cost here for my ds7 to attend the Catholic private school was around 1,500 per. Not doable on what we make. I spend about 500-1000 per year for both boys, if you include materials (like the reams and reams of drawing paper we go through.) This year I'll probably be in the 300-500 range, because I was able to get a full set of SOTW used at the outset, and I'm using a lot of free materials from Googlebooks this year.

Edited July 8, 2011 by Critterfixer

[rockermom]

Wow, they must have some really cheap private schools were "they" say that! Round these parts the private schools are running from around $8000 at the low end to around $40,000 at the high end. Per kid. There's no way I spend anywhere near that much on each kid per year, even once you include outside activities that would not be included in private school tuition.

 

That's the range of tuition around here, too. If I had $8000 to spend... I'm not sure what I'd do. ;)

[....]

For us that would be about $3500 per student. That would be A LOT of homeschooling material even if it was for all 3 of my students.

 

Nay, you can find a private school here for $500 a month. I probably spend under $1,000 total for a year with 4 kids - including outside classes.

 

$40,000 a year for private school tuition??? :confused: That's more expensive than a university!

 

:svengo:

[....]

For us that would be about $3500 per student. That would be A LOT of homeschooling material even if it was for all 3 of my students.

 

My post was a typo. :lol::lol::lol: My husband would freak if I told him it would cost us $4,000 to homeschool. :tongue_smilie:

[raceNzanesmom]

I buy used whenever possible, use PaperBackSwap, the library, borrow and trade with friends, etc. I figure I save 40-50% off new most years. I also buy a year's worth of supplies during the back to school sales.

 

It can be a lot, especially as they get older, but it's worth every penny.

[Mom in High Heels]

Wow, they must have some really cheap private schools were "they" say that! Round these parts the private schools are running from around $8000 at the low end to around $40,000 at the high end. Per kid. There's no way I spend anywhere near that much on each kid per year, even once you include outside activities that would not be included in private school tuition.

 

 

Where we lived in the States, Indy's Kindergarten was $5K/year. Tuition went up with grade level. I went to a private all girl school for high school and my tuition as a day student was $15K/year. 5 day boarding was $24K/year and 7 boarding was $30K/year. This was 20 years ago. Current costs are $22.5K/year for day students and $42K for 7 day boarders. :eek:

Edited July 8, 2011 by Mom in High Heels

[RahRah]

The private school here - midwest - is around $13,500 a year.

 

I was reading about a company in NYC that charges parents $18,500 to help them apply for private preschools and schools in NYC - just to help them apply! There is a private preschool in Manhattan that cost something like $22,000 a year - how crazy is that?

[HiddenJewel]

Nay, you can find a private school here for $500 a month. I probably spend under $1,000 total for a year with 4 kids - including outside classes.

 

$40,000 a year for private school tuition??? :confused: That's more expensive than a university!

 

:svengo:

 

That was $3500 per year for one student in private school. I didn't even think of putting it per month because I don't buy my homeschool material that way. I look at cost per year.

 

The most I spend is between $1000-$1500 for everyone.

[....]

That was $3500 per year for one student in private school. I didn't even think of putting it per month because I don't buy my homeschool material that way. I look at cost per year.

 

The most I spend is between $1000-$1500 for everyone.

 

:D Yeah, my typo was extremely confusing. It's Friday and talk about homeschool burn-out! I can't have an intelligent conversation with this level of exhaustion. :tongue_smilie:

[smillard00]

Well, I live in an area with terrible libraries and no homeschool book sales to speak of as far as I can tell (or they keep them a big secret), so we end up having to buy everything, including the free-read books that I want the kids to read. I also have an interest in making sure homeschool publishers can afford to stay in business and keep publishing the quality curriculum that we like to use. So whenever I can afford it, I like to support the publishers directly. I do use Amazon a lot, though, because my budget is not always big enough to support the little guys. I also acknowledge that I have a degree in curriculum and instruction and I could write my own or put together my own activities or pull my own passages for copywork, but I also know myself and know that with three kids homeschooling at very different levels and the church work I do every week, I need the convenience of a program that is already put together for me.

 

So, if you find yourself needing to spend a lot on your homeschool materials and it is something you can afford, don't feel bad for doing it! Yes, it costs more to homeschool than you might think going into it. Wait until your first one gets to high school! The cost jumps way up as I'm finding this year. But, yes, it is still cheaper than sending them to private school and sometimes cheaper than all of the costs associated with sending them to public school.

[Matryoshka]

$40,000 a year for private school tuition??? :confused: That's more expensive than a university! :svengo:

 

I did round up a bit - without boarding most of them are "only" in the mid-high 30,000s, but still. It's nuts. What's even crazier is how many of these schools there are around here - but I guess I am in Preppyland. If you want to spend almost $10K more, you can board. I think a bunch of these at that price range may have a bunch of international boarders - but I just found out a friend's son is going to attend one of these next year - and board too! - the school is 1/2 hour away. He did say they were getting some financial help, but ouch!

[Snickerdoodle]

Well, I applaud ya'll that homeschool on a shoestring. Our library often doesn't have the books I want and I end up purchasing them.

 

We also make huge sacrifices in other areas; living without many conveniences that other people wouldn't dream of being without.

[NittanyJen]

I thought we had almost no second-hand resources nearby, and I ave lived here for 10 years!

 

Although I am homeschooling secular, I wandered into two christian/Bible booksellers, and lo and behold, in the back, they had a ginormous used general literature section. They ad both secular HS texts and reading books ( everything from Magic Treehouse to Huck Finn and Homer's Odyssey) available for $1-2 each. Bonanza. Out went my silly wishes for shiny new books and in came some serious savings.

 

I also buy PDF's whenever possible so I don't have to photocopy or repurchase consumables. Just hit print and my cost per kid clicks right on down.

 

Interlibrary loans take care of a lot of books that our local library doesn't have.

 

If you hunt it, you can find it for less.