How much does it cost to homeschool?

[Hunter]

I got my Strayer-Upton Practical Arithmetics 7/8 in yesterday. This is an amazing resource for the lower income family! I'm quite impressed. It will be cheaper to spend $13.00 x 3 books ($39.00) for grades 3-8 than to try and do this for "free". The books are smaller and thicker than I expected; think Bible shaped. They are quite portable for families who need to rush out the door and have junior bring his math along.

 

Unfortunately grade 7/8 is too hard for me right now :-( I really didn't want to have to buy 2 math books this month even at just $13.00 each. My seizures have wiped out my ability to divide though, and I need to seriously remediate this as it frustrates me to no end. I ordered the 3/4 book. It starts out with just single digit addition, but it's a LONG book and the books don't seem to overlap very much. I think even grade 5/6 will be too hard, and a review of division rather than teaching mastery of it.

 

Grade 7/8 has excellent artsy lessons on geometric constructions and great information on graphing that I can use right away, so I'm really glad I have it. I'll let you all know about grade 3/4 when it comes in.

[seabrise]

Although I have been supplimenting for some time now.

I have spent around $200-$250 per child for my three boys for the whole battery of subects. Much of what I have bought can be reused (I have 3 boys), and I make use of cheaper ebooks. I have found excellent used books at a local bookseller, and I make use of alibris and Amazon for online used books.

 

Perhaps the tip that has saved me the most money is this: Before I purchase any curricula, I give myself at least a week to think about it (online shopping carts work great here), and I stick to a monthly budget. This technique alone prevented me from buying some serious large ticket items that I had gotten excited about for whatever reason (as I type, I have one languishing in a cart).

 

When trying to decide which program would work for my boys, I would give them snippets of practice tests and have them look at web video to get an idea of what would work with them. I also combed these boards to find other similar typed children (hates math, won't sit still, etc.) to get a jumping off point so I wouldn't end up with $100's of dollars of wasted curriculum. As I said before, I am new, but so far, the children are doing very well with what I am using.

 

A few examples:

Math Mammoth: I tested Singapore, Saxon and a couple of others before landing here. Developer Maria Miller helped me place my children and I have the luxury of an ebook...I can print out whatever I need in the order I want it. $64 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. I have jumped around in the grades a bit for the children (money, time and calendar) freeing me from the restraints of one bound book and multiple suppliment books. I will not need to purchase this again for younger children.

FLL and WWE: Again, tests and helpful people at Peace Hill Press helped me place my children. I bought some of my books at a local bookseller with a member card, saving in some cases >20%. Plus, teacher's books can be used with younger children. I looked at Shurley English, MCT (I LOVE this, but FLL and WWE is working...I avoided buying this using the online cart method.)

REAL Science Odyssey: Looseleaf pages so each boy can have his own Science notebook. I am gathering materials myself and so far, they have been pretty cheap.

I caught a publisher's sale for my religious books (50% off), online homeschool sales for Vocabulary and Spelling, bought new Usborne encyclopedias off the Internet for a fraction of the Usborne list price. Otherwise, I buy most books from Amazon and wait until I qualify for free shipping (also helps with my mandatory waiting period).

 

I am in no position to give advice to anyone but I am honestly proud of my fiscal restraint and I wish you Good Shopping and may the Sale nymphs be with you this summer!!

[KrissiK]

I just looked at my budget and I'm mostly done buying (except for a few odds and ends) and have spent $700+/- for my 3 kids. Some curriculum I'm reusing, some I got for free from friends, etc. While I try to not go crazy, we can afford to get what I want (within reason), and homeschooing is a priority for DH and me, so he insists that I get what I need to give the kids the kind of education we want for them. I can't say what I'd spend if we were on a very strict budget.

 

The thing is, too, that many people don't take into account when they're counting the cost of things, is the worth of the non-tangibles. For example, what is the cost of having your kids in a school where they may or not be teased and bullied? or taught things that run contrary to your beliefs and values system? or just getting a lousy education? How about the benefits of the stronger relationship you'll be building with your children and they will build with each other as siblings? That's worth something. I know a lot of times we look at things from a strictly financial standpoint but money comes and goes, and I'm starting to learn that it's those intangibles that are what really matter in the long run.