Which costs more? Scan/print or buy new workbooks for each DC?

[Melinda]

If you have workbooks that are legal to scan/print, how expensive does a workbook have to be to make it worthwhile to do that instead of replacing them for each child?

[jenn-]

I would love to hear the answer to this. I am sure there are a number of factors, such as what type of printer you use, cost of it's ink, number of pages copied. I was a silly person with one of my DD's workbooks, I copied every lesson in it, and it wasn't until she was nearly done with it did I think that she could have been doing the reading part from the book (it was a reading comp. workbook) and I should have just copied the activities. All of her workbooks that are under $10 she is writing in at the moment. She also does her math into the workbooks because I want a confined record of her doing it.

[Brindee]

If it's a workbook they do stuff in daily, I just buy another one. If it's worksheets or something they do as needed, then I copy it.

 

I think dling books from Currclick or somewhere then printing out 50 pages would end up costing more overall.

[Pink Fairy]

After 6 years of homeschooling, I finally bought a laser copier--yay me! :D I no longer have that "dang-I wonder what this is costing" feeling every time I print something. I think it works out to about 2 cents a copy, which is pretty cheap (50 copies for a dollar!). So now I print like a crazy woman--free ebook? I'll take it! Teacher's Tool Box? Sign me up! Definitely a printer dork...:w00t::blink:

[Miss Peregrine]

I buy a book for each dc. I am terrible, terrible at putting loose leaves where they need to go.

Then I have their work already contained.

[Quiver0f10]

It really depends onthe workbook andhow many pages you will be copying. I used to copy most workbooks for multiple children, but recently started purchaing one for each of them.

[Trivium Academy]

What is the age spread of the children involved? Have you considered that a younger child might need a different curriculum altogether?

 

Since I buy mostly non-consumable products, the very few I do buy- I've decided to just use the workbook pages instead of copying them, there are plenty of e-books I'd rather print out than having to replace the toner and drum sooner b/c I was trying to save $20 later down the road.

 

Of course, I just made this decision as I was reading the other threads, so there you go. :D

[Melissa in Australia]

I mostly use workbooks like text books, and get the kids to write their answers into an exercise book. some subjects like spelling, I photocopy. I am not doing this so I can resell the books, just to make it a little cheaper for me. I don't feel guilty about breaking copyright laws, As it is for my family's personal use.

[Sue G in PA]

Used to copy...but that got old. Now, we just buy a new workbook if another dc needs it.

[Christine]

I think there is another factor that needs to be added to the equation.

 

Time.

 

It was frequently "cheaper" for me to copy, but the time spent doing so. . . would add up to hours! (This would not apply to ebooks or "direct printing".)

 

Actually, for some of my younger kids work, I plan to use page protectors. One child will do the workpage on the protector in dry-erase. The other will do the work page "for real". Then they will switch. (I don't need to keep all their papers, and this will work really well for their math.)

[Melinda]

What is the age spread of the children involved? Have you considered that a younger child might need a different curriculum altogether?

 

Since I buy mostly non-consumable products, the very few I do buy- I've decided to just use the workbook pages instead of copying them, there are plenty of e-books I'd rather print out than having to replace the toner and drum sooner b/c I was trying to save $20 later down the road.

 

Of course, I just made this decision as I was reading the other threads, so there you go. :D

 

They are almost 5 and almost 4, and then the 3rd one is 14 months. I thought about them possibly needing different materials, but didn't want to use all my materials and turn around and need them in a year if it's less expensive to copy them. I'm just cheap...lol (really, I'm thinking of what other fun things I can buy if I don't have to re-buy workbooks).

[Melinda]

I think there is another factor that needs to be added to the equation.

 

Time.

 

It was frequently "cheaper" for me to copy, but the time spent doing so. . . would add up to hours! (This would not apply to ebooks or "direct printing".)

 

Actually, for some of my younger kids work, I plan to use page protectors. One child will do the workpage on the protector in dry-erase. The other will do the work page "for real". Then they will switch. (I don't need to keep all their papers, and this will work really well for their math.)

 

I agree it takes a lot of time (that I don't have) to do this. As far as the sheet protector thing, I've thought about it, but what do you do to keep pages they've done? Scan, take a picture of it, or just erase it and don't bother. I like to have a record of things.

[Christine]

I agree it takes a lot of time (that I don't have) to do this. As far as the sheet protector thing, I've thought about it, but what do you do to keep pages they've done? Scan, take a picture of it, or just erase it and don't bother. I like to have a record of things.

 

They will be doing every other page like this; which I figure is plenty of "records". (So, we will simply erase and move on.) And truth be told, workbooks, as a rule in this house, get chucked at the end of the year (after review). (Military = concerns about weight and storage.)

 

I keep all our yearly schedules, so I know exactly what each kid covered each year. (That's ~ 40 pages.) I take alot of pics of non-workbook items (art, science) and place them in their yearbook along with writings, and other samples of their work (sentimental value / or show of "progression"). As they got older, I've kept all tests / writing assignments. . .Although, I'm about to go through a purge, and will likely chuck most tests (as I have record sheets).

 

Your children are quite young yet. . .paperwork truly adds up rather quickly.

 

However, the only reason the page protector thing will work for me this time is because my two youngest are on a similar level. I don't know how long this will last, but right now it will work fine.

[elbac]

I think there is another factor that needs to be added to the equation.

 

Time.

 

It was frequently "cheaper" for me to copy, but the time spent doing so. . . would add up to hours! (This would not apply to ebooks or "direct printing".)

 

 

I agree! We have a laser copier, so our copies are pretty cheap to make. I don't have a hard and fast rule, but I consider the amount of pages to be copied, and the cost per page to buy new. Factoring time into the equation, if the cost to buy new is between 5-10 cents a page, I'll typically buy duplicate. Anything significantly over 10 cents a page, I tend to copy.