Budgeting for curriculum and supplies

[ballardlm]

This is mostly out of my own curiosity and somewhat so I can prepare for the future : ). How do you budget for curriculum? An amount per month? Per year? If per year where does that money come from? I'm thinking all curriculum, books, supplies, and supplements but not outside extra curricular activities since we would do those anyway. Thanks for sharing!

[ebrindam]

We set aside $200 a month for curriculum in a separate account...so $2400 a year for books/materials/art supplies/manipulatives, etc. Extracurricular stuff is separate.

[Guest]

We don't set aside per month. My husband knows "it" is coming. About March/April, I ask for a chunk. He just makes sure to set it aside. We have been doing about $600/yr. Except that a few months into our year I usually change my mind. And then I ask him for another chunk. :o If I were in charge of our money, I would definitely set aside a monthly amount. This, however, is what works for my dh.

 

ETA: We used to use our tax return. The days of getting a return are over for us, though, so that doesn't work anymore.

[ksr5377]

We budget every month and have it automatically transferred to it's own savings account. I like this because then I can buy things throughout the year if the need arises. Also, I'm never really out of money! :)

[Maplecat]

We've budgeted $50 a month.

 

[Joshin]

I aim to spend $100 to $150 per year total for both kids, not counting outside activities. I stockpile Swagbucks Amazon gift cards to make up the difference. Supplies fall into that but are negligible, I stock up once yearly at the back to school sales. I also snag bags of school supplies for pennies at thrift stores, so most of our costs are actual curriculum. Fortunately, I have access to a used homeschool book store and a thrift shop that is regularly stocked with homeschool books. I've always lucked out finding the stuff I want to use.

 

Now, on the flip side, I budget at least $500 for extracurricular activities, clubs and classes. They wouldn't be in most of these activities if they weren't homeschooled. Fortunately, I usually find ways to get discounts, like volunteering for a focus group at the museum in exchange for half off a robotics course.

[misty.warden]

I've been buying here and there for about 3 years whenever I see the curriculum I want on swaps/discounted on the website/Goodwill. I'm a junkie so "budget" and "plan in advance" doesn't restrain my shopping much. I'm going to be that sobbing hser in about 4 years when ds decides he hates the curriculum I have planned and bought.

[Hypatia.]

We budget $60 a month and let it accrue so I have money ready whenever we need to get new curriculum. Of course, it doesn't always work out that way if I change things up too much.

[FairProspects]

I have 4 categories, not including extra-curriculars. When we do finances, I set aside a certain amount per paycheck for core curriculum, another amount for books (this would be more like living books and supplements), another amount for supplies, and the last amount for co-op fees. The co-op fees category only gets spent twice a year and then all the money is sitting there. The other three get spent down or saved up as necessary.

[Ali in OR]

Before we started homeschooling, middle dd was in a preschool that cost $100 per month. I negotiated with dh that since we were willing to spend that on education, we should just use that same amount for homeschooling. It does not include school supplies or activities since we would pay for those also if the girls were in school. The money is taken from dh's paycheck automatically and put into a separate account. That amount has worked well. It was hard to get started with nothing (had to buy over several months) but it worked out just fine. In the younger years I bought a lot more supplemental things like math manipulatives, books for our home library, classical kids CDs, art supplies, etc. As the girls have gotten older it is mostly just curriculum, but I've always (err, almost always) been under or at budget. Last year's lego robotics put me a bit over!

[DianeW88]

We always budgeted $1,000 per year, per child for books, supplies and curriculum.

[SFM]

We also set aside money each month for "education" this could include anything that I deem for "education" to include curriculum, books, maps, supplies, etc. We typically set aside $100/monthly, however, I sometimes also use chunks that we get throughout the year for my husbands travels, sale of old curriculum, etc. to add to the account. I like it because I can purchase new readers/read alouds and other curricula throughout the year as well as supplies and the like. It works for us.

[Pawz4me]

We put about $150 a month into our savings account to cover education-related expenses incurred throughout the year.

[elegantlion]

We always budgeted $1,000 per year, per child for books, supplies and curriculum.

 

This is what we've tried to do as well. I budget my self-education needs in that total. If I didn't use it for curriculum, then I would buy a larger one-time expense item, like my pro-click binder (about $100 for machine and supplies). However, the last few years have been tough finance wise. I worked last summer (small weekly paycheck) and that was our school budget. The year before was about the same amount, about 250-300 dollars. I spent more time looking for used materials and books and between that and working, I felt ill-prepared at the beginning of this year. I won't do that again. I may work, but I want the supplies by the beginning of summer, not the end of July- we start the first week of August.

 

I'm working on our school budget right now. Generally I like to get two big chunks in February and by May. Ideally, we could do with another 40.00 per month throughout the year to buy things like printer ink and supplies. That doesn't include any outsourced classes, which we won't have until the 2014-2015 year at this point.

[happypamama]

I set aside a small amount per month for homeschooling, and if we don't need it for activities or supplies that month, I'll save it for later. But I also get itchy around February (so, now!) and start looking for deals on the stuff I need for the following year. I like to have it all in hand by May so I can look through it all and get a sense of how to plan. I usually use some of our tax refund to buy the bulk of our curriculum for the year.

[TeenagerMom]

I am using my tax refund to buy for the next 2 years for DD and DS which will actually end up being 4 years worth of curriculum for DS since I will reuse DD's stuff for him! I'm setting aside around $1000 to do it. Co-op fees, etc. just comes out of our monthly budget, which we really don't budget for. We just spend and anything left in my checking at the end of the month goes into the next month. DH's pays all the bills and I pay for groceries and extra stuff out of my paychecks.

[momto2Cs]

We use some of our tax refund to buy anything for the upcoming year. I try to keep that spending to around $300 yearly, and that is for both kids. Last year, we did spend $500, but a big chunk of that was a good microscope that will last through high school.

 

Month-by-month, they have outside activities, totaling about $100. I pay for those with the money I earn grading papers for an English Professor. I also earn enough this way to buy day-to-day supplies as needed - art stuff, paper (wow, we go through a lot of paper!), etc.

 

I don't think homeschooling has to be expensive. If it were, we couldn't do it! Sure, I'd like to buy a full science kit one year, etc., but in reality, we depend a great deal on our library card, good sales, second-hand curriculum materials, and so forth.

[StartingOver]

We used to use our income tax refund every year, when we didn't have as much money each month. For the last year I have set spent $100 - $200 a month on school. It still equals out to the same amount we used to use from taxes. Now taxes are saved to go toward big items.

 

There have been years when I have done it for free, as I didn't have the extra income.

[briansmama]

We budget an annual chunk plus a monthly amount for each child (though the monthly usually goes directly to their classes and lessons). Sometimes I use our house budget for art/craft supplies and books throughout the year.

[LMD]

I don't budget - I just buy :ph34r:

[MommaOfalotta]

I definitely think we will start taking a chunk out of tax returns, that way I wont feel so strapped later on. Also I want to start shopping earlier so I can get an idea of how much $$ it will be... then we can make sure and put a little back out of each check.

[Aurelia]

I buy a piece here and a piece there, no set amount put aside unless I'm saving up for a specific curriculum. Schooling year-round is advantageous this way, we aren't always finishing everything at once and suddenly having to buy the next level of everything.

[Holly]

I used to use some of our tax refund...then DH got another job and our tax refund disappeared. I buy things as needed. DH prefers I make smaller purchases throughout the year. I try not to spend more than $50 on a paycheck (and I don't spend that on every paycheck). I sometimes spend more if I'm trying to save on shipping from a smaller company, but usually I order from Amazon or RR to get free shipping.

[redsquirrel]

about 1,000 per year. So far I haven't needed that per child because my younger son has been fine with 'handmedown" curriculum. Well, I guess I need SM workbooks and his science equipment etc, but the lions's share of the $$ goes on the elder child. We don't budget it. So far, the $ comes from our income tax refund.

 

I do buy the occasional workbook or teacher's guide during the year and I just buy that when I have the cash.

[Loowit]

I should set aside money each month, but I never do. Since DH is paid weekly, we have a few months with an "extra" check. I use this to buy what I need for most of the year. If I see something fun at other times I just look to see if we can swing it. This school year was tough because DH lost his job just before we were going to buy our books. We ended up piecing stuff together and are making it work. Typically I will figure out what I want and work from there if it will cost too much.

[Bear23]

I don't budget. I am not good at budgets and more than likely never will be. I have a certain amout a month to do with what I please. This is trips for the kids, curriclum, books, or whatever. So I guess that is a budget but I don't allot anything towards just school. I have 90% of what my younger ones need and need to buy new for my oldest. This year I am purchasing more used than new which makes my husband easy. Usually my husband does get me a good amt from tax returns but our returns normally go to a family trip.

[Shelsi]

We budget $50 per paycheck (paid bi-weekly) for curriculum & supplies. I also budget for homeschool classes & activities separately.

[Parrothead]

So far for the 13-14 school your I've spent $600.00. That is about average.

[Melenie]

I budget $500 per school year for curriculum and school related items. For 2013-2014, I have spent just under $250 for 1st and 4th grade, although the 1st grader is mostly using her sister's old curriculum; I did have to by her the consumable work books, but I already had the teacher texts. Stationary, paper, printer ink etc. I buy with what is left over from the $500 on an as needed basis.

 

For books we use the library and paperbackswap.com. Over the last 4 years I have collected many of the additional WTM recs. from paperbackswap (for the elementary years) and by the time we need them they are in our home library waiting to be used. The cost of these are not included in my budget, I get them as they become available.

 

Normally around Feb. DH gets an extra paycheck or we get a tax refund and I use that money. I am sure the amount will go up as the kids get older, but so far I have been able to keep it all under $500.

[boscopup]

DH sets aside a certain amount (equivalent to what we were paying for private school) each month in a savings account. What I buy comes out of that amount, but the rest is being saved for college (or for private school if someone wants/needs to go back for some reason).

[LucyStoner]

We get to order the first $400 worth via the homeschool center. Anymore than that just comes from our discretionary spending or from the PayPal I get from selling stuff we are done with. When he is older, I imagine we will spend more and set aside x amount per year.

[MinivanMom]

I budget a yearly amount. I generally spend it all in one big chuck at the beginning of the summer. I pay for standardized testing in May (required in our state), order all of our new curriculum in June, and stock up on school supplies when they go on sale in July. I try very hard to plan well, so that I don't have to buy anything during the rest of the year.

[jujsky]

Last year we used part of our tax return to set up a school supplies budget for that year, and then we took that amount, divided it by 12, and started saving that amount of money each month.

[mommymilkies]

We use our tax money. I think so far I've spent $600 for 5 kids which includes stuff that will last through all of my kids. I will have to go actually add that up to check. A large portion of that was picture books and reading books (ebay) that will last us another decade at least. I did sell a bunch of stuff to buy some of this, too. I still have a couple of things to buy, but I'm about done.

[Sahamamama]

We have a separate account solely for homeschooling. It gets an automatic deposit each paycheck (each week). I can purchase school-related materials, subscriptions, and supplies throughout the year with this account. I like having a separate account for only homeschool purchases, and I like that this account is "mine" to use for homeschooling. My husband and I discuss stuff all the time, but I don't get permission to buy things. I think it's more about the trust than the amount.

 

A memory from my childhood: When my dad was working, he needed at times to buy tools, special work boots (big purchase), work clothes, thermal overalls, a thermos, a metal lunch box, a hard hat, and so on. I remember my parents discussing the "work boot money." :) They actually had a category in their budget for my father's work costs! I asked about this. They laughed and said, "Sometimes we spend money to make money." That has stayed with me all these years. When his boots wore out, he needed new ones, or he'd lose his toes (or his job).

 

I'm sure I won't lose my toes without X or Y or Z resource, but I need a certain minimum in my "tool box," KWIM? When my husband opened a separate, automatic-deposit account for our homeschool, I knew he was taking our work seriously. HTH.

[Mommy2BeautifulGirls]

I buy a piece here and a piece there, no set amount put aside unless I'm saving up for a specific curriculum. Schooling year-round is advantageous this way, we aren't always finishing everything at once and suddenly having to buy the next level of everything.

 

:iagree:

 

I have the advantage of being able to purchase things as my girls get near the end of what they are using. For example, my oldest is about to begin the last chapter of her GWG, so I will order the next one in a couple weeks. However, my other daughter is just starting the program, so we won't have to order her next level for quite a while. This have been very convenient for us.

 

However, I like the idea of taking a chunk of tax money and setting it aside for use throughout the year. I think $1000 would cover our curricula and our co-op expenses for the year.

[Carrie12345]

This will probably be the last year we have a tax return that will cover the bulk of our hs budget, so we'll be starting a monthly savings for the '13-14 school year this summer.

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

For most of the 20yrs we have homeschooled our school money came from Tax refunds. Other things I do is sell our old curriculum, this helps with the cost of new.

One year I did set aside $100 a month for school, but I found I would dip into it to buy supplies and the occasional mid year curriculum change so my goal to save $1200 for the year did not happen.

The last two years I just stagger my purchases from January to July...giving hubby an estimate in January on how much total I will need for the up coming school year in July. I just purchase some each month or when I get money in paypal from a sale on my curriculum. This has been going good so far.

[happypamama]

I definitely think we will start taking a chunk out of tax returns, that way I wont feel so strapped later on. Also I want to start shopping earlier so I can get an idea of how much $$ it will be... then we can make sure and put a little back out of each check.

 

 

Part of the reason I start looking around February is because there are some big conferences around here in May, with used curriculum sales and/or vendor booths where they have great deals (and no shipping), so if I plan to buy at any of those sales, I want to know in plenty of time (and March and April are usually very busy at our house, with birthdays/company, co-op, spring events, etc.). We usually finish up our school year around mid-May as well, so then I have a good six weeks or so to look through the new materials, plan anything that's not open-and-go (and even get a feel for how many times a week we do want to do open-and-go materials), so that I feel prepared and ready to hit the road running, come July 1 when our new year starts. I've got some of next year's materials already and am looking at how many days some of them will take, so that I can get an idea for how many pages I should expect each day for the grammar, etc. You might check about when the used curriculum sales are in your area.

[DawnM]

I put $100/mo into an ING account. It is automatically withdrawn.

 

We have some other funds we can use if needed as well.

[a27mom]

Well we are frugal and have always lived on less than we make so there is always money available.

 

However, in our district (in IL) public school is not free. Registration, book rental, and workbook cost is well over $100. Once you add in the activity fee, p.e. uniform, teachers gifts, class parties etc...it is definitely in the $200 range or more (this is for k-5, it gets more expensive as you get to middle school/high school) so I figure I get about $200 per student for curriculum. I probably spend less than that. School supplies we would have to buy anyway. But I do suggest to family and friends that craft supplies, fun workbooks etc... make good birthday gifts. We also recommend specific "fun" school books (like science encyclopedias, magic school bus) as birthday gifts.

 

We have a used curriculum store. We have a lot of homeschoolers in our area so I shop garage sales for books and curriculum as well. I have found some great deals (SOTW 1 book and activity book, brand new for $10!)

[cagirlintexas]

We are very lucky. We are overseas in Qatar and my husband's company covers schooling cost although honestly not having access to a library sucks. No matter how many books I buy its never enough. A large portion of our homeschool budget goes to books.

[Jerico]

We are using our state return for curriculum- $321. Any supplies/copies will have to come from my grocery budget. No extracurriculars, no money for it.