Cost of Homeschooling

[Guest 4boys]

I was just wondering if anyone cares to share, how much you typically spend on curriculum every year? And does the price of a certain program help you determine whether you use it or not or do you just go for what you want and love, no matter the cost?

 

This past weekend I just added up what I'd spent on books and curriculum for the upcoming year and :001_huh:..... I might share the number if someone else has spent the ridiculous amount that I have. :D

[LisaKinVA]

Oh my, this year, for everything total (three children 4th, 1st, & K) we're around $3,500. I do have K12 right now (everything for th 4th, and about 1/2 for my 1st). That adds up quick.

 

Unfortunately, I have a feeling, that with some special classes coming up, that number isn't going to go down too much, no matter what I do (we'll probably be abandoning K12 for the oldest once he hits HS classes. I just can't swallow THAT price tag).:tongue_smilie:

[Jean in Newcastle]

I think there have been polls in the past on how much people spend on curriculum (you might do a search for them).

 

I spend about $500 per year on curriculum. Much of my curriculum I get used. That also includes art supplies, copy paper and field trips. I also use the library extensively. Our history is a literature based one so many of the books are regular library books.

[mysticamethyst]

For us this year with 4 kiddlets to get stuff for and to do, about $2000. Judging from the other thread about how much it is costing to send just one child to school I would say we are ahead and our kids(home schooled sweeties) will be better off for it.

[Mekanamom]

When we schooled independently, I spent ~1k/child/year. And another $10/month for our Cosmeo subscription. So about $3120/year for our core, and then a little extra on supplements too.

 

That really isn't too bad considering that it would cost $10k/child/year to send them to private school. ;)

 

But... saving $ where we can and still providing a good education... we are using K12 through a charter school this year, and plan to stick with it. So technically, we're paying for the curriculum with our taxes instead of out of pocket.

 

It's going to make quite a big difference not directly paying for the curriculum out of pocket. I do spend money on supplements as needed, Cosmeo, various supplies like printer ink and paper, etc. We will also be going on field trips with the charter school, and that can really add up.

 

LOL, I am actually counting the Wii Fit as a homeschool expense since it will be our (required) PE program in the winter. :D

 

I'm going to estimate between $500-$1000 on out of pocket expenses. I've already spent $200 on a new printer and the Wii Fit.

[Desert Rat]

For a kindergartener and 3rd grade about $650 but we have a great library at our disposal. That doesn't include field trips or science supplies that might come up.

[Alenee]

I would say we were around $2000 this year. I hemmed and hawwed over buying both TOG and IEW but I finally broke and bought them. Dh is very supportive of curriculum that can be passed down to each kid so when he sees a big number he asks, "Well, can we use it again? Then buy it!" I LOVE him! :D

[OnTheBrink]

I think I've spent close to $800 this year on one child. That's not even counting music class, sewing class and PE class. I bought used and new items.

[Tracey in TX]

5 children:

Approx $1500 for curriculum

$4500 music lessons

$1000/semester for science class

allocate $500 for field trips

and gobs more on sports...

[Brindee]

I think I spent around $1000 for 2 for this coming year. Part of that will go into the next year too, though. There's no way we can get through everything I got this year!:blush: Oops, I forgot music lessons cost--that'll be another about $1200! But it's very worth it!

 

I sold curriculum that I was no longer using, and bought much of this year's curric. used.

[mommaduck]

I used to spend about $300-$600 on 3 children. This year it's about $1500 on 5 children. The reasons range from more children to the fact that courses cost more for jr and high school type courses.

[Danestress]

We spend an embarrassing amount of money on music lessons, and sports (one son plays tennis, one is a competitive swimmer).

 

If you don't include those items and just want to know what we spend on curricula and materials, I would say about $2000 a year for the two of them ($1000 each). But I buy what I want. Not every single thing, but if I really want to use a certain math or science program, I just do it, and I don't buy a lot of used materials. I could certainly do it cheaper if I really had to.

[Dayle in Guatemala]

When we had a library, my costs were extremely low. I would spend roughly $500/year for 3 kids.

 

Now, because there's no library or friends to split expenses on things like microscopes and things,we buy everything ouselves.

 

I now budget about $1500/year for 3 kids. I buy as much used as I can, and I pass down my curriculum from one child to another to save costs. We do history together so that saves. I don't have access to co-ops or group teaching situations so I have to buy what will work for us. I spend money on books, science, and math. The rest I can do for relatively cheap.

[clwcain]

The only time I worry about cost is when it approaches what a decent school in my area runs. And we're nowhere near that, even factoring in the imputed value of my wife's time spent as teacher. :D

 

I've never found it helpful, personally, to worry. It is what it is. For the quality of education it's still significantly cheaper than public, private, or parochial schools would be.

 

Now, if we had circumstances that dictated we had to put our kids in school, that changes the equation. But I'll burn that bridge when I come to it. ;)

[Guest 4boys]

Wow!! Ok, now I don't feel all that bad. Here I thought my $460 on Gr. 1 and pre-K was ridiculous. I am glad to know that I am not so crazy after all! And I am buying all my read-alouds because I don't have a library to use. Thanks for making me feel better!

[ereks mom]

Almost all of our homeschooling materials have been bought used or borrowed from friends, found free online, or checked out from the public library. In spite of the fact that we spend so little, my dc are very well-educated. ER graduated this year with a 4.0 high school GPA, and his first-choice college awarded him quite a bit of merit aid and invited him to join their honors program.

[Sweetpeach]

Last year I spent much less.

 

This year around $600 for all 3 kids.

 

I can't imagine spending $1000's . . . per child, but maybe. Who know's.

[Renee in NC]

I spent about $800 so far and will spend another $150 or so before it is over. I have 4 dc homeschooling this year.

[Jenny in Florida]

. . . and possibly a poll, too. But I can't find either one just now.

 

I have just one at home this year, my 10-year-old son. And, although I have managed to spend much less in the past (and more for one memorable year), I'm coming in at right around $500 for him this year.

 

This is just curriculum and does not include any outside classes or activities (music lessons, dance classes, choir tuition, etc.).

 

It includes purchased books and resources for the following subjects:

 

Math Supplements

History/Literature

English/Writing/Grammar

Science

Latin

Spanish

Greek

Logic (light)

 

He will be using free, online resources for:

 

Math (University of California College Prep open access Algebra 1)

Geography (Florida Virtual School)

Art (Florida Virtual School)

 

I spend another almost $300 per month on outside activities.

[siloam]

In the neighborhood of $2000. I am able to get most my first choice programs, but I often do so by buying used.

 

And we have no library access.

 

Heather

[dawn of ns]

I'm up to about $500 for both kids I think. That's actually more that I usually spend but my daughters getting older and doing more. I have had some luck though that helped me keep the figure down. I was giving Classical Writing Aesop for free and found MUS Foundation and Intermediate for $70. All my new purchases have been read alouds and reference books from Amazon or inexpensive stuff life Life of Fred and Singapore Math.

[anissarobert]

What a fun thread! I'm going to show it to my dh, because this year had included a big jump for us $ wise.

 

We are going into our 10th year of homeschooling and I usually spend about $500 on curriculum and books. This year though we are going to at least double that due to my oldest taking Latin on line and my youngest starting PreK-K. My oldest is starting 9th, and it seems that everything costs more for high school. I have been buying ahead as I find things used and I have many things in reserve, so I hope to keep things under control. The online classes will have to be pretty minimal at $450 each.

 

In order to home school I have to be pretty frugal. The good part about that is I get to learn the material in order to teach it. The bad part, you all know already-lack of time!

[newbie]

This should make dh feel real good. I just spent 5700.00 for dd to go to K12 International Academy(that is with discount). I think I have lost all my senses.

 

Fortunately the K12 program below high school is palatable.

 

This might be only year she attends, unless they do flips and mail me Sees chocolate every month.

 

Jet

[Erica in PA]

Our cost varies... but I've never spent more than $100- $150 on our oldest (7th grade), and I spend considerably less on the younger two (2nd and 1st grade) because I can reuse what I used with my oldest. This year for the three I'm probably spending about $200 total.

 

I definitely consider cost when choosing our materials. I won't buy something simply because it's inexpensive, but there is not usually a very pressing reason for me to use a truly expensive program. Usually I can find something less expensive that will achieve the same result.

 

I don't buy general reading books, though, which can really add up. We go to the library all the time, and my kids get books for their birthdays and Christmas, but that's about it.

 

Erica

[Mom to Aly]

I have to keep cost in mind when buying curricula, but haven't really come across something I totally loved and wouldn't buy because it was too expensive, as I don't do whole course curricula, preferring single subjects. I was still surprised to find I spent over $250 on this year's curricula, and still have a bit to buy. I have spent a good deal more in the past, though, so this is still good. The only thing I bought new this year is math.

[Kris]

I was just wondering if anyone cares to share, how much you typically spend on curriculum every year? And does the price of a certain program help you determine whether you use it or not or do you just go for what you want and love, no matter the cost?

 

This past weekend I just added up what I'd spent on books and curriculum for the upcoming year and :001_huh:..... I might share the number if someone else has spent the ridiculous amount that I have. :D

 

It's more than I want to think about. I totaled it up a year or so ago (trying to figure out where all our money was going) and it was quite a bit. Our library is worthless. I'm always a tad jealous about people who are able to find such great stuff there.

 

I wouldn't mind so much except so many people, my Dad especially, think that it's cheap to do it -- that it costs less to homeschool our son because he doesn't need to fill a supply list or have all that "back to school" stuff. I guess he thinks books grow on trees!

 

Wait . . .

 

:D

[Pink Fairy]

I like these threads because they remind me that we can always do it cheaper if we need to and still do a good job. We happen to be a family that spends a few thousand out of pocket and receives about $6000 from our charter school--this is for 4 dc. I'm realizing more and more that hsing is just like anything else, and you can get "granite countertops" or "laminate countertops", but the real question is "Can you cook?" And hopefully the answer is yes, whether you spend a little or a lot.

[Guest 4boys]

I guess I was under the impression that public school would be cheaper but it makes sense that it's definitely not. And even if it were, it's so worth the money to keep the kids at home. I am hoping my bills get cheaper for the next couple years because I want to re-use whatever is possible to re-use and I am putting tons of read-aloud books on the boys' Christmas lists. And buying used would also help quite a bit.

[Sweetpeach]

[quote name=Jenny in Florida;445675

He will be using free' date=' online resources for:

 

Math (University of California College Prep open access Algebra 1)

Geography (Florida Virtual School)

Art (Florida Virtual School)

 

I spend another almost $300 per month on outside activities.

 

Hi there, your free art from Florida Virtual School has left me intrigued -- can you tell me more?

 

We use a free math curriculum!

 

TIA,

Tricia

[Parrothead]

I don't count outside lessons as part of school because I'd have her go if she were in PS or at home. To me that is just part of the cost of up-bringing.

 

For school I try to keep it at $500.00 I think this year it might end up being closer to $600. We have no library and I have to buy all our books. I prefer to buy new because the couple times I've bought used, my idea of "excellent" or "very good" hasn't been the seller's idea of "excellent" or "very good."

 

Okay I didn't think I'd spent $500 yet. So I checked the statements and such. This year for 4th grade I've spent $250.04 for school. I've still got to get FLL4 teacher and workbooks, and latin. That may end up being another $100-150 depending on if I get the DVD set with the Latin. Oh, and MUS Delta when we finish with Gamma. I should come in under budget this year.

 

When January rolls around I'm going to start buying $100 worth of materials a month until August.

[Scuff]

About $700-800 total for curriculum for 3. (but one is pre-school, thus a very small portion.) Yes, cost is a factor. Though some things are worth the expense.

[Mekanamom]

Deleted... double post!

[TwinMominTX]

This includes books, curriculum, enrichment activities (i.e. co-ops, extra curricular activites/lessons) and field trips, etc.

[sweetbaby]

I would say about $1500 to $1700 a year for five. I try to watch costs so I narrow it down to what we actually need and not what I want or luxuries which we could actually manage without for the time.

[suzf242]

Kindergarten last year was about $75 - Rod and Staff. For first this year, probably $100 to $150 - Rod & Staff / Spanish / AO / Singapore.

 

Suzanne.

[gandpsmommy]

Right now we spend about $600 in curriculum for one child.

[Renee in NC]

This includes books, curriculum, enrichment activities (i.e. co-ops, extra curricular activites/lessons) and field trips, etc.

 

If I had this, I would spend it!:D Music lessons, field trips, enrichment classes, Spanish tutor, etc...

[mommylawyer]

I've spent about $1000 for both kids. But (I feel as though I have to justify, if only for my own peace of mind) many of my purchases are non-consumable texts and other books to build up our library and I'll be able to get use out of them in the future.

 

The variety of lessons will be an additional $1500 through next July.

[Rosy]

Last year we spent around $300-400 for the year, including school supplies. But that was for a 1st, K and pre-schooler. This year I actually got a lot of stuff at a used curriculum sale, so I'll probably have spent $120 by the time we start school and then maybe $50 more throughout the year if we finish books, etc. Co-op almost pays for itself for us since I teach, I think I end up spending $100 a semester. Lessons will be where we take a big hit, depending on what we do--I'd like to do swimming for DD7, scouts for DS6 and dance for DD4 and DD3, but we'll see.

[Mrs Mungo]

I typically spend around $1200 for my 3. However, I have most of what the younger kids needed for the year since we've homeschooled all along. I mostly just need student books/worksheets for them (although I did switch them to Math U See this year). So, most of that is going to eldest.

[newlifemom]

Up until today I had spent about 1000 for 3 children. Then I registered for classical conversations and added about 2000 to my total. In my defense alot of the cirriculum I had to buy for this program is non consumable and will be used again but this is by far the most expensive hsing year I have had to date. I am excited about the program though:D.

[dawn of ns]

I guess I was under the impression that public school would be cheaper but it makes sense that it's definitely not. And even if it were, it's so worth the money to keep the kids at home. I am hoping my bills get cheaper for the next couple years because I want to re-use whatever is possible to re-use and I am putting tons of read-aloud books on the boys' Christmas lists. And buying used would also help quite a bit.

 

Oh heck. When we started homeschooling we were barely above the poverty line. One of the reliefs of deciding to homeschool was that I wouldn't have to spend money on fees, supplies, clothes, lunches, etc. School has fixed expenses but with homeschooling it can be as variable as you need it to be.

[Amy loves Bud]

$750-800 per year for the two kids. It seems a pretty consistent number for me. I feel like I'm always low compared to others here, but I am pretty generous with myself as I'm not consistent enough with the library.

[Mrs Mungo]

$750-800 per year for the two kids. It seems a pretty consistent number for me. I feel like I'm always low compared to others here, but I am pretty generous with myself as I'm not consistent enough with the library.

 

Really? I feel pretty middle of the road and my number is in line with your own as far as cost per kid goes. Maybe we should ask "how much do you spend per hsing student?" Because there are times I think "wow, that's expensive" but then realize that person has more kids than I do. eta: also, some people add in enrichment, sports, art supplies, museum memberships and the like and others don't (I don't because we'd do those anyway). We need some standard like "on average how much do you spend per child on curricula alone?"

[Amy loves Bud]

Really? I feel pretty middle of the road and my number is in line with your own as far as cost per kid goes. Maybe we should ask "how much do you spend per hsing student?" Because there are times I think "wow, that's expensive" but then realize that person has more kids than I do. eta: also, some people add in enrichment, sports, art supplies, museum memberships and the like and others don't (I don't because we'd do those anyway). We need some standard like "on average how much do you spend per child on curricula alone?"

 

You're right. I guess I'm always surprised at how many spend $1500 and higher, higher, higher. But you're right, number of kids and what's included make the ranges very big. I never include extracurriculars because we would do them even if we were in public school.

[Jenny in Florida]

Hi there, your free art from Florida Virtual School has left me intrigued -- can you tell me more?

 

We use a free math curriculum!

 

TIA,

Tricia

 

. . . we live in Florida and are registered with our local district.

 

So, we have access to all of Florida Virtual School's courses for free.

 

The art my son wants to take is their middle school Orientation to Art 2-D class. It's one semester.

 

Here's a link to the course description: http://www.flvs.net/students_parents/VSACourseDetail.php?CourseID=80

[mommaduck]

Yes, you really do have to take several factors into consideration. My children do not have formal sports, dance, or piano (or other instrumental) lessons. However, I have many children. This year we also added Latin (by video...Latin for Children), an Art History program, a Music History & Theory program, a computer math program (Teaching Textbooks), and Omnibus I (for my oldest). These have significantly upped my costs along with purchase of other reading books (the library just isn't convenient). Averaged out, it's around $300 per child...more than I've ever spent before, but with many reusable items to be passed down later.

 

However, I have also acquired many things for free online. This is saves us quite a bit.

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

when thinking about the costs of homeschooling.

 

We probably spend about $300-$600/yr on curricula for two children. As we approach middle school, I'm sure that number will increase (cc, science gear, perhaps DVD based math and more IEW). I am blessed to live a few miles from a wonderful library.

 

I think it's a bargain to home school compared to all the money that parents of ps'rs are expected to come up with throughout the year.

 

Back-to-school school supplies run about $90 per child (asked my best friend, mom of 4). Middle schools require $25 fee for gym clothes. Then there is the fund-raising throughout the year (jams, jellies, candy, pizzas, wrapping paper) and teacher's gifts.

 

Then there's "school clothes." My dc get new sweats every fall and one pair of jeans. Mom's of ps'r have to buy 5+ pairs of jeans, new dressy shirts and shoes. I know my bf spent at least $200 per kid on new clothes last fall.

 

Like I said, home schooling is a bargain.

 

Just my .02

K

[Prairie~Phlox]

So far I've spent about 336.00 for the whole year (Jan-now) I'm done ordering for the fall, we'll have about $50.00 in co-op fees & some field trip fees. I have more budgeted, but we really can't afford to spend more, so I'm watching things more closely. I looked and last years totals were about $426.00

We don't do any outside lessons, if we had the money I would have dd in piano.

Phlox

[Lizzie in Ma]

We usually spend about $1000 on 2 dc. This year we began the BJU science courses on dvd and that is a huge chunk for us but well worth it.