ReidFamily Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 (edited) This is my first year but I've all ready made quite a few blunders. Since I had no personal experience I made a lot of purchases based off of suggestions or based off of amazing reviews only to get them in my hands and realize we just can't use them yet or I don't care for them. At first I thought, I'll keep them for the next kids or *in case* we need them. After reading this thread they're going back pronto! Thankfully most of my purchases have been on Amazon.com where things are cheaper and Amazon has an amazing return policy. I am returning the following today: History Pockets - Ancient Civilizations (there are plenty of activities in the SOTW activity guide we have and we can barely find enough time for all of the additional reading and activities in that so I know we'll never get to this). Blackline Maps of World History Complete Set 5000BC-present with CD Rom: This seems like an amazing resource to have but right now all the maps we need are in the SOTW activity guide. Maybe I'll buy this again someday but right now it would be $30 just sitting on a shelf for how many years? The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading: Bought it based on recommendations from other and to have two resources for teaching reading. We own Phonics Pathways after checking it out from the library and loving it. After looking this over I don't like the layout at all. I'm sure it's good as far as content but Phonics Pathways is working great for us. The Kingfisher First Human Body Encyclopedia: Bought based off of WTM recommendations but we are using Elemental Science Biology which recommends a different text. So, sending this back. Green Thumbs: A Kid's Activity Guide to Indoor and Outdoor Gardening Returning for the exact same reason as the First Human Body text. Bought based off of WTM but ES recommends different texts and thumbing through it I know we'll never work on these on our own. There is just not enough time in a day. The best news? It only costs me $7 to return all of these books with a prepaid label I printed off Amazon. I just drop it off at any UPS location and they take $7 out of my refund. I'd much rather waste $7 with a no hassle return than regret all of it sitting on my shelf. Shipping to me was free since I have a prime account with them. So I am only out the $7 all together and the return is no questions asked. Highly recommend Amazon. However, be aware if you don't buy directly through amazon (meaning you purchase an item for a vendor via amazon) returns are more difficult. I'm sure we won't wind up using one of the three math programs we have and tons of other things but luckily I've received all those items for free at a local homeschool give away function. Oh, Handwriting Without Tears is another one I was going to use and now I am getting rid of. My daughter wanted to do italic instead, which I prefer too. Edited October 28, 2010 by ReidFamily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Wizards Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 We loved Sequential Spelling! it was perfect for a dyslexic child! Yes, with that one I should have mentioned that it's not the program itself, just that it wasn't right for us. My daughter is an incredible speller and really doesn't need a program. It's still on the shelves though, so maybe one of my other kids will use it, who knows? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 classical writing and video text math were my two huge $ mistakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsy Type Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 I've been homeschooling for 4 years, and the list of unused stuff is too long to mention. :glare: I'm a curriculum junkie, and things often don't work out. This year we ended up not using/liking Winter Promises Hideaways In History. It's because I wanted to tweak the Sonlight Core I was using, and it really ended up being too much hassle to use both. I also have SOTW book 2 that I am not really using because I am using SL's Core 2. The activity pages do work for many things, though. Then there are the workbooks that people have given me or I use for extra work. A whole shelf of them. :tongue_smilie: I also bought Math U See and never used it. I can't seem to get rid of it, on the chance that my youngest might need it. Ugh. I really need to let go, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi {AK} Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 Surprisingly, Sonlight P4/5 didn't work for us. I know a lot of people love it, but DD4 got too scared by the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Just about everything I have ever bought has been returned and some rebought and then returned again. I can't seem to find our groove. Glad I am not the only one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
workingmom Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 spent a lot and it didn't work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirowife Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 Rosetta Stone Spanish levels 1,2,and 3! The company (sonlight) did take it back and I got all but $20.00 back. Lifepack Language Arts - did 3 pages and YUCK, SOS 5th grade history - BORING, Abeka World History. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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