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Build Your Bundle sale!!!

smarson

By smarson,
in K-8 Curriculum Board

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pamela722

pamela722

Posted
Posted

The link is vague because the bundles aren't revealed until the sale starts. I will say, it is an amazing sale if you use anything in the bundles. Last year was my first and I bought 3 bundles and got so many bonuses as well.  Loads of well known curricula in the sale. I make sure I'm on the mailing list. 

 

If you sign up for the enter to win, you will get you own link. They give you a special link so you can get as many people to sign up and whoever gets the most sign ups wins all the bundles. 

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katiad

katiad

Posted
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I bought two bundles last year - fabulous deals. I've been waiting for it since January! Last year, there were several curriculum bundles geared to different grade levels, a secular bundle, a charlotte mason bundle, bundles geared toward girls or boys alone, a mom bundle... The curriculum, from what I understand, can vary year to year, but last year there were items from Barefoot Ragamuffin (English Lessons Through Literature, Reading Lessons Through Literature, etc.), Duct Tape Warfare books, Write From History, etc. 

 

I did some searching, and found a link with some details from the 2015 sale:  http://ichoosejoy.org/2015/05/24/2015-build-your-bundle-sale-the-details/  

It will be different this year, I imagine, but it might give people here an idea of what sorts of things to expect. 

 

I did not include my link here - I'm not in this for anything except buying for myself. :)

Edited by katiad
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kbutton

kbutton

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I always do this for Ellen McHenry as well. I use bits and pieces of other stuff I've gotten. Usually buying one or two books I want more than pays for whatever I stick in the rest of the bundle savings-wise, and I sometimes end up really liking something I threw in just to round out my selections.

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smarson

smarson

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I bought a couple of bundles last year.  I really wanted English Lessons Through Literature and I ended up getting lots of other great things as well!   We are LOVING the PictureSmart Bible as well as some of the character concepts items. 

 

Everything is digital downloads.

 

I have no idea about secular options.

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PentecostalMom

PentecostalMom

Posted
Posted

This sale is coming up next week!!!

Sign up here to enter to win all 15 bundles as the grand prize! http://www.buildyourbundle.net/promotions/giveaways/2016/?lucky=14729

 

I got some really great items from this sale last year and I've been patiently trying to wait for this to come around again this year!!!

Is this your affiliate link to get more entries to win?

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EmseB

EmseB

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Posted

Our first year of homeschooling I didn't know anything about this sale and put in my email address out of naivete. Three years later I'm still digging myself out of the massive amount of spam I get from all the companies involved. I get it is marketing and all, but it's so many companies and so many emails....just never again.

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Slache

Slache

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I get these emails, but don't understand what it all is. :) I guess i need to look into it more.

Look at the site after the sale begins. Then it will make sense. The only reason people are excited is because they understand the sale from previous years.

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Ruthie in MS

Ruthie in MS

Posted
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I have watched the sales since their first sale but never purchased a bundle. In previous years I couldn't stand the thought of ebook curriculum. Now I have so many physical book curricula that I'm seriously contemplating buying a tablet and using ebooks more.

To be honest though, the sale last year wasn't that exciting. The two previous sales were extremely tempting, but not last year. I don't know what they're going to do to keep the sales fresh and keep repeat customers but I'm willing to look at it this year with serious intent to buy a bundle. We'll see what happens.

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Momto4inSoCal

Momto4inSoCal

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I loved it last year. We are using Ellen Mchenry's Elements right now and the kids love it! I also bought some books I was interested in but not sure about. I like having physical books also but the this sale is so cheap I can buy it, try it out amd either buy a hard copy or print it. If I don't like it I haven't lost a ton of money.

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Um_2_4

Um_2_4

Posted
Posted

I bought 4 Ellen McHenry units (I owned the fifth already) and Quark Chronicles Zoology.

 

:laugh:  Pretty much what I did, but I had cells and elements, so I subbed an Amanda Bennet Unit study and a student planner (the minecraft one).

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Slache

Slache

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Well I'm not excited. Last year I got some things I had planned to buy anyway so I saw it as getting a bunch of stuff for free. I needed Reading and English Lessons Through Literature and walked away with a bunch of science and art resources including most of Ellen McHenry's stuff and Considering God's Creation. If I were to get a bundle it would be a build your own for $40.

 

All of Sir Cumference

Quark Chronicles Zoology

Mapping The World With Art

American Literature

Ellen McHenry's Cells

 

I just don't need any of it and $40 is a lot for something I don't need. I had hoped to get higher levels of Reading and English Lessons Through Literature. I guess not.

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HomeschoolingHearts&Minds

HomeschoolingHearts&Minds

Posted
Posted (edited)

I also found that the sale did not live up to the hype this year.  I took a chance and got the "mystery bundle."  With my 10% coupon it was only $9, so I thought I'd live dangerously.  I will probably use a couple things from it, but for the most part I was underwhelmed by the quality of the products in it.  Oh well.  I do not feel it is really worth anywhere near the $200+ value they are putting on it. 

 

eta:  I'll add that a few of the better things in the bundle are things I already own. ;)

Edited by HomeschoolingHearts&Minds
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RootAnn

RootAnn

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I got a custom bundle a couple years back, but didn't end up using more than bits and pieces. No interest this year.

 

One thing I think I remember is that there are better deals/ coupons near the end, so hold out. Some people get burned on buying and then find the deals get sweeter at the very end. Can someone confirm my memory?

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Slache

Slache

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I got a custom bundle a couple years back, but didn't end up using more than bits and pieces. No interest this year.

 

One thing I think I remember is that there are better deals/ coupons near the end, so hold out. Some people get burned on buying and then find the deals get sweeter at the very end. Can someone confirm my memory?

 

Last year I bought a bundle and as a thank you hey gave me half off another bundle after the sale ended.

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pamela722

pamela722

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I got some great deals last year. I was hoping to get level 3 or 4 of Reading Lessons Through Literature, but they didn't have the option of choosing the level and was only offering level 1. Also, the prices are higher and all the marketing was saying how they would have bigger and better bundles at lower prices. I felt there were some great digital products but the majority that is bulking up the bundles are products that are a few bucks.  I didn't really see the great math curriculum they were going to offer either. 

 

I did end up getting Elementary Bundle 1, Charlotte Mason bundle and the Upper Grade bundle 2 for $63, well worth it but could have down without the fluff. Also, the bonuses that you get with every purchase, nothing like last year, there were some amazing free stuff. This year is more coupons and discounts. 

 

 

 

 

 

I also found that the sale did not live up to the hype this year.  I took a chance and got the "mystery bundle."  With my 10% coupon it was only $9, so I thought I'd live dangerously.  I will probably use a couple things from it, but for the most part I was underwhelmed by the quality of the products in it.  Oh well.  I do not feel it is really worth anywhere near the $200+ value they are putting on it. 

 

eta:  I'll add that a few of the better things in the bundle are things I already own. ;)

 

I was thinking of getting the Mystery Bundle. Can you share what was in it? Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got a custom bundle a couple years back, but didn't end up using more than bits and pieces. No interest this year.

One thing I think I remember is that there are better deals/ coupons near the end, so hold out. Some people get burned on buying and then find the deals get sweeter at the very end. Can someone confirm my memory?

 

 

The only bonus last year was they extended the sale by one day and gave a half off any bundle for those who purchased a bundle already.

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HomeschoolingHearts&Minds

HomeschoolingHearts&Minds

Posted
Posted

Mystery Bundle contents---for those who would rather be surprised, I've put it in white text so you can scroll by without seeing it.  Just highlight it to read.

 

Spoiler below:

 

1. Their Blood Tingled: Junior High Literature and Writing with C. S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew from Writing with Sharon Watson ---must be new, there is no info on this on her site

 

2. Excavating English---this one is by Ellen McHenry's sister (if I recall correctly, I owned this one already) and you can see samples on her site.

 

3. Lewis & Clark Once a Week Study from Homeschool Legacy

 

4. Portfolios 101 from Amanda Bennett

 

5. 99 Fine Motor Ideas for Ages 1-5 by multiple authors---Nicely produced, but not anything I can use.

 

6. The Homemaking Series Bundle by Sheri Graham---this one is like 10 booklets packaged in one 500+ page plain jane pdf with NO table of contents.  Oi!

 

7. Keyboarding for the Christian School

 

8. Science in the Kitchen by Susan Stewart---This is not an open and go program, it is more along the lines of how to develop your own course.

 

9. Calendar Math Made Easy with Differentiated Calendar Books from Raki's Rad Resources

 

10. Expedition Short Vowels from Moms for Literacy---short early reading workbook

 

11. Antonym Ant Puzzles by Susan Brown---these are full-color 2-piece cards that you cut apart and then have the child put them back together.  The other sets are the same type of thing.  One set sells for like $2-3 on the gal's website.

 

12. Homonym Butterfly Puzzles by Susan Brown

 

13. Twenty-Five Days of Christmas Quotes for Copywork by Betty Eisenhour @ Peace Creek on the Prairie

 

14. Homophone Rabbit Puzzles by Susan Brown

 

15. Synonym Dinosaur Puzzles by Susan Brown

 

16. Character Trails Curriculum (includes flashcards and mp3s) from Character Concepts---I already owned a hard copy of this.

 

17. US National Parks and Historic Places Activity Pack and Game from Write Bonnie Rose

 

18. Set of various writing prompts ebooks from Write Bonnie Rose

 

19. Across the USA: Geography Printables for all 50 States by Annette Breedlove---each state is a separate file, so it's easy to navigate

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LEK

LEK

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I have been seriously thinking about getting some of the Ellen McHenry stuff for a while so I am thinking about getting a make your own bundle of 5 items to get those items, other than that nothing much I need. Every year I look but so far I have never bought a bundle, this may be the first year I buy

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kaxy

kaxy

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Posted

Thanks for the mystery TOC. I might get it to round out my collection of offerings sold by Ellen McHenry  :laugh: . Planning a build-5 with all of her offerings available, as I don't own any yet and I want them all. Part of me feels kinda guilty -- like what if I emailed her and offered her the full $25 instead of whatever fraction she'd get otherwise? Or is that just plain insulting.  :mellow:

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2_girls_mommy

2_girls_mommy

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Well, this is my first time to look into this.  I have to say I am tempted by the upper grades 2.  It includes music, which I need something for, but it is only American. It has finances for teens, a Geometry book, the Picture Bible and Bible Journal that I really like the looks of, a parenting book of teens.  We would use the Astronomy next year.  The cells looks nice, but we did Biology this year. So it would just sit on my computer.

 

I can't justify $30 for it. I like a couple of things in the Charlotte Mason and lots in the notebooking section, but I don't need it.  I can't do a Build your Own for $25 because 2 of the main things I want are over $20.  So I guess I am out. :(

 

I will try to remember this site for next year though before I make fun purchases.  I already bought some unneeded fun stuff from Rainbow Resource, Amazon, and convention this year.  I can't really justify any of this for stuff I don't really need. I will have to make do with some fun cheap stuff at an upcoming used sale.

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goldenecho

goldenecho

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Does anyone see anything they've bought before, and if so, what did you think of it? 

 

I'm really interested in the elementary 1 bundle...nearly everything there looks like something I could use BUT I'm wondering if I'm not better off looking on half.com for used books and saving on printer ink.

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Ruthie in MS

Ruthie in MS

Posted
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I have watched the sales since their first sale but never purchased a bundle. In previous years I couldn't stand the thought of ebook curriculum. Now I have so many physical book curricula that I'm seriously contemplating buying a tablet and using ebooks more.

To be honest though, the sale last year wasn't that exciting. The two previous sales were extremely tempting, but not last year. I don't know what they're going to do to keep the sales fresh and keep repeat customers but I'm willing to look at it this year with serious intent to buy a bundle. We'll see what happens.

 

Yes, people, I am commenting on my own comment.

Well, now that the sale is here I can pass my opinion. This year's sale makes me wish for the things that were in last year's sale! :lol:

However, the Homemaking bundle is intriguing and I MIGHT have enough interest in 5 products for a build your own bundle. I'm just not that enthusiastic about this year's sale. Also this Saturday is a used book sale by a local homeschool group. I may not have enough money left to buy anything from BYOB.

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pamela722

pamela722

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Posted

Does anyone see anything they've bought before, and if so, what did you think of it? 

 

I'm really interested in the elementary 1 bundle...nearly everything there looks like something I could use BUT I'm wondering if I'm not better off looking on half.com for used books and saving on printer ink.

 

Last year, I bought Reading Lessons Through Literature, actually, I got the first 2 levels and the English Lessons Level 1. Love this curriculum. Last year, we were given the option of choosing which level we wanted, this year, it's just the Reading Level 1, no option. That was a disappointment because I was wanting to get level 3 reading or level 2 of the English.  

 

I bought the Elementary Bundle 1, let me know if you have any questions about it.

 

I have a CISS on my printer and so it works out cheaper for me to print than to buy the book. Also, having the digital version means I can print for each of my children as they need it.  

 

 

 

Yes, people, I am commenting on my own comment.

Well, now that the sale is here I can pass my opinion. This year's sale makes me wish for the things that were in last year's sale! :lol:

However, the Homemaking bundle is intriguing and I MIGHT have enough interest in 5 products for a build your own bundle. I'm just not that enthusiastic about this year's sale. Also this Saturday is a used book sale by a local homeschool group. I may not have enough money left to buy anything from BYOB.

 

 

I would choose the used book sale by a homeschool group over the BYOB!!! lol. I agree though, not enthusiastic at all about this year's sale even though I did get a few bundles. It just feels very fluffed up by Teachers Pay Teachers bits. Not that that is a bad thing but they lowered the price and added way too much fluff. 

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pamela722

pamela722

Posted
Posted

Mystery Bundle contents---for those who would rather be surprised, I've put it in white text so you can scroll by without seeing it.  Just highlight it to read.

 

Spoiler below:

 

1. Their Blood Tingled: Junior High Literature and Writing with C. S. Lewis' The Magician's Nephew from Writing with Sharon Watson ---must be new, there is no info on this on her site

 

2. Excavating English---this one is by Ellen McHenry's sister (if I recall correctly, I owned this one already) and you can see samples on her site.

 

3. Lewis & Clark Once a Week Study from Homeschool Legacy

 

4. Portfolios 101 from Amanda Bennett

 

5. 99 Fine Motor Ideas for Ages 1-5 by multiple authors---Nicely produced, but not anything I can use.

 

6. The Homemaking Series Bundle by Sheri Graham---this one is like 10 booklets packaged in one 500+ page plain jane pdf with NO table of contents.  Oi!

 

7. Keyboarding for the Christian School

 

8. Science in the Kitchen by Susan Stewart---This is not an open and go program, it is more along the lines of how to develop your own course.

 

9. Calendar Math Made Easy with Differentiated Calendar Books from Raki's Rad Resources

 

10. Expedition Short Vowels from Moms for Literacy---short early reading workbook

 

11. Antonym Ant Puzzles by Susan Brown---these are full-color 2-piece cards that you cut apart and then have the child put them back together.  The other sets are the same type of thing.  One set sells for like $2-3 on the gal's website.

 

12. Homonym Butterfly Puzzles by Susan Brown

 

13. Twenty-Five Days of Christmas Quotes for Copywork by Betty Eisenhour @ Peace Creek on the Prairie

 

14. Homophone Rabbit Puzzles by Susan Brown

 

15. Synonym Dinosaur Puzzles by Susan Brown

 

16. Character Trails Curriculum (includes flashcards and mp3s) from Character Concepts---I already owned a hard copy of this.

 

17. US National Parks and Historic Places Activity Pack and Game from Write Bonnie Rose

 

18. Set of various writing prompts ebooks from Write Bonnie Rose

 

19. Across the USA: Geography Printables for all 50 States by Annette Breedlove---each state is a separate file, so it's easy to navigate

I just wanted to say thank you so much for doing this for us. 

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mellifera33

mellifera33

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Posted

Mystery Bundle contents---for those who would rather be surprised, I've put it in white text so you can scroll by without seeing it.  Just highlight it to read.

 

Spoiler below:

 

 

 

Thank you for this--the mystery bundle contains several things I want, and some bits and pieces that we can use as filler, so I'll be picking it up. :)

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Slache

Slache

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Does anyone see anything they've bought before, and if so, what did you think of it?

 

We like Reading Lessons Through Literature and English Lessons Through Literature. We also bought Ellen McHenry's Sciences, but I've only looked through them, not use them. I do like the look of them and plan to use them.

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MistyMountain

MistyMountain

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Posted

It says the Ellen McHenry stuff takes 6-8 weeks. Is that doing it every day or a like 2 or 3 days a week? I see 4 of her things Cells, Protozoa, Botany and The Elements is that current? Where do you find the info on the other stuff? I saw something that sounds like my son might like but I wanted to read about it more and it was not easy to find on google.

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kbutton

kbutton

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I agree though, not enthusiastic at all about this year's sale even though I did get a few bundles. It just feels very fluffed up by Teachers Pay Teachers bits. Not that that is a bad thing but they lowered the price and added way too much fluff. 

 

I did a build my own, and I didn't like the "fluff" either. It looked and sounded great, but when I opened my files, I was disappointed. For just a dollar or two different, I could have purchased the two Upper Grade bundles and had all I wanted, instead of picking and choosing between a couple of similar offerings. I opted for one bundle to cut down on all the extra stuff I might not use, but it would have been better to do it that way.

 

If you are first-time buyer who doesn't already have a lot of what's being offered by Ellen McHenry or other highly regarded stuff, there really is a lot of good stuff. If you are a return buyer, not so much.

 

I felt like the original prices for some of the TPT options and other "fluff" was not worth the stated retail price compared to things i bought last year with similar prices. I was VERY happy with the things I got last year. 

 

I am not sorry I bought a bundle, but I wish I had been able to see more samples of the fluff so that I could've opted for the two Upper Grade bundles instead. Take home lesson for me: the selling site probably doesn't have samples because the product has very few pages, and even then, it might be click on this link, watch the video, and then fill out this notebooking page. Not to be harsh, but that's not what I envisioned by the descriptions when I read about those options. 

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kaxy

kaxy

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Posted

It says the Ellen McHenry stuff takes 6-8 weeks. Is that doing it every day or a like 2 or 3 days a week? I see 4 of her things Cells, Protozoa, Botany and The Elements is that current? Where do you find the info on the other stuff? I saw something that sounds like my son might like but I wanted to read about it more and it was not easy to find on google.

 

 

http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/ Go to her site and you can click on "store" and then the program of interest to read more description and to see samples

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