When do you start purchasing for the next year?

[mom of 2 boys]

I think that I have my curriculum choices all picked out, but I'm hesitant to actually order them. On the one hand, I'm afraid that I'm going to change my mind and wish I had waited. On the other, seeing them in person might actually be what causes me to change my mind. If that is the case, then I would want to have plenty of time to figure something else out. Not to mention, I'm not sure how long lesson planning will take me since my oldest is only going to be in first grade next year, so I've never really had to do it before. 

 

When do you start purchasing materials for the next school year? 

[HomeAgain]

I like to have all main pieces in no later than mid summer.  It gives me time to look through it and get a feel for how our day will look so I can lesson plan.  I start ordering as soon as spring/summer sales hit.  My spreadsheet has it all broken down by subject along with the current lowest price that I've found.  If the sale gives me something better, I pick it up then.  If not, I wait until I'm ready to finish purchasing and then buy it.

[ondreeuh]

I purchase most things far in advance (like at least a year ahead of when I think I will need it) but I look for cheap, used copies. I do need to actually have it in my hands to decide if I ultimately want to use it, so I look for cheap deals on the Amazon marketplace. I am not trying to save the most money, but trying to only schedule what will work the best, so I don't mind this process.

[Clemsondana]

I try to have everything here by the last day of school (for us, in May - we start the first Monday in August). On the last day of our school year, I file this year's papers and line up the next year's textbooks and workbooks so that they are ready to go. I still add novels, or pull reference materials as we need them, over the course of the year (at the start of each new history or science unit I fill a basket with related books for the kids to read on their own or for us to read as a family). I've already sketched out a plan for next year and most of the core books are here or on their way, although I'll add fun things as I find them. So, no, you're not alone in this. I do a lot of garden work in the summer, and it's easier to enjoy my free time knowing that the school materials are ready and waiting for me when we're ready to start!

[Porridge]

In my earlier homeschooling years, I waited to purchase until we needed the next thing. Now that I have a better sense of learning styles and our homeschool personality, I usually buy for next year in the spring.  We often start our new "year" in the summer.  If I know I will definitely use a resource in the future, I may pre-buy it when there is a sale.

[Syllieann]

I buy whenever the best sale is if it's something I'm sure of. For example, I just placed my mbtp order because they are having their once per year sale. The rest I will buy over summer, or maybe late spring if I need to do a lot of pre-planning to implement it. If I find used stuff I will pick it up any time between now and September-whenever I happen upon it.

 

ETA I like to have a backup plan for anything I'm iffy on, but I still wouldn't necessarily buy it any sooner unless it is inexpensive.

Edited March 31, 2017 by Syllieann

[MerryAtHope]

Our homeschool group has a used curriculum sale the second week in May. I always liked to order things right after that. I'd get anything I could used (or see it in person possibly to decide if I wanted to use it), and then pick up the rest after that. If you're going to a convention, I'd order at or after that (at if there are nice deals, but if not, it's nice to order after--you don't have to lug stuff around with you!). 

[mykidsrmyjoy]

Our homeschool group has a used curriculum sale the second week in May. I always liked to order things right after that. I'd get anything I could used (or see it in person possibly to decide if I wanted to use it), and then pick up the rest after that. If you're going to a convention, I'd order at or after that (at if there are nice deals, but if not, it's nice to order after--you don't have to lug stuff around with you!).

I wish our used book sale were this early! We have one here in late July, long after I've decided on and purchased what I will be using.

 

To answer the OP's question, I'm planning on purchasing curriculum after I attend a homeschool convention in May. There are a few materials I want to look through before I make a final decision on them. I'll probably order or purchase some things there and the rest soon afterward, as I'm hoping to do more of a year round schedule for this coming school year and am planning to start in July.

Edited April 1, 2017 by mykidsrmyjoy

[CadenceSophia]

Stroke of midnight, July 1 :) That's when reimbursement starts for the next year. We school year round though so I actually just bought a bunch of things to get us through the summer.

 

Unless you have decided on some really planning intensive curricula, I can't imagine lesson planning will take that long. It isn't as if you need to have it 100% complete by Sept 1 or anything. On the other hand, I make a lot of decisions after I have held the books my hands and really given them a good read through.

[73349]

January through March, generally. It's a great time to get stuff secondhand, because other people are not shopping yet. If anything is not what I expected, I like knowing ASAP. Then I have the rest of the spring to iron out my plans and summer to do any printing, getting any special materials/supplies for science/art/whatever, or anything else I need to do.

 

I am not a Sunday night school-prepper; anything I don't plan and prepare well in advance is unlikely to get done (i.e., I'm lazy!).

Edited April 1, 2017 by whitehawk

[blue daisy]

Well, we're only in our first year, so take this with a grain of salt, but I have been working on my plans for the past month or so and started buying things, looking for sales when I can.  (Actually, I picked my science and history a while ago and bought them in January because they were on sale, but that was it until recently).  There is a curriculum sale here next week so I am waiting to go to that before I buy anything else. I've also been scouring used books on amazon to see if I can find any deals.  I do want to have most, if not all, next year's curriculum in hand by the time we finish this school year.

[happypamama]

We are allowed to start counting days in July, per our state's requirements, and we've found that starting sometime in July works well for our family because it allows for maximum flexibility that we've been glad to have many years.  So I am typically buying things right about now, and then I have time to look for good deals or to buy at the conventions if I go to those.  At the same time, I also will buy things if I see them for really good deals or on huge sale.  I always buy Pandia Press's history and science stuff at Black Friday for the upcoming year -- but only after I've used them and know that I like them.  (But also, that makes them cheap enough that with five kids, I know I can probably use it for someone, even if it turns out not to be the kid I originally thought.  I bought their high school US history this past November to use with my rising tenth grader, but she decided she wanted something else.  So I'll either use the US history for her in eleventh if she doesn't opt for dual enrollment, or it'll be there to use with one of her younger brothers.  But I've liked their life science for elementary enough with my second grader this year that I bought their chemistry for him for next year.)

 

Basically, I'm always looking ahead a bit and will buy expensive stuff when I see a good deal or sale, but otherwise, if I'm buying new, I'm buying most of the stuff right about now.  Or I'll buy when local friends and I can combine to get free shipping from Rainbow Resource.

[Tranquility7]

We school year-round, and I buy things year-round. But I also often buy things years in advance; I always have lengthy lists of possible curricula going far into the future, and I always keep an eye out for cheap used copies. I always read through whatever I buy, and even if I end up not "using it" with the kids, it makes me a better teacher to read through lots of different currics this way. It not only helps me learn more content, but it also helps me see different ways of presenting the same concepts.

Edited April 1, 2017 by tranquility7

[Hobbes]

I always read through whatever I buy, and even if I end up not "using it" with the kids, it makes me a better teacher to read through lots of different currics this way. It not only helps me learn more content, but it also helps me see different ways of presenting the same concepts.

I like this thought. I buy things I don't end up using, but I was thinking recently that it was helpful for me to have seen them, even if I didn't go that route. It develops my sense of context... that there are different ways to teach various subjects and I don't have to be so tied to the one thing I do choose to use. It's also cheaper than teacher's college. 😉

 

ETA: I usually start buying materials for the next year around March.

Edited April 2, 2017 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[Guest]

When we get our tax return.

[Loesje22000]

Before 1 july, then the schools start to order and my small order get easily lost between those bulk orders,

And publishers are closed between mid july and mid august....

[Arcadia]

In 1st grade, we were afterschooling as my kids were in public school. I buy in May as we do academics in summer which is 100dF here. Kids rather go library to read and do work. I top up with ordering in July when my kids finished faster than estimated.

Since 5th grade, we have registered for our kids outside classes in March so I am in the middle of consolidating their book requirements so that we can buy from Barnes and Noble and Amazon. For example my younger would be taking 3 classes with WTMA and I have books for one class but I would need to order for the other two classes. My oldest would need me to buy his chem and literature books for his classes.

[birchbark]

March and April. Our conference and used curriculum sale are in April, and I like to take advantage of that.

[My4arrows]

I typically begin buying January until June.  We have a lot of book and used curriculum sales beginning in February, so I pick up things as I find them.  I like to have our main curriculum early so I can see what else I want to purchase to supplement it.  Library sales have been great for us!  And with the used curriculum sales, I like to buy as much as I can from there.  At times I will buy used curriculum a year or more in advance if I find it at a good price and can see it in person.  The downfall of this has been buying too early and not using it.  And I am usually done with curriculum in June after our state conference.

[shinyhappypeople]

I just started last night because some of the stuff I want is on sale this month only, but other than that I'll probably finish up this summer.  

[mom2scouts]

I'm getting ready to start buying this month. I like to spend the summer planning and organizing our books and materials.

[2_girls_mommy]

I buy almost year round. In some things I know exactly that I will just order the next grade level up, so I just buy when those are on sale. Rod and Staff has their seconds sale every October. School has pretty much started each year, but I scan it every Oct. to see if they have any of the next level up of our English or math or whatever, even though I have just barely started the current levels.  I won't see a cheaper price. 

 

Since I pretty much know what my next year is like since I have followed WTM forever, I place things in my Amazon cart constantly and watch the prices go up and down and buy a few each month. I buy literature once a year at our library's annual Friends of the Library sale. I can buy paperback novels for 50 cents apiece (and teaching books for me and somtimes curriculum manuals I use and homeschool self education titles or education titles in general, just never know.) So I load up a backpack full of novels and classics for the next time period, even if I know there is no way we can read them all. 

 

New things that I am trying I try to watch for sales, but I definitely want it a month or so ahead of time to have time to scan it as well. 

 

So my answer is pretty much year round.

[Runningmom80]

I start in the spring and continue all year I never stop really. Haha!

[G5052]

Early on, my homeschool group had a sharing and sale meeting in April where people brought their favorites to talk about and tables were set up. After that, I made my decisions.

 

Once we found our "groove," I pretty much bought year-round because it didn't change much year-to-year in terms of publishers. I watched for deals and bought when I had the $$$.

[Mom22ns]

I always started in January. I bought used and it took time to find what I wanted. If i didn't find things used by June, I bought new. I planned the coming year over the summer and not having all my materials in hand would have given me panic attacks, but that is just who I am. 

[Vintage81]

I'm in "planning mode" right now, so I'll be purchasing things throughout the next few months. 

[Tawlas]

If I don't have my "school money" all used up by April 30, my umbrella school takes it back :(  I've been busy since March 30, let me tell you!  

[Peaceful Isle]

I used to buy year around, looking for deals on used curriculum. I don't do that anymore, but order all my stuff in August and another round in December if needed. I'm not so much a curriculum junkie like I used to be at all.

[kolamum]

I've purchased it all.. last week. I'll probalby need to order another level of math, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

[Dmmetler]

It depends. For stuff I need to prepare, as soon as I've decided. For stuff with digital codes, not until the last minute, because often those are only good for a year. For anything Horrible Ray carries, we go to a conference in June he's a vendor at, so I buy from him there, which saves 20%-even if he doesn't have it with him, I can order there and he'll honor the discount.

 

For DD's college textbooks, I plan to stalk the used market over the summer.