Used Curriculum--best season to find it

[hs03842]

Is there a time of year when used curriculum is more plentifully available?

Edited December 9, 2020 by JoyKM

[PeterPan]

Well I'm cleaning out stuff now, which means other people might be too. But we can't really *sell* it very easily right now. I think yes, when this virus mess blows over, people will be itching to sell stuff.

[Lori D.]

MANY moons ago when I was homeschooling (both boys have long-since graduated 😉 ), I would find a lot of used items going up for sale online along about March, and then again in early June.

Now with options of selling year-round on Homeschool Classifieds, Paperback Swap, E-bay, Amazon-used, there doesn't seem to be quite the same heavy selling season of used books.

Side note: I found in that in the last few years of our homeschooling journey (like 10-12 years ago) that, frustratingly, a lot of people charge 75-90% of the cost of new (plus shipping!) for their used curriculum -- at that rate, you're MUCH better off being new so that you have the publisher's return policy option open to you, and you don't get frustrated with someone selling you something that is torn, written in, spilled on, or missing parts at virtually new price. I have heard that more than once.

If you can find used materials at 50%-65%  (or less! 😄 ) of the price of new, then it's worth a look. Otherwise, sometimes it's just faster and easier -- with more options -- to buy new.

If you're really needing to reduce spending on homeschool items:
- borrow  from a fellow local homeschooler
- do a swap with another homeschooler who has children who are in between the ages/grades of your children
- local homeschool group website or FB group - they often have a "classifieds" section for selling/buying used curricula locally
- check out your local (or state) homeschool used curriculum fair -- those usually happen in June/July, but get advertised along about April/May
- check out yard sales/garage sales
- look through local used book stores
- book swap websites: Paperback Swap; Freecycle; FB: Homeschool Free for Shipping; 
- used curricula websites: Second Harvest; Good and Acceptable; Homeschool Classified; Curriculum Exchange; FB: Homeschool Buy/Sell/Trade
- online auction or reduced price websites: e-Bay; Half Price Books; Thrift Books; Abe Books; Amazon used; Chegg (textbooks)

[cintinative]

Generally, around now I would be selling a lot.  Unfortunately with the COVID thing, the FB groups and such are not as active. Hopefully that means that it will get better when the stay-at-home orders are lifted.  I have tons of stuff I need to sell.  Generally I sell for 50% of new price or about what Amazon charges for used.  I have noticed some people overcharge as Lori is mentioning, but there are some of us that don't. 😃  

FB Homeschool Curriculum Marketplace is the largest FB group I am aware of.  There are tons of smaller ones.  

I have used Homeschool Classifieds but they do charge you if you have over a certain number of listings.  

If anyone needs Latin Alive 1 or 2, Wheelocks, or Latin readers, I have them, and I am looking for Avancemos 1.  😃 

Edited April 8, 2020 by cintinative

[klmama]

On 4/7/2020 at 8:02 PM, cintinative said:

I am looking for Avancemos 1.  😃 

It's available used on Amazon.  Older editions are very inexpensive.

[smfmommy]

I run a homeschool library and we get the most stuff in May and June.  People are cleaning out and giving all year long but our biggest dump times are then. 

 

[Shahrazad]

I usually have a lot of luck April - June. All the spring sales for curriculum mean that people selling used curriculum tend to drop the prices a bit to compete and also that all the people buying curriculum that they end up not liking during the spring sales end up selling it on the tail end of those months.

[73349]

I like winter.

Edited October 2, 2020 by Carolina Wren