anewday Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I'm just curious. We're doing SOTW3 with Biblioplan and I've figured out the books I need to purchase and the ones I can get from our library. We have a pretty good library system, thankfully! :) I'm just curious how much you spend on your history spine and accompanying literature etc. It's by far the subject I spend the most on and I'm wondering if that's typical...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patchfire Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 We spend quite a lot on the accompanying books, too. I find it really difficult to use my library system, personally, plus I have more kids who will use the books, so we buy the vast majority of the books. I would say $200-$400? That depends on what I can find used (there's a really great used bookstore near my parents' house that I try to hit at least twice a year, plus we use paperbackswap.com) and whether the books I think we need are available in paperback vs. hardback. :) I try to spread it out, though - for instance, several books we're using next year, I bought a couple of years ago at the used bookstore, and when I went this last time, I bought some books for fifth or sixth grade. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Last year, I spent less than $100 on history and literature for my then-10-year-old son. This year, it jumped to $184. Next year, I expect to spend a total of $157. Just a note: I count resources in the budget of the year in which I buy them, even if they are used across multiple years. For example, my son has been using a history atlas for the last two years and will continue to use it for at least one more, but I counted it in the expenses of the first year in which he used it. So, it might be more meaningful to average the last three years, which would put us at just under $150 per year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mazakaal Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I think I usually spend between $200-$300 per year, but I have to buy all my books because our library is terrible. I try to find as much used as I can. This year, now that I have so many kids at so many different levels it would have been outrageously expensive except that a very generous lady has offered to let me borrow most of the books I'm going to need for my oldest. That is a huge blessing. On average, though, I'd put it somewhere in the $200-$300 range. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 (edited) Very little now. I use about six or seven main books (SOTW, Our Island Story, This Country of Ours, Usborne Internet-Linked..., Kingfisher, Young Oxford History of Britain and Ireland..) and the library. I do find that this is easier for Calvin, as he is now reading adult literature from the period, rather than historical fiction, and this is easier to find. I did buy a lot of books for Calvin when he was younger and we lived overseas; Hobbes is reading those now. ETA: Calvin has actually moved to an online Classical Civilisation course this year, so I bought that course plus three set texts: Iliad, Odyssey and some Sophocles. Laura Edited April 9, 2009 by Laura Corin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Well that big gulping sound you heard was me... I personally don't think money spent on good books to read is ever wasted (unless you could get them for free!), so just do it. And as for amounts, well I plead the 5th. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 We are starting year 2 of TOG and I am buying all the books we need so it has been quite an expense for us. However, in two more years I will have what I need for all 4 years and the expense will drop off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I spent several hundred over the past few years, but I justify it like this: 1. It's our first homeschooled child, first history rotation. This is our primary investment period, and subsequent years will require less of one. In theory ;) 2. It's not just "history" ~ the books we buy tie in to Language Arts, Logic, and Independent Reading areas as well. I consider it good bang for my buck, as the materials are used across the disciplines. 3. They're BOOKS! That is always a sound investment, right? I'd be buying a great many of these books, even if my child were attending a non-homeschool. We're a family of voracious readers, with a great fondness for history. 4. I'm embarassed to admit this, but included the aforementioned "budget" are my regularly, weekly overdue fines from the library. I'm always overdue on something. My son pointed out to me that it would be cheaper (some of the time) to just buy certain books (used) rather than to keep borrowing them from the library and paying the associated fines. But sometimes it's cheaper to just pay fines from the library than to purchase, so I have to include that in my budget LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland_Mom Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I bought a book package from Veritas Press for this school year and it was a HUGE help. We were able to accomplish a lot more in our studies by having good books on hand. I like to go to the library, but I have never fallen into a good routine with it. I expect to spend about $500 in books this year. Maybe more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 History isn't our focus, so I spent $46 on MOH3 and $35 on Famous Men of Modern Times set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaid Dad Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 (edited) $10 for two paperbacks: Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and Tales of Ancient Egypt. Next year's history budget is $40 for MP's FMOG set. Edited April 10, 2009 by Plaid Dad addition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaLee Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I'd say roughly about $250-300. I have to buy most, if not all of ds's books because he is very rough on them. Not in a vandalizing sort of way, more like an active sort of way. It's cheaper than having to replace damaged books from the library. Also, he is very hands on, so I spend a lot of money on kits, activities, and specialized art supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I spend around $30 per year so far buying SOTW and the activity guide to go with it. For grades 5-12, the plan is to use the pages from History Through the Ages timeline figures and have them do independent study. Since I already own this book and we have a decent library system the $ output should be next to nothing.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I am lucky enough to have access to a good library system, so I check out supplemental reading there. Our spine books were all purchased used, I think each of the three were less than $10. I did splurge on some graphic novel style U.S. history books, because I knew DS would love them (he does) and that I could resell them when we are done. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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