Over the past ten to fifteen years, homeschooling has grown in popularity. That being said, it can be quite costly to run a full-scale curriculum in your home, especially if you have more than one child. Here are a few tips on saving money on homeschooling equipment.
#1 Connect with other home school parents. Connecting with other home school parents can save money in two main ways. The first, divide up the schooling responsibilities. One family for example can focus on math and science and the other family can focus on reading and social studies. This saves money because you can concentrate your budget on one or two main areas.
The other way in which collaborating with other home school parents can save you money is by reusing or recycling materials. You can swap items as your children progress through them. If for example, you have a 16-year-old child and another parent has a ten-year-old child, you can pass along your used items to them at a discount, or work out some sort of trade.
#2 Buy on sale. There are a number of online and brick and mortar retailers that sell teaching and education supplies and every year these retailers have sales. Shopping and stocking up on your supplies when the sales are on is a good way to save money on homeschooling equipment.
#3 Shop at auction sites and second-hand stores. What do you do when you’re done with your homeschooling curriculum? Chances are you throw the items away or resell them, right? Why not buy what you need at second-hand stores or auction sites? It’s a great way to make the most of your money and to get the best supplies at a discount price.
#4 Print and/or photocopy. There are an abundance of free supplies online and all you need to access them is a printer. And you can visit your local library to grab educational materials and photocopy them for your students.
#5 Get out of the classroom and into the real world. Classroom supplies like textbooks and worksheets are fine, but getting out of the classroom and into the real world is priceless. A home economics lesson is much more effective if you take your kids to the store to shop on a budget. A science lesson is great when it’s conducted outside. Head to the library for a lesson in Shakespeare or to the local outdoor Shakespeare theater.
Homeschooling has taken off in recent years for a number of reasons. If you’re inspired to educate your children at home, don’t let finances stop you. There are many ways to save money on home school supplies.
