Alternative LearningAre you a homeschooling mama? or maybe you unschool... or maybe you are interested in another alternative learning style? or maybe you don't have any idea what i am referring to?? this forum might just be for you! share your thoughts and ideas
Location: smack dab in a corn field! Close to the gulf!
Posts: 495
How much does it cost you to homeschool?
Trying to take every aspect of homeschooling into consideration. Just curious, how much should I expect to spend if I choose to homeschool? Also, can I save the books/curriculum for my other children when they get older?
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Sherry
Wife to Matthew of 7yrs
Mom to:
Brandon-8yrs old
Caleb-6yrs old
Garrett-4yrs old
Aidan- 9mos old!
That question probably has as many answers as there are homeschooling families. Some people spend thousands per year on curricula, while others can successfully homeschool on $100 or less per year. It's going to depend on the method of homeschooling you choose and the materials you use. Theoretically, you could pass on the materials from child to child, but as every child is different and may have different educational needs and learning styles, you might need to use different things for each child.
I'm sorry my answer was kind of vague!
We spend a couple of hundred per year including book purchases, museum memberships, and that sort of thing.
Well, the library will be your best friend if you choose to home school.
For the Kindergarten supplies I have spent about $100 and will spend a bit more to get a few more things. Maybe $200 when it's all said and done. I follow the siggestions in "The Well-Trained Mind" so I know what I will need in years to come. I shop a year ahead so that I can buy used stuff and not buy everything at full price all at once.
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Elizabeth
Mama to Annabelle who is making me feel ancient now that she's EIGHT!
Location: Right where I wanna be- south bay area of sunny CA
Posts: 13,633
ITA with tara. Some years more and some less. The web and library (as Elizabeth mentioned) are wonderful!!! It takes some searching but I think it can be done pretty cheap imo!
But again that really is personal to each family
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KD
newly single mom to three awesome kids
In September I spent the most. When the stores have pencils, crayons and paper on sale. The books I did use I borrowed from the library first. I don't use a textbook cirruculum though. I have seen Saxon and Heath at the library. I don't believe there is any one book you can learn from. I did buy the What Your *Grader Needs to Know. These were about $11 each and I can use them again with the other 3 children. They are my basics and then we take more books from the library to expand on them.
I did average my late fees. About $8.40
It is hard to say. If I joined the Children's Museum or go to a movies is that homeschool related or a family event?
I spend 75% of my personal spending money on things that could be considered "homeschool related" but that's just because it's my favorite thing to spend it on... add up the crafts, sewing, music, books, lessons, museums, trips, instruments, educational toys , cirriculum (some of which MUST be resold!) and I spend thousands every year. But the only difference between my purchases and a public schooling friend that i have is the cirriculum and she easily spends that much on the "right" clothes for her child to go to school, and another spends even more for tuition to a private Waldorf school.... so it is what you make of it!
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formerly known as sagemama
Sage Emma 10-21-99
Torin Rory 05-05-02
Rhys Maryn 11-15-04
MacEwan Arthur 05-23-2007
We use a public charter school, so we get about $600 in flex funds per year to use for curriculum, classes, etc.
Out of pocket, I probably spend around $20 a month on field trips, sometimes more, sometimes less. I plan many of them and if I get enough people, they often offer the 10th or 20th person free admission, so I'll go free.
Oh wait, I just signed Gavin up for a weekly class at the environmental nature center, so that will be $16 a month.
Of course, many of our field trips are things I would probably take the kids to even if they were in school, so I don't know if that would really count...lol.
Oh...you want to talk about expensive? Youth sports!!!!!
Location: In the Land of Golden Warmth, Surrounded by Majestic Mountains, Inspired by Desert and Ocean, Cocooned in Love
Posts: 2,949
I expect to budget $100 a month between art supplies, story books, and field trips. The curriculum I have chosen (Enki) will be $400 for the teacher's guide and Kindergarten resource book.
The way I look at it, I'm currently paying $450 a month for preschool (2 boys, M-F, 9-12). I'm going to save money once we're homeschooling.
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