Tightwad Tuesday
Don’t buy curriculum directly from the publisher. They usually charge the full suggested retail price.
Don’t buy a book or curriculum until you have actually looked through it. You can look through curriculum at the yearly local fair, at many Christian book stores, at the library, or set up a special get-together for the local homeschooling moms to look through each others curriculum.
Don’t buy homeschool materials until you’ve thought about them for awhile. Impulse buying wastes a lot of money.
Don’t let other people and companies talk you into buying something unless you really want it and have thought about it.
Don’t believe that you have to spend a certain amount of money in order to get a quality education. The truth is that many homeschoolers get a good college prep education for almost free.
Don't be stuck on having to get a certain curriculum. For example: I had planned on buying a certain Language Arts and a certain Math workbook. However, when I found a 400 page workbook (covering Language Arts, Math, and Map Skills) for only $7 at Costco, I changed my mind. I was able to do Science, History, Geography, and Bible for free. So my basic homeschooling costs were very minimal this year.
Don't buy brand new curriculum. You can find lots of used curriculum at classified sites like:
10 comments:
Excellent advice. I love Homeschool Classifieds. I have bought and sold there and have been very pleased. The prices are usually reasonable.
Another note--there are TONS of free websites full of educational games and printables.
So true.
Between the library and internet, the world is at your fingertips.
Thank you so much for these tips! This is very helpful.
Another great resource for used curriculum is http://www.vegsource.com/homeschool/fs712/index.html
If I had it to do all over again, I would not have spent lots of money on a set curriculum until
5th grade. Now dd and I both insist on the whole curriculum since she is going into 7th grade.
I feel safer using it because sometimes I don't get the concept, so I need the other resources to help me understand.
On the car insurance, we already get a discount because we also have our home owner's ins. at the same company. We would likely lose money if we switched to Geico.
You have offered some very good tips. When I first started homeschooling I wasted way to much money on impulse buys. Now I plan my purchases carefully.
Hi there,
Thank you so much for sharing all this great tightwad tips. I have to ask b/c of your wording in your post. ( about distance learning) Are you in BC, Canada ? I am a Tradional Homeschooler and am registered. I sure hope you keep joining Tightwad Tuesdays.
Blessings in Him<><
-Mary
Curriculum is one area that I try to squeeze my pennies harder. Last year we sold enough on ebay to buy the books we needed, also on ebay. It was almost like free!
Jenn
Great ideas! I can't wait to go the used book sale at my homeschool convention this year!
I really like Homeschool Classifieds. I have also been able to get a lot of great books for school on PaperbackSwap.com.
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