How to Homeschool on a Budget
05/23/2021 15:16 Filed in: Getting Started | Budget
When considering homeschooling, one of the questions you may have is "how much will it cost?"
When considering homeschooling, one of the questions you may have is "how much will it cost?"
It's a difficult question to answer with exact numbers, because a lot depends upon what curriculum style you use, what other resources or materials you will need, and how many children you will be teaching.
First, create a budget. It's way too easy to get drawn into buying all the wonderful, colorful, exciting curriculum and resources that are available.
Second, I highly recommend that you attend a homeschool bookfair. If you do attend one, beware! Everything in the exhibit hall will look like something you need and if you aren't careful, you will end up spending way more than you had anticipated.
Ask me how I know….
So, how much does it cost to homeschool? Truthfully, the amount of money it costs to home school depends upon the curriculum or program you choose. Some curricula are expensive and some are very economical. Here are a few examples:
Traditional Workbook Programs cost around $400-$650 per grade level, and maybe even more if you are buying a complete kit.
Computer-based programs typically cost between $200-$300 per subject.
Internet based programs vary in price. Charter schools are free (they are a form of public school), but in some states your child must qualify to utilize them. In other states, online charter schools are not an option for homeschoolers.
Online private school programs can start around $40/month and can go up considerably depending upon the program.
Thematic (Unit Study) Curriculum typically start around $100, and can cost more if you are required to purchase additional books or materials. If you are able to use books from the library, that can cut the cost considerably.
Trivium (Classical) Some programs start at $30 for the teacher's resource book. And then you might need to purchase a Latin or Greek curriculum for $150 - $300. Add in a math curriculum, which can be between $100 to $200. If you purchase all the books you will be reading, that will also add to the cost, but you may be able to find the books at the library or find good deals online. Some classical programs cost much more, particularly those sold in sets by grade level.
If you want a ballpark figure, plan to spend a minimum of $500-$1000 per child, per year. That’s a pretty realistic amount to plan for if you’re just getting starting homeschooling and have nothing in terms of curriculum or supplies.
When we first began homeschooling, we spent around $400 to teach our first child. Of course, that was almost 25 years ago and prices have changed a bit. We bought student textbooks, but chose not to purchase the teacher’s guides since it was first grade material and I felt confident that I could grade the work without purchasing the expensive answer keys. Answer keys make grading much more efficient, and I definitely recommend buying them for the upper grade levels.
That $400 figure didn’t include extra items like microscopes, dissection kits, school supplies, art supplies, and things like that. Unless you really need them, I recommend you purchase those items gradually, over time, and take advantage of sales when you see them.
Some of the curricula we purchased were non-consumable, so when our other children began starting school, we were able to reuse those materials. Homeschooling six children, we now have quite a library of homeschool materials, which has brought down our yearly costs quite substantially.
For example, this past year the only books we had to purchase for our sixth-grader and tenth-grader were student math books (we already had the teacher's manuals), language workbooks, a dissection kit, a few art supplies, and some notebooks. We may have spent a total of $300 for everything for both kids. Of course, that didn't include the cost of field trips or other incidental expenses.
Here are some questions to ask when choosing curriculum on a budget:
1) What features do you want, and what are willing to pay for?
Most of the time, cost is associated with features, so you will want to ask yourself how important certain features are to you, and if you are you willing to pay for them.
For example, things like teacher's manuals, lesson plans, answer keys, online help, and tutorials are all great tools to have, but they can add quite a bit to the cost of a curriculum.
2) How much assistance or support do you need?
Typically, curriculum programs that offer more assistance or support to the home school parent tend to be more expensive than those that don't. For example, internet-based school programs where the online school or company provides the teaching and learning materials, keeps track of grades, and produces transcripts will tend to be more expensive than curriculum that require more parental involvement, whether the parent is responsible for grading papers, keeping track of grades, etc. So, the more convenience you desire, the higher the price.
Some online learning options are free, such as charter schools, but not all states allow homeschoolers to participate in those programs. If you are able to take advantage of a free online school program, be sure to read the fine print of any contract you are required to sign to make sure there are no penalties for withdrawing your child if you discover the program is not a good fit.
3) Do you plan to purchase consumable curriculum?
Some curricula are "consumable," which means that you use them up. A fill-in-the-blank workbook, for example, is a type of consumable curriculum product. It is designed for the child to write in, and if you have other children in the family to teach, you will need to purchase a separate book for each child.
Non-consumable curricula, on the other hand, are designed to be reused again and again. Non-consumable curricula can be more expensive than consumable curricula; however, if you have multiple children to teach, a non-consumable curriculum may be more more economical in the long-run.
4) Will you be taking classes that require specific curriculum?
If you sign up for a class, take into consideration that in addition to the cost of the class, the teacher will often ask that you purchase books or other resources that will be used in class. It might be a good idea to inquire about any books or supplies that might be required before signing up for a class to make sure it's within your budget. A $100 class might sound appealing, but if it requires the purchase of a $75 book and $50 in supplies, you are now looking at a $225 class. There is nothing wrong with that, but you should just be aware of all the costs associated with a class before making a commitment.
5). What not to skimp on
Don't skimp on a microscope. I recommend purchasing a good one, and not one from the toy section of Wal-Mart. You will use it throughout your child's school years, and you will want to make sure it will be of good quality so it will work well and last a long time. I'll discuss other things not to skimp on in a future article.
If homeschooling your child is something you really feel a deep desire to do, the rewards are well-worth it. You really can't put a price on the joy you'll receive from spending quality one-on-one time with your child, learning together and enjoying each other's company.
It's a difficult question to answer with exact numbers, because a lot depends upon what curriculum style you use, what other resources or materials you will need, and how many children you will be teaching.
First, create a budget. It's way too easy to get drawn into buying all the wonderful, colorful, exciting curriculum and resources that are available.
Second, I highly recommend that you attend a homeschool bookfair. If you do attend one, beware! Everything in the exhibit hall will look like something you need and if you aren't careful, you will end up spending way more than you had anticipated.
Ask me how I know….
So, how much does it cost to homeschool? Truthfully, the amount of money it costs to home school depends upon the curriculum or program you choose. Some curricula are expensive and some are very economical. Here are a few examples:
Traditional Workbook Programs cost around $400-$650 per grade level, and maybe even more if you are buying a complete kit.
Computer-based programs typically cost between $200-$300 per subject.
Internet based programs vary in price. Charter schools are free (they are a form of public school), but in some states your child must qualify to utilize them. In other states, online charter schools are not an option for homeschoolers.
Online private school programs can start around $40/month and can go up considerably depending upon the program.
Thematic (Unit Study) Curriculum typically start around $100, and can cost more if you are required to purchase additional books or materials. If you are able to use books from the library, that can cut the cost considerably.
Trivium (Classical) Some programs start at $30 for the teacher's resource book. And then you might need to purchase a Latin or Greek curriculum for $150 - $300. Add in a math curriculum, which can be between $100 to $200. If you purchase all the books you will be reading, that will also add to the cost, but you may be able to find the books at the library or find good deals online. Some classical programs cost much more, particularly those sold in sets by grade level.
If you want a ballpark figure, plan to spend a minimum of $500-$1000 per child, per year. That’s a pretty realistic amount to plan for if you’re just getting starting homeschooling and have nothing in terms of curriculum or supplies.
When we first began homeschooling, we spent around $400 to teach our first child. Of course, that was almost 25 years ago and prices have changed a bit. We bought student textbooks, but chose not to purchase the teacher’s guides since it was first grade material and I felt confident that I could grade the work without purchasing the expensive answer keys. Answer keys make grading much more efficient, and I definitely recommend buying them for the upper grade levels.
That $400 figure didn’t include extra items like microscopes, dissection kits, school supplies, art supplies, and things like that. Unless you really need them, I recommend you purchase those items gradually, over time, and take advantage of sales when you see them.
Some of the curricula we purchased were non-consumable, so when our other children began starting school, we were able to reuse those materials. Homeschooling six children, we now have quite a library of homeschool materials, which has brought down our yearly costs quite substantially.
For example, this past year the only books we had to purchase for our sixth-grader and tenth-grader were student math books (we already had the teacher's manuals), language workbooks, a dissection kit, a few art supplies, and some notebooks. We may have spent a total of $300 for everything for both kids. Of course, that didn't include the cost of field trips or other incidental expenses.
Here are some questions to ask when choosing curriculum on a budget:
1) What features do you want, and what are willing to pay for?
Most of the time, cost is associated with features, so you will want to ask yourself how important certain features are to you, and if you are you willing to pay for them.
For example, things like teacher's manuals, lesson plans, answer keys, online help, and tutorials are all great tools to have, but they can add quite a bit to the cost of a curriculum.
2) How much assistance or support do you need?
Typically, curriculum programs that offer more assistance or support to the home school parent tend to be more expensive than those that don't. For example, internet-based school programs where the online school or company provides the teaching and learning materials, keeps track of grades, and produces transcripts will tend to be more expensive than curriculum that require more parental involvement, whether the parent is responsible for grading papers, keeping track of grades, etc. So, the more convenience you desire, the higher the price.
Some online learning options are free, such as charter schools, but not all states allow homeschoolers to participate in those programs. If you are able to take advantage of a free online school program, be sure to read the fine print of any contract you are required to sign to make sure there are no penalties for withdrawing your child if you discover the program is not a good fit.
3) Do you plan to purchase consumable curriculum?
Some curricula are "consumable," which means that you use them up. A fill-in-the-blank workbook, for example, is a type of consumable curriculum product. It is designed for the child to write in, and if you have other children in the family to teach, you will need to purchase a separate book for each child.
Non-consumable curricula, on the other hand, are designed to be reused again and again. Non-consumable curricula can be more expensive than consumable curricula; however, if you have multiple children to teach, a non-consumable curriculum may be more more economical in the long-run.
4) Will you be taking classes that require specific curriculum?
If you sign up for a class, take into consideration that in addition to the cost of the class, the teacher will often ask that you purchase books or other resources that will be used in class. It might be a good idea to inquire about any books or supplies that might be required before signing up for a class to make sure it's within your budget. A $100 class might sound appealing, but if it requires the purchase of a $75 book and $50 in supplies, you are now looking at a $225 class. There is nothing wrong with that, but you should just be aware of all the costs associated with a class before making a commitment.
5). What not to skimp on
Don't skimp on a microscope. I recommend purchasing a good one, and not one from the toy section of Wal-Mart. You will use it throughout your child's school years, and you will want to make sure it will be of good quality so it will work well and last a long time. I'll discuss other things not to skimp on in a future article.
If homeschooling your child is something you really feel a deep desire to do, the rewards are well-worth it. You really can't put a price on the joy you'll receive from spending quality one-on-one time with your child, learning together and enjoying each other's company.