How to Save Money on Homeschooling

If you want to homeschool your children, you may be overwhelmed by what it can cost to do so. One thing that public school affords is the ability to essentially just buy school supplies once a year and use the resources at the school for the rest of your child’s education. With homeschooling, all expenses are on you. If you want to homeschool and money is one factor that is stopping you, here are some tips for saving money on homeschooling.

How to Save Money on Homeschooling

Look into state programs. In some states, there are tax funded homeschooling programs, often online, that help you with curriculum, and even have teachers that teach your student via online classes. Some states even have state funded text books.

Check out all the free worksheets, curriculum, and other materials online. You can often find printables, lesson plans and more on homeschooling blogs and websites. Most of the time these materials are free or very low cost and are updated on a weekly basis.

Use your “discount”. For field trips or even books, many places will give homeschoolers discounts just because they are homeschooling. You may be surprised at what kinds of discounts you can get! Often, you can even get into fun family attractions for 20-30% off as well!

Attend homeschooling conventions or fairs. You can get discounted supplies and lessons as well as meet other homeschoolers in your area. Sometimes, there are free supplies at these events and many chances to enter to win free supplies at the booths.

Stock up when school supplies are the cheapest. The best time to get what you need for the entire school year is when the back to school sales start on supplies. Often, you can also use coupons in conjunction with the sales to save even more.

Join your local homeschooling group. This can not only be great for support, but you can make purchases as a group for larger items that are shared within the group for lessons. It is a great way to spread the expenses.

Make some of your own supplies. You can make your own flashcards and worksheets on your computer and avoid the high cost of already made supplies.

Utilize the library for many teaching opportunities. You can often check out curriculum books, informational books, do research, and check out magazines that can help you with your schooling. Plus, the library is a great place to go for books to create lessons around.

Buy online. There are websites that sell lesson plans, supplies and so forth and they offer discounts to homeschoolers as they are considered teachers as well! Amazon is also a great place to buy homeschooling supplies.

Don’t make things overly complicated. In the early years, especially, children are learning very basic skills. Most day to day activities, such as cooking meals, can offer some educational benefit. Look for ways you can turn everyday life into a teaching moment.

Look at free stuff to do in your area that could be turned into a lesson. For instance, if you plan a lesson on the leaves changing in the fall, take a walk through a local arboretum and have your children pick up leaves they find on the ground for discussion later.