Three Tips for Sticking to a Homeschool Budget

Each year, I strive to set and stick to a homeschool budget for my three kids. As the kids get older, it can be tough. But it isn’t impossible with three simple tips…

With the start of a new calendar year, I begin thinking about what we’ll be using in our next school year.

We won’t start our new school year until August, but I spend the winter months researching for the year ahead.

How to Stick to a Homeschool Budget

Homeschooling does not have to cost a fortune. It is very possible to do it very inexpensively – even free, if necessary.  

Make a list of what you plan to teach each child for the upcoming year, and then use the tips below to purchase your curriculum and supplies as inexpensively as possible.

Look at what you already have.

I originally wrote this post in my 14th year of homeschooling. This year, I graduated my youngest, but the advice is still worth sharing.

Over the years, I have accumulated quite a collection of homeschool materials. Each year, when I begin preparing for the upcoming year, I pull out the homeschool totes I have stored in the basement.

I sort through the books and materials to see what I already have for the next grade. I set aside anything that is the right grade or topic {Am History or chemistry} for my plans for the year.

From that pile, I set aside things I don’t want to use this year. Sometimes, what I used with one child isn’t a good fit for another one. Sometimes, the materials don’t fit our cycle {for history and science, for example}.

Maybe my middle son studied biology in 5th grade, but my daughter wants to study chemistry. The things I know I won’t use again – ever – go in a box to be sold. The rest goes right back in the tote for next year’s evaluation.

Then, I update my list by noting what I have that will work for the upcoming year. Do I need any supplemental materials – science supplies, living books, a new consumable workbook for a text we’ll use? I

now add these items to my list so that I can purchase all {or most} of our supplemental materials at the beginning of the year.

Can you buy used or find freebies?

From there, I start searching online. Are there free online literature guides that I can use? What about free notebooking pages, printables or lapbooks?

Has a fellow blogger created a schedule for a particular curriculum that is on my list? Are there any free curriculum sites that will fit our course of study for the year?

If so, start marking things off of your master list by listing the site where each item can be found. Create a Pinterest board dedicated to the upcoming school year so you have all of your information in one place.

After you’ve found all of the freebies that you can, start searching for used curriculum. In addition to yard sales, websites like the ones I’ve listed below sell used curriculum or have a classified section where you can search for the curriculum on your wish list:

• Exodus Books
• Homeschool Classifieds
• Paperback Swap
• Well Trained Mind Forum – This is where I buy and sell the bulk of my used curriculum.

What do you have left to purchase?

Now that you’ve gone through what you already have and you’ve searched high and low for free or used items, reevaluate your list.

What do you have left to purchase? Are the items left on your list must-haves? Or are they wants? How much do you have left in your homeschool budget?

Start with your most-needed supplies, and purchase those first if you still have money in the budget. Then, continue to work your way down that list until you are out of money.

At this point, hopefully, you have purchased all or most of your must-haves. Hopefully, you’ve saved quite a bit of money along the way.

What tips do you have for sticking to a homeschool budget?

Encouragement for Homeschool Moms

Below, I’ve featured just a handful of books meant to encourage homeschool moms that will help your readers celebrate their favorite characters. You should be able to find them at your local library or bookstore. If you can’t find them locally, you can click each image cover to purchase them on Amazon.

Creating Homeschool Balance - "Creating Homeschool Balance" will help you understand what balance looks like, feels like, and how to create it.

Your Goals This Year - No matter which kind of homeschool parent you are, this book will help you understand the stages of homeschooling high school, put you on the path to success, and keep you from feeling overwhelmed. You can homeschool through high school, and here are the tools to help you.

Scheduling: The Secret to Homeschool Sanity - When you homeschool, it’s important to take time to plan and rest, and not just work, work, work! Using schedules in your homeschool can help you avoid burnout.

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