Homeschooling on a Budget: 7 Ways to Save Money

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Homeschooling can be expensive, but homeschooling on a budget is possible with some creativity. Some curriculums can cost upwards of $800 per student. If you have more than one child, it can be daunting to consider the overall cost of homeschooling your children.

For our family, homeschooling is at the forefront of priorities. That doesn’t mean I have all the money in the world to spend. In fact, we try to stick to a budget closely and not overspend, which is very easy to do.

Here are some of my practical tips for homeschooling on a budget.

1. Use a laminator: I’m addicted to laminating everything. If you search Pinterest, you can find some awesome FREE printables. I have found things from free Montessori cards to tracing pages. If you think it is something you want to use later, laminate it! We laminate flash cards so that they don’t rip. You will save money not having to reprint things for each kid!
2. Rent Books from the Library: I am a book nerd, and I want to own all of the books. However, I can’t because I will go broke. Take advantage of the library. Many libraries offer long rental periods for homeschoolers. If you truly love a certain book, then buy it!Even better, try some ebooks! Check with your library. Ours offers 20 free ebooks on the Hoopla app per month for each account. You can download the app on a tablet so that your child can read ebooks often!
3. Shop Used: You can find almost any curriculum out there that you want used. There are dozens of groups on Facebook. Attend a curriculum swap near you, or organize one if you can’t find any. Check out library sales for books. Yard sales are fantastic places to score readers for your kids.
4. Buy Non-Consumable Curriculum: If you have more than one child, you may want to consider purchasing a curriculum that has more non-consumable items. If the entire program is workbooks, you will need to shell out a lot for the next child. If the curriculum is primarily book based, you can reuse those books for the following kids, reducing the overall cost of the program when you divide it per kid.
5. Make Your Own: There are many things that you can make on your own. If your child needs to work on his handwriting, make your own copybook with proses and poems to copy. Create your own worksheets for your child! You could plan out unit studies for science and history.
6. Get Memberships: One of the best things about homeschooling is the ability to go on field trips as much as you want. However, that can add up in price really fast. Instead, invest in memberships! Pick one or two places that your kids love and will benefit from the most. Many offer monthly payment plans. It is also a great way to end a day that is hard for everyone.
7. Purchase in Bulk: You are going to need supplies. Paper, pencils, construction paper, markers, printing ink and more are just items you need as a homeschooling family. Price compare and purchase in bulk. Look at Sam’s Club, Costco, and Amazon. Is it cheaper to buy a huge box of pencils in bulk? Look at the price per pencil. Is it cheaper to buy ink in bulk? You are going to use the items, and every penny saved helps!