How to Save Money on Homeschool Curriculum
Homeschool curriculum can quickly get expensive, and summer is the time to start purchasing what you need for the next year. If you're like me and trying to pinch pennies, you want to make those homeschool dollars stretch as far as you can.
Here are a few ways to save money on homeschool curriculum.
1. Search Thrift Stores
You might be surprised at how much you can find at thrift stores. Thrift stores sell books at great prices, and you can find games. Always make a stop at the thrift stores throughout the year. You can store away what you don't need that year and shop from storage when you're planning your next school year.
2. Find Printables and Free Sources Online
Online is the place to search for free resources for homeschoolers. All kinds of websites offer free and paid printables. You can even find printable curriculums online.
3. Reuse When Possible
Save as much as possible. I plan for most of my curriculum to be reusable so that I can pass as much as possible down throughout my kids. You can put workbooks into sheet protectors and have them complete worksheets with a dry erase marker.
4. Shop The Sales
Most homeschool curriculum companies offer sales throughout the year. If you have your eye on a particular company, watch for their sales. Try emailing the company to ask about the next sale, or see if they have a coupon code to offer.
5. Use Library Books
Everyone loves the library. Head there for your weekly readers. If a curriculum wants you to read a certain book, rent it from the library instead of purchasing the books. It helps to save money. Some libraries even carry textbooks and curriculum!
6. Use a Digital Curriculum
Digital curriculum is much cheaper than printed curriculum, even though its, academically, the same thing. You can use a laptop or a tablet to access the digital curriculum, and let your children read those lessons from there.
Some parents opt to purchase digital copies of the curriculum then print it and have it bound at an office supply store. If you plan to do this often, purchasing a binding machine for your homeschool supply resources might be a good investment. Compare the cost of having printed works bound at home versus the cost of
7. Try Online Games, Activities, and Videos
The internet is your source for all kinds of fun online games, activities, and videos. If your child needs to work on specific math drills, you can find interactive games to help him develop those skills. If you want to find a science experiment demonstrations, you can find what you need on YouTube.
YouTube is a source for almost anything, just be sure that you're the one searching to avoid your child finding something they shouldn't. YouTube offers videos on history topics, foreign languages, science concepts, and more.
8. Shop at the Dollar Store
For younger students, you'd be shocked at what you can find at the dollar store. The Dollar Store sells workbooks, craft supplies, treats, puzzles, coloring books, and more. You can even find some organizational tools. Plus, everything is a dollar.
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