Homeschooling should not cost oodles of money.
The biggest expense is not an expense but the loss of income because one parent stays home to teach the children.
So let me show you 3 ways you can make homeschooling more affordable.
“The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket.”
Low-Cost Curricula
You do not need to invest in expensive curricula.
In fact, don’t!
What you do need is a curriculum design of quality books your children will engage in and enjoy learning from.
You can buy many books from Dover Publications which offer cheap publications at ridiculously low prices. You can even buy unabridged classic novels for as low as $2.00 a book.
“An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.”
Another way to get inexpensive books is to buy them used on Amazon. A lot of people buy books, never read them, and eventually sell them.
They are as good as new.
As an alternative, get into the habit of ransacking used book stores, where you will be surprised by the amazing books you discover!
There are sites online where homeschoolers sell their used books. It would be a place to pick up inexpensive copies of educational books you’d be unlikely to find elsewhere.
The library is another useful resource when your homeschooling. If you can’t afford a book, you can ask the library to order it for you.
Most of the supplemental books you’ll want or need you can find for free at your local library.
And you only need to invest once in the core subject books such as math, grammar, history, and science.
As long as you teach your children to handle books with care, as they should anyway, you will be able to pass them down from child to child.
The supplies like paper, pencils, colored pencils, art and anything else you will need for projects will be a minimal cost.
2. Bartering with Other Homeschoolers
Your most significant cost will be extra-curricular activities. The good news is that when you’re homeschooling, you can barter with other parents instead of paying professional fees.
The homeschooling community is amazingly resourceful. You will always find someone who can teach a foreign language, a parent who can teach a sport, another who can teach science, and so forth.
3. Earning Income From Home
So many people are working online now. If you have a marketable skill, you can arrange your schedule so you can work part-time online.
Even better is to get paid to homeschool someone else’s children. Many moms work but would like their children taught at home. Work out a deal with these parents and build your own little homeschooling schoolhouse.
I love the last option, and this is what I would do if I had young children again. You are providing a valuable service, and you are getting paid enough to allow yourself to stay home and teach your own.
These are just a few ways to keep the bills from piling up.
There are more.
“I don’t know a single parent that wouldn’t go without food if that’s what it took to feed their child.
We’ll starve ourselves to keep their bodies nourished, but what about their minds and their hearts?”
A wise friend once told me to never let a lack of money stop me from doing anything.
I firmly believe that if you make a clear intention to homeschool, the rest will fall into place.
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☞ Disclaimer: This is not a politically-correct blog.
Don’t miss our free download, Ten Books Every Well-Educated Child Should Read.
When you join the Smart Homeschooler Academy online course for parents, Elizabeth will guide you in homeschooling with the classics to raise brighter and more creative children.
Register using the link below and feel confident knowing you have the guidance and support you need to homeschool successfully.
For parents of children under age seven who would like to prepare their child for social and academic success, please begin with Elizabeth’s original online course, Raise Your Child to Thrive in Life and Excel in Learning.
Elizabeth Y. Hanson is a homeschooling thought-leader and the founder of Smart Homeschooler.
As an Educator, Homeschool Emerita, Writer, and Love and Leadership Certified Parenting Coach, Elizabeth has 21+ years of experience working in education.
She has developed a comprehensive understanding of how to raise and educate a child, and she devotes her time to helping parents to get it right.
Elizabeth is available for one-on-one consultations as needed.
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“Elizabeth has given us counseling and guidance to help us succeed with our home school planning. When I feel overwhelmed, scared, or lose my confidence, she offers words of wisdom and support.”
— Sherry B., Pittsburg, PA
