| Although the cost of homeschooling curriculum, | | | | 6. Ask your favorite retailers if they offer an |
| supplies and activities can certainly add up, home | | | | educator's discount. Homeschool parents often |
| education does not have to be expensive. | | | | qualify for teacher's discount programs. If the |
| Research has shown that homeschooling can be | | | | store requires you to show an official letter or ID |
| successful regardless of how much or how little a | | | | card before taking advantage of the discount, |
| parent spends. Here are 10 steps to inexpensive | | | | print one from your home computer. |
| homeschooling. | | | | 7. Purchase high quality materials that can be |
| 1. Set a budget for how much you want to spend | | | | handed down to younger siblings. Preserve |
| for each child per year and resolve to stick to it. | | | | consumable materials by having your child write |
| Make sure consider the cost of curriculum, books, | | | | answers on a separate sheet of paper. You can |
| magazines, supplies, support group dues, legal | | | | also cover workbook pages with plastic sheet |
| association dues and outside activities. | | | | protectors and have your child write with dry |
| 2. Use your local library. In addition to providing | | | | erase markers. |
| books and reference materials, public libraries | | | | 8. Make your own lesson plans, tests, |
| sometimes host story times, reading programs, | | | | worksheets, flash cards and manipulatives. When |
| book clubs, writer's groups, support groups, field | | | | possible, avoid purchasing teacher's editions and |
| trip and volunteer opportunities. | | | | answer keys. |
| 3. Look for free homeschooling materials. You can | | | | 9. Find low cost extracurricular activities. Schedule |
| find textbooks, audio books, novels, lesson plans, | | | | field trips for discount or free admission days, or |
| printable worksheets and even complete | | | | obtain a group discount by attending with other |
| curriculum programs online. | | | | homeschool families. Take music, dance or art |
| 4. Purchase used homeschool books. You can find | | | | lessons from another homeschool mom in order |
| used curriculum at local used book stores, garage | | | | to save money on the cost of tuition. |
| sales, thrift shops and homeschool support group | | | | 10. Look for ways to earn income from home. |
| sales. There are also many websites that facilitate | | | | Re-sell used curriculum, tutor students from other |
| buying and selling used materials. | | | | families, provide lessons in your areas of |
| 5. When buying new, purchase discount | | | | expertise or start an at home business. |
| homeschool books. Many online stores like | | | | Homeschoolers who are determined and |
| Rainbow Resource and Christian Book Distributors | | | | committed, can significantly lower their |
| offer great discounts on new materials from | | | | homeschooling costs. Some parents who are |
| popular providers. You can also buy fiction and | | | | especially resourceful even manage to |
| non-fiction books from Scholastic Book Club's | | | | homeschool their children for free! |
| monthly flier for cost savings. | | | | |