Frugal Friday: Ten Ways to Homechool on a Shoestring Budget

Homeschooing doesn't have to break the bank. It doesn't even have to come close. There are so many quality resources available for free, or almost free, that homeschooling can be done on even the most miniscule of budgets.

Here are TEN ways you can homeschool on a shoestring budget:

1. Utilize your library. There are books, magazines, dvd's, etc. on just about every topic right at your disposal- for free.

2. Buy used curriculum. Many homeschool organizations offer up yearly used curriculum sales, typically toward the end of the school year/beginning of summer. Depending on participation, you may be able to find everything you need for your upcoming year at the one sale at a small fraction of the retail cost.

Also, there are several options to find used curriulum online. Ebay, HSLDA's Curriculum Market, Curriculum Exchange, and  Yahoo used curriculum group are great places to find what you need.

3.Yard sales. I have found so many things at yard sales from flash cards, books, puzzles, vidoes to actual homeschool workbooks and curriculum. One of my favorites was a teacher who was retiring. I got so many great things from her for just cents.

4. Library and Private school book sales. These are great places to find supplements to your curriculum. Novels, children's books, geography and science books and really just about anything is possible to find at these sales.

5. Scholastic Book Warehouse Sales. These sales offer a wide variety of books at a 50%, and often times more, discount. This is a great opportunity to build a homeschool library and find supplements to your curriculum at a greatly reduced cost.

6. Set up a freebie/curriculum swap table at your homeschool group meetings. At one homeschool group I was part of, we just brought in what we wanted to give away and set it out on a table. It was a great way to declutter and give something to someone who could use it. On a larger note, I've also been part of an area wide book benevolence. If you have a willing host (in this case a church) who has a little space to spare, anything homeschool related can be donated, kept in a central location and, the doors can be opened once a month to anyone needing curriculum.

7. Dollar stores. These days many dollar stores are offering up a large selection of teaching supplies. Recently, I've been able to find simple workbooks, worksheets, file folder games, flashcards and all kinds of supplies from stickers to cutouts.

8. Borrow what you need from a friend. If you are in need of something, ask a friend if you could borrow their resource. (Just please keep it away from the two year old with the sticky peanut butter and jelly fingers. Just ask me how I know.)

9. Browse the web. There are literally TONS of free resources on the internet on every subject in every time period for every thing.  Click on the "Homeschool" page tab at the top of this blog to find links to many great sites I've come across over the years.

10. Write your own. If you just can't find the resource you need, or maybe your can't find the perfect resource for your family, you can always just write your own. Now, I am going to offer you a shameless plug for my book, "Overcoming Curriculum Anxiety! A Ten Step Guide to Writing Your Own Curriculum".  I've been writing my own curriculum for over twelve years now, and I've shared my "how to" process with you! Only $10!