Money Saving Tips for Homeschoolers

While many families find homeschooling rewarding, it can be costly. Here are six money saving tips for homeschoolers.

Get help from a homeschooling group in your area. Find out if there is a homeschooling group in your area and, if so, investigate what services it offers to homeschooling families. Many homeschooling groups sponsor exchanges where families can share and swap educational supplies, curriculum materials, and other homeschooling resources. If your local group does not already have an exchange, consider starting one. Also, some homeschooling groups offer direct financial aid to needy families.

Take advantage of your local library. Find out what resources the public library in your area has for homeschoolers. For example, some libraries allow teachers (which, as a homeschooling parent, you are) to borrow items for extended periods. Public libraries can be a valuable source of books and information to supplement the topics your children are studying at home. Also, don't overlook the free or low-cost educational programs sponsored by your library. They can be enjoyable learning experiences for your homeschooled children as well as opportunities for them to socialize with other kids.

Investigate the resources available to homeschooling families at your area's public schools. As a local resident and taxpayer, you may be eligible to use local public school libraries, which may have even more materials appropriate for students in your children's age group than the public library. In addition, your children may be able to participate in some extracurricular activities at local schools, such as team sports, which could be less expensive (perhaps even free) than paying for lessons or classes.

Check with local retailers about homeschooling discounts. Many retailers offer discounts on homeschooling supplies, although you may have to sign up in the store and show proof that you are an educator to be eligible for the savings. You can find a list of some retailers that offer discounts at www.homeschool-curriculum-savings.com. However, if you favorite merchant is not on this list, when you are there next, be sure to ask whether discounts are offered to homeschoolers. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that they are.

Buy in bulk and share. Because of their rock-bottom prices, warehouse clubs can be great places to buy educational supplies. However, sometimes their large pack sizes are not practical for one homeschooling family. If that is your situation, try to find one or two other homeschooling families with whom you can split the membership fee and cost of the items you purchase at your local warehouse club, then divide them up among yourselves.

Look for free educational items on networks like Craigslist and Freecycle. Also, if you have educational items that you are no longer using, make them available on these networks so that other homeschooling families can use them.

Sources:

www.homeschool-curriculum-savings.com, Home School Financial Aid for Struggling Home Schooling Families