Thrifty homeschooling seems to be a hot topic right now, with both newbies and veterans looking to provide a quality education for their students on a budget. Current economic uncertainties have everyone watching their pennies. If that applies to you, then keep reading for ways to educate your children well while spending less.

Inventory What You Already Own

Whether this is your first year or twenty-first year of homeschooling, you already have materials in your house that you can use for homeschooling. Gather and organize your pencils, rulers, crayons, scissors, books such as dictionaries and thesauruses, literature books you own, and any other educational items. Now you’ll know if you have to order a copy of Oliver Twist or purchase markers for the new school year.

Make a Comprehensive List of What You Need and Want

After going through your materials and organizing them, make a comprehensive list of your needs and wants that includes the retail price of each item. This helps you to recognize a good deal as you shop. Include those things that you think are out of reach because you never know how something might make its way to you. If you’re not sure how to choose curriculum, The Happy Homeschooler podcast has great advice in their episode, How to Choose Homeschool Curriculum. 

Ask, Borrow, or Barter First

Thrifty homeschooling means that before spending any funds, you ask everyone you know if they have any of the items on your list. I’ve found some of the literature titles on my list languishing on my husband’s bookshelves. Also ask in your Facebook homeschooling groups if anyone has the items that you need. Sometimes folks will just give you the item!

You might be able to borrow these items if no one offers to give them to you outright. When thinking of borrowing items, also be sure to research your local library’s catalog because many times they’ll have items on your list. Yes, there are limits to how long you’re allowed to keep the item but when the time period is about to expire, another family member can reserve the book on their library card, thus allowing it to be used that much longer. In my county, we can use any library in the county. For me, this expands my choices to five libraries!

Sometimes a person is willing to barter with you for an item they no longer want or need. You can offer an item you don’t need or a service they want (baking, cleaning, child care, etc.) to “pay” for the item. Once a friend and I bartered items we no longer needed- she got homeschool curriculum and I got a basketball hoop! Facebook Buy Nothing groups are another place you may find something for free. Get as much for free as you can!

Other Free Resources

The library isn’t only a place where you can borrow books, videos, and music- many of them offer all kinds of classes that can enrich your homeschooling. A peek at the offerings at my local library shows cooking classes, chess clubs, art classes, book clubs, sewing and crafting classes, astronomy nights, dance classes, computer classes, and so much more.

There are also many free educational resources such as Khan Academy, Crash Course videos on YouTube, documentaries via PBS Learning Media , and more. Be sure to use these resources before purchasing curriculum or paying for lessons, thus freeing up your precious thrifty homeschooling funds for your must have items.

Used Curriculum Sources

Many homeschool groups host used curriculum sales in the spring and summer. If no one is hosting one, you can create one! I’ve held several at a local park which had the advantage of allowing the kids to play while parents bought and sold curriculum. You can also host an online used curriculum sale in your local homeschool FB group. I love buying and selling curriculum from the comfort of my living room!

Other places thrifty homeschoolers find great deals on curriculum are eBay, ThriftBooks, and Homeschool Classifieds, which bills itself as, “. . . one of the largest sites on the web for buying and selling new and used homeschool materials, and for finding and announcing homeschool groups, activities, and events.” An Internet search will turn up even more places to purchase used curriculum.

Discount Curriculum Suppliers

When you have to pay retail prices, shop first at discount curriculum suppliers. Two of my favorites are: Rainbow Resource and Christian Book Distributors. The advantage of purchasing from these suppliers is that you can get a variety of materials at the best prices from one source and if the amount you spend is high enough you will often get free shipping.

Another discount resource to check is Homechool Buyers Club. There’s no cost to subscribe! In addition to discounts on curriculum, Homeschool Buyers Club also offers homeschoolers the ability to create Homeschool Student ID and Teacher ID cards. You can print the ID cards at home for free or order hard plastic cards to get discounts at bookstores, museums, movies, theme parks, restaurants, and more.

Once you’ve exhausted your free and cheap resources, then purchase whatever else you need from the curriculum supplier. Purchasing from them often entitles you to free online resources, such as worksheet generators, science lab videos, and more. Be sure to make full use of these perks because you’ve already paid for them when you purchased the curriculum.

Thrifty homeschooling allows you to provide your kids a high quality education with numerous educational and personal benefits, while conserving your precious funds for other expenses. Once you’ve gotten everything you need, give yourself an “A” for being a smart shopper and rest easy knowing that you got the most of your homeschool budget. Happy Homeschooling!