Budget Homeschool: Guide to YOUR Best Frugal Homeschooling

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Frugal homeschooling isn't just a nicety in many homeschool homes - but an absolute necessity! When familes start homeschooling one of the common worries is how to make ends meet.

We homeschoolers are frequently at a disadvantage financially because one of us must stay at home with the children. This makes money quite tight, and while we know that love goes a long way - it doesn't pay the bills!

Frugal Living

We often say to people 'Oh, homeschooling is a whole way of life!' Well, nothing proves this more than a tight budget! It is silly to look at homeschooling on it's own when trying to make things affordable - you have to look at your whole way of life. Opting for a cheap curriculum is not wise if you are wasting money here and there on little items that you don't really need. This doesn't mean that things have to be miserable.

Adopting some frugal living tips into your lifestyle will help things go that little bit further.

Frugal Homeschooling Budget

Once you have done some household budgeting for your day to day living, then I recommend that you set yourself a homeschool budget. This is a great way to keep on track and not overspend on your homeschool. What can you realistically afford to spend?

photo by: jimmiehomeschoolmom

Even a small budget can be used imaginatively so it is better allow yourself a small amount of spending - than not setting a budget and 'hoping it goes well'. I have found it useful to set a weekly budget, and 'pay myself' that amount each week. I put the money somewhere safe - if we don't spend it all in the week then it gets saved for bigger items we need (or would like!) in the future.

Be honest with yourself though. If you know that getting your hands on the money each week will make it a certainty that you spend it, come up with another approach that will help you save a part of it for big items you might like to get. Being frugal does require discipline - so make it easy for yourself to succeed.

Free Homeschooling

Before you start spending for your budget homeschool, take a look at what is available to you for free. There are so many resources available via libraries and the internet these days. Your librarian in particular should become your best friend! We use our library not just for books, but for audiobooks, videos and even computer games.

It is also a great place for a budget homeschool to find out about free community events and courses. Online, there is everything from free curriculum, to worksheets and even free homeschooling planners. You may not find everything you need but I feel sure that you will be able to source a lot of useful resources this way.

If you are not sure where to start with then do take a look at my free homeschooling resource list.

If you are new to budget homeschooling, I recommend that you do NOT go straight out and buy a homeschooling curriculum - you are likely to make an expensive mistake. Quite often how we THINK our homeschool is going to work, turns out not to be the best method for us! So try a free curriculum first to see what you like and don't like about it. This will give you valuable experience - and you can then start to look at purchasing a curriculum with confidence.

Remember that learning isn't just about books and curriculum. It is an active process and there is nothing better than getting out into your community and learning from real people. People can be very generous with their time and knowledge once they realise you are truly interested in what they have to say.

If you are studying something that you think can be helped by an expert, then do ask around to find someone willing to help. There are often small groups and societies that would welcome a vist from your children. Many of them are very concerned that the 'younger generation' aren't interested in their skills or experience.

Affordable Budget Homeschooling

Although you can find a lot of budget homeschool resources for free, you are going to want to supplement with some good quality items. Start by asking other homeschoolers what they like and use. Word of mouth is the best recommendation for resources.

Try to take a look at the item before making up your mind. I have sometimes been sure that a particular book or workbook would be great for us - until I saw it myself.

Before going out and purchasing something new, try to find it used or discounted. Ebay is a great place for frugal homeschoolers to look. There are also sites on the internet that deal specifically with second hand homeschool resources.

And don't forget to use these places as a way to make some money out of your unused or finished-with resources. This is a great way to help, not just yourself, but another frugal homeschooler.

If you are really excited about a new resource idea that you want to buy, then my advice is to wait a week! Sometimes after the initial 'got to have' enthusiasm has died away, we can see that the resource is not actually ideal for our family. The 'wait a week' approach makes it much easier for you to stay frugal.

Frugal Freedom

I hope that adopting these tips into your life will help you enjoy your home school journey. In lots of ways, being frugal can bring you great freedom. It helps you bring a simplicity into your life and enables you to concentrate on the really important things. And really, that is what being with our children is all about.