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Which by the way...

It is so ironic to me that it seems that having a baby is expensive--when really all the activities and things they need as they get older are so much more expensive! =)

I've tried to be as affordable as we could about Homeschooling this year, but it still adds up.
Piano lessons for the year--$500
Homeschool P.E. (per child) $110
Ballet (per child) $125
Awanas --Free =) I think
Materials -- $300-500 (I lost track, but I think it's closer to $500, but not over)
Preschool for Sami at the local high school $60/yr

I've always wondered what I should aim at for an amount to budget for homeschooling. I'd love to hear how much others try to budget for homeschooling expenses =)

I really have seen God's graciousness to us in how he has helped us to stretch what we can afford. I found a wonderful piano teacher for Autumn through a friend and the parks and rec make ballet much more affordable than it would be elsewhere. And garage saling has helped me get a lot of supplemental materials for less. I bought a box of paints and brushes for $3 a few weeks ago right after I had just gotten done planning out my art curriculum. I am very thankful to the Lord!

Comments

becky.onelittle said…
I spend more. I'd say three times a year, I spend about 100-200 dollars on books- mostly literature, but also curriculum books (for three kids; although, most of them are just for the two olders). I buy lapbooks/notebooks to coordinate with history, lit, and science- altogether for all children for a year (because I usually buy the reproducible disks so I can use them again later), I'd say that's about 120. I buy various art/project materials about 3-4 times a year, another 100.00-150.00/yr. Then there's ballet- fall/winter, spring, and two summer camps, 450.00 for Micaela. This year homeschool PE and enrichment at the Y, for three kids for a year (Aaaagghhhh) 920.00! We're still trying to stomach that last one, but it sounds so fun: soccer, swimming, karate, tumbling, spanish, recorder (music), volleyball, jumprope, etc... But honestly, I spend less per year to homeschool all my children (right now) than my dad did per semester to send my sister to private school. It's worth it, and I know that I could still school and spend less, but it's not worth the hastle to me. I've found the curricula that works for us, it's K-12, I can buy resources each year as Micaela grows, and by the time Elizabeth is in junior high, I won't be buying any more curriculum outside of consumable workbooks for stuff like math, or fun things that they just enjoy. Please :) just humor me in my dellusion!
August 11, 2009 at 4:44 PM
becky.onelittle said…
btw, I can't honestly say that I budget, because I don't really plan ahead except for the three book orders. I buy the craft stuff as part of groceries, and I pay for their activities as I have the money. If I had to choose, this year I would like about 2500 dollars for all my books, all their activities, all field trips, and all materials, but if I asked Ian for that much money he would probably fall over. Added up though (adding that 1000 to the Y), I'm sure that's how much I spend yearly anyway, it just doesn't look like it.
August 11, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Anne said…
Thanks for sharing with me Becky! When I decided to commit to Singapore Math, I had to stomach spending $200 to get what I needed to finish K math (because the teacher's manual was so much for K) and all of 1st grade math. But, it was the one that I felt really fits for us. And I realized that I was able to save on a lot of my Harcourt curriculums this year, but that they may cost more next year. I am thankful that I bought my art curriculum books for the next 6 years for $30 this year =) What are lapbooks? I've heard that phrase, but I'm not sure what they are.
That PE program sounds awesome!! That would definitely be worth the money from the sounds of it =)
And I'll be honest, I garage sale all summer, and I spend $20-$30 each Saturday I go out--it's on toys, household stuff, clothes for me and the kids, and a lot of extra stuff for homeschooling-- lots and lots of books =)
August 11, 2009 at 7:34 PM
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