If frugality was an Olympic sport, I would bring home the gold. Not only is budgeting one of my favorite topics, but one of my greatest joys in life is getting a REALLY good deal. Stretching that dollar until it’s shoestring thin has become an oddly enjoyable challenge, but I must admit it wasn’t always that way. At times it can be daunting and downright depressing when the money runs out before the end of the month. As much as I’d love to sit down next to you over coffee and discuss all the ins and outs of finances and budgeting, I’ll save that article for another time.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty of navigating your homeschool journey on a shoestring budget through intentionality, stewarding your money well, and my ultimate favorite hacks.
Tip #1 Be Intentional with your money: Set a budget and stick to it. It sounds ridiculously simple, but for some reason, it’s so hard to do. Homeschooling CAN be expensive if you’re not careful, BUT it doesn’t have to be. Decide how much you have in your budget to spend on homeschooling together with your spouse before you start shopping. Add a line in your budget specifically for homeschooling so you can spend guilt-free. Have your spouse help you stay accountable when you feel tempted to buy something just because it’s on sale. Trust me, there will ALWAYS be sales.
Tip #2 Steward your money well: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 To steward your money means to manage or look after it. Knowing how to manage your money requires diligent planning and forethought. Try keeping a running list of all the things you’d like to buy for homeschooling. Include everything from room setup to supplies and curriculum. Give each item an estimate and once you have the total, consult your budget. If needed, begin filtering what you truly need. You don’t have to purchase everything all at once.
Tip #3 My Favorite Money Hacks I’m going to let you in on a little secret… you don’t need a curriculum to homeschool! Honestly, you need a whole lot less than you think you do. I once heard a wise homeschool Mom say all you need to homeschool is access to a creek, read good books, and do some math. It really can be that simple. If you are curious about all the different methods of homeschooling and which category you and your children fall into, I’d highly recommend reading Courtney’s blogs here.
Once you’ve got that figured out, please keep in mind that the “absolute best” curriculum for you and your kids is one that you can stick to. It’s as simple as that.
1. Did you know that most curriculum creators offer freebies? It’s a great way to sample their content at no cost to you. Many creators will also offer great deals throughout the year as well. Here are some freebies from one of my favorite creators of nature unit studies. Check them out here!
I have no affiliation with her. My kiddos and I just love her content. When she runs sales, she gives a portion back to pay off the school lunch debt in her area. How amazing is that?! You get a great deal, a quality nature study AND you get to give back.
2. Another great way to spend nothing is by becoming a member of a local Buy Nothing Group. All you need is a Facebook account. Simply search Facebook for Buy Nothing (local area), and join the free group. The group offers members a way to give and receive, share, lend, and express gratitude through generous real-life neighbors. You can post anything you’d like to give away, lend, or share in addition to asking for anything you’d like to receive for free or borrow. If you already have a homeschool community, don’t be afraid to ask to borrow a book or to take a look at another’s math program before buying. I’ve found that most homeschooling Moms are more than ready to lend a helping hand.
Library: You don’t have to spend a fortune on Pinterest perfect shelves of children’s books to read quality books to your children. Befriend the super helpful librarians and show your children the simple joys of a public library. Librarians can order books that you are interested in that they may not currently carry. Once you have a library card and account, you can access audiobook options like Hoopla or Libby. Load up on free audiobooks for yourself or children which is great for when you aren’t able to read aloud yourself or for long road trips.
Youtube: It’s another great free option. Simply search for the title of the book, author, or topic, and play the video.
Book Buying: Some of my favorite places to buy cheap and/or used books are library sales, buy/sell Facebook groups, local used bookstores, thriftbooks.com, bookoutlet.com, and occasionally Facebook marketplace. Sometimes you can find curriculum at these sales as well so keep an eye out for those.
Anytime I want to purchase something for homeschooling, I always check these places listed above first. Many times you can find what you need deeply discounted and in good condition saving you LOTS of money. As we enter the homeschool planning and purchasing summer season, I hope these tips will help you be intentional and steward your money well so that you can stretch your dollar shoestring thin, allowing more margin in your budget. Remember to exercise self-control, spend wisely, and allow God to help you provide for your family.
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Happy Homeschooling!
