Frugal Tuesday ~ Homeschooling on the cheap…

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Last week, I promised you a few tips for saving money homeschooling. So here are 10 ways you can save money on your homeschool:

1. Use the library! I use my local library a lot to find free resources for my children. I love that I can request materials on line and pop in and pick them up without having to search around. Bonus! BEWARE of the library fine monster, though. I have paid painful library fines because of lost books, or destroyed books {thank you 2 year old}, or books that we simply forgot to take back. Befriend a librarain for potential fine forgiveness and find out if your library happens to have a formal fine forgiveness program. Ours does once and year and I take advantage of that week!! I highly recommend borrowing books first and buying them later if you really like them.

2. Check Goodwill and other thrift stores. I find a ton of resources and books at thrift stores – often for cheaper than several days worth of library fines…

3. PaperBackSwap trade books for free! All you have to do is offer up your own books and pay to ship them. You get credits for doing that and can then use those credits to request books from other members. I have had great success with PBS.

4. Use the internet ~ lots of free resources for the googling!

5. Swagbucks! ~ another one of my favorite ways to earn free Amazon $$ – simply sign up for a free rewards account and then earn money for searching on the internet. I earn Swagbucks for searching and then redeem those swagbucks for amazon gift cards. I love Amazon gift cards!

6. Homeschool Assistance Programs ~ Our local school districts offer homeschool assistance programs. It is a way for the school district to get some tax money for my kids by providing us with services we value in return. Some people think joining the HSA is the equivalent of selling our soul to the devil {because they then have us in their system…} – but I enjoy the classes they organize and the materials we can get from them. My kids participate in Gym & Swim at the YMCA and bowling classes. Our HSA provides us resources to use {even some consumables}, and organizes classes at the library and the Conservation Offices as well as fun fieldtrips. We enjoy the HSA and it is a way for us to meet our state’s homeschooling requirements and get some financial incentives as well.

7. Check out your local county conservation boards and library offerings! We can take some awesome and very inexpensive {if not free} classes through both our local library and the Environmental Learning Centers. The kids love them and so do I!

8. Don’t forget about birthdays and Christmas! Some of my favorite homeschooling resources have come as gifts from family members. I know my family is always looking for gift ideas – keep track of items you’d really like and see if some of them.

9. Shop online through ebates {or the like} and combine orders for free shipping!

That’s how I save money homeschooling and what we’re doing this year in the first grade! What are some things you do to save money?

 

About Michelle Marine

Michelle Marine is the author of How to Raise Chickens for Meat, a long-time green-living enthusiast, and rural Iowa mom of four. She empowers families to grow and eat seasonal, local foods; to reduce their ecological footprint; and to come together through impactful travel.

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  1. Buy ebooks so I can print for multiple kids. Use boonschoft pass for museums, aquariums etc. Ask for homeschool or education materials from state/national parks, museums etc, those are often free or low cost. Goodwill bookstore is big for us.