When It Comes to Homeschool Curriculum, Expensive Doesn’t Always Mean Better

Okay. Repeat after me…

Homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive.

Did you say it?

Bigger question- do you believe it?

You know, I’d been planning on writing on this particular subject again for a while, when, lo and behold, this question was posed on a search engine that brought someone to my site today: 

7 Reasons I Didn’t Buy Homeschool Curriculum This Year

As a frugal mom of 11 kids- 10 who are actually being homeschooled- I’ve turned my money-saving skills into an art. I mean, really, who actually wants to spend thousands of dollars on curriculum each year if they don’t have to?

Of all the years I’ve been homeschooling, our second year was the year I spent the most money because I was going through the “homeschool has to look like school” phase and bought individual boxed curriculum sets for each kid. 

How to Homeschool for Free (Or Close Enough to It!)

Are you dissatisfied with the educational system but feel unable to do anything about it because you’re on a tight budget?

Have you ever considered homeschooling? I know what you may be thinking, but hear me out on this…

One of the most popular misconceptions about homeschooling is that it is extremely expensive and, therefore, not very practical for those who may not have much disposable income. While there are certainly some pricey curriculums and homeschooling tools, the fact is that many, many people homeschool on a tight budget, and it is possible to homeschool practically for free. 

10 Ways We Homeschool 10 Kids for Under $1000/Yr.

Image courtesy of winnond at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The high costs associated with homeschooling are often one of the reasons people choose not to do it. We can’t afford it. We only have one income. We have too many children. 

It’s true that there are a good many homeschool curriculums out there which are high quality, with the high price tag to prove it, but today I’m going to let you in on how we homeschool 10 kids for under $1000/yr.

Since we are a one income family of twelve, it is absolutely necessary that I am resourceful enough in acquiring materials so that homeschooling will not be a financial strain. At this point in time, we plan on homeschooling all of our children through high school, so it is crucial that I find something affordable that works for our family.

Believe it or not, this is easier than you think. In fact, $1000 is actually a high number. I believe that this year we were able to keep our costs to below $500 for curriculum for all 10 children, but I’ll say $1000 just to be conservative!

In no particular order, here are the 10 biggest tips to homeschooling effectively, but frugally.