How to Homeschool on a Budget
If you’re educating your kids at home, then you know the costs can really start to add up! However, we’re here to show you how cheap homeschooling can be, too. Homeschooling on a budget requires a little extra work and planning ahead, but with the right tools and strategies, you can save some serious cash.
1. Use the public library and other free resources
One of the great things about the digital age is all the free educational resources — if you know where to look.
If you have a public library card, you’ll have access to their digital and physical resources: computers, internet, books, and learning kits. Additionally, many public libraries are starting to use digital cloud-based borrowing services, such as Hoopla and Libby. These allow you to browse and check out e-books and audiobooks from wherever you are.
The internet is an amazing resource all on its own. With free educational videos on YouTube and free productivity tools and software programs on your computer’s digital store, there’s no shortage of tools and information available.
You can also incorporate free activities into your routine, such as visiting a park, playground, or nature trail. Some museums and aquariums may even have discounted or free admission for children on certain days. All you need to do is look!
2. Share your materials
Sharing is a great way to infinitely expand your resources! If you belong to a co-op or have other friends who homeschool, you can borrow, trade, and share your old books and curricula, buy supplies in bulk and split the cost between your friends, and take advantage of group discounts for field trips and other outings.
3. Be smart with what you buy
Another tip to save money is to be conservative with what you spend in the first place. When you first decide to homeschool, it can be really tempting to go all out. Keep in mind that you don’t need to buy everything all at once. If you wait to buy something, you may realize you didn’t even need it in the first place.
For true necessities, try to buy an all-in-one, buy used, or wait for a sale. Homeschool swap parties or yard sales are great options for buying used homeschool supplies, and buying all-in-one is more cost-effective than purchasing each item individually. An all-inclusive online homeschool curriculum can be an amazing solution to get everything you need, and some even come with a convenient 30-day trial!
Something every smart shopper does is take advantage of sales! If you’ve had your eye on something, using online tools and extensions such as Honey can help you track the price and alert you of any sales. You can also shop around, as some online services may even offer multi-child or annual discounts.
4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Resell
A great way to homeschool on a budget is to reduce what you buy, reuse what you already own, and sell or donate whatever you don’t use.
In addition to waiting to buy things, try repurposing what you already own. For example, if you already pay for Netflix, look for educational documentaries on there to support your lessons. Instead of buying math manipulatives, use beans as counters or Legos as base ten blocks. If you don’t own a dry erase board, a window or nonporous countertop could work. Creatively using or reusing what you already own can keep some money in the bank.
If you’ve been homeschooling for a while, you might have some materials that your children don’t use anymore. If these items still have life in them, you could give them away to other homeschoolers, or sell them online to recoup some money for more expensive items your child may need.
5. Budget ahead of time
Finally, one of the best ways to control your homeschool spending is to add homeschooling to your family budget. That way, you’ll be able to predict and track your expenses and stay within your means.
If starting and maintaining a budget is too daunting, try making a homeschool savings account. Create a separate savings account where a percentage of each paycheck is set aside for homeschool expenses. This way, you can make sure you’re not overspending for school.
How Miacademy is Cost Effective
If you’re worried about keeping costs down, Miacademy may be able to help! Here are some ways that a Miacademy subscription can make your homeschooling budget happy:
1. All inclusive, all the time
All of our subscriptions are fully inclusive, meaning you get access to ALL of our amazing content! With any subscription, you get access to thousands of high-quality lessons, games, and educational activities for grades K-8 with Miacademy and for 9-12 with MiaPrep. You won’t have to buy curricula individually, and we don’t require any supplementary supplies, books, or equipment — just a device with internet access. Even record keeping is simplified with our powerful Parent Portal.
While static software or paper curricula lock you into one version of a program, ours is constantly improving. We are continually publishing new lessons and updating the existing content to make sure we continue to provide the best learning materials possible. With our monthly content releases, there’s always something new to learn at Miacademy!
2. Discounts available
With Miacademy, you have several payment options for your subscription. We offer annual and lifetime memberships at a discount and have surprise flash sales throughout the year to help you save! If you have more than one child who will be using Miacademy, ask our customer service agents about a multi-child discount.
3. State funding approved
If you’re living in a state that allocates resources for homeschoolers, you’re in luck! At the time of writing, Miacademy is an eligible educational purchase in a handful of states. Check with your state’s education department to see if you qualify.
4. More than just a curriculum
When you sign up for a subscription with Miacademy, you’re not just getting a high-quality homeschool curriculum — you’ll have access to our entire homeschool community! Miacademy offers students (with parent permission) the optional feature to play games and interact with other students their age in a secure, actively moderated online environment. Students can join groups, design and sell items in their virtual shop, write for the weekly newspaper, and more in our virtual community.
As always, if you have any questions about Miacademy or MiaPrep, feel free to reach out to our friendly customer service team! They’ll be happy to help you with any questions you may have.
FAQ
How do you homeschool on a budget?
Some ways to keep your homeschool within budget are to use several different methods to minimize spending: by minimizing the amount of things you buy, borrowing or sharing items, buying items used, using free resources, and repurposing what you already own.
Can you homeschool without buying a curriculum?
A curriculum can easily be one of your largest homeschool expenses! However, homeschooling without one can be difficult but possible. If you have access to a really good public library, then foregoing a curriculum can be made much easier! Another option is to adjust your homeschool style and try a less structured approach, such as unschooling.