Homeschooling : Part 4 : Education on a Budget

 Hey Friends!

Today on the blog, I'm chatting about ways we have Homeschooled on a Budget throughout the years. Homeschooling is a rewarding educational option. It has allowed us flexibility and the opportunity to tailor our daughter's education to fit our needs and lifestyle.

When we first started shopping for curriculum, it was a little overwhelming to see the cost of some of the most popular brands and sets. However, we quickly learned that homeschooling on a budget is completely feasible with careful planning.

Let's chat about some of the ways we customized our Homeschool to reflect our budget.

Utilizing Free and Affordable Online Resources

Online Resources

Ya'll, there's a ton of free - cheap educational resources available at your fingertips. One of my absolute favorites that I've been using since the beginning is Teachers Pay Teachers. Teachers Pay Teachers is a great online source to get Teacher and Homeschooler-made educational resources such as printables and PowerPoints.

I've even had a store for a couple of years now if you're interested in checking it out. It's named LB Home Education and caters to elementary / middle school grades. My activities are fun, engaging, themed and life-skill based. There's about 100 or so resources for you to choose from.

My plan is to work on more resources this Winter and continue growing my store.

Additionally, YouTube is a GREAT resource for educational content. Especially for history, science and the arts. 

Public Libraries

Libraries are very underrated. One of my favorite things to do is to go sit in a cold, quiet library and research different things. I can spend all day in a library with a cup of coffee. Library cards are affordable and allow access to so many learning tools. We utilize our local library for different research projects.

Buying Used Materials

Secondhand Resources

I've always loved searching Ebay or Thriftbooks for secondhand resources we needed for extra information in our homeschool. Some books on Thriftbooks you can't find anywhere else. Amazon Prime Days are also great ways we get deals on educational tools such as games, supplies and more.

Joining Homeschool Groups

I can't recommend Homeschool groups enough. They are so helpful with information and allows us to connect with likeminded people who enjoy homeschooling as much as we do. There are many homeschooling groups to join.

Embracing Life Skilled Learning

THIS is where I'm advanced with advice, y'all! We base our entire homeschool around life-skills and we highly recommend this fun and affordable way of education. Get your kids in the kitchen, grow a garden or managing their allowance. There's just so much to learn through everyday life.

You also don't have to have a ton of yard for a garden. Check out my post on Different Styles of Victory Gardens.

Local Community Resources

Since our daughter is going into Jr. High, we take advantage in many financial math opportunities. She's our little entrepreneur in training and loves making money just as much as she loves spending it lol Our local Farmer's Market is where we're able to teach her these skills each week. She has recently taken it upon herself to put 80% of her earnings in her piggy banks and keeping the rest for spending.

DIY Teaching Tools

I've done it all over the years, from hand drawn worksheets to research papers, lapbooks and more. If you have a creative side like me, DIY Homeschool resources are the way to go. Customizing my daughter's activities allow me to focus on her interests and best style of learning.

I hope this post has helped you plan your Homeschool on a Budget! We have 3 more posts set for the series which should be ending at the end of this month.

Check out my other Homeschooling Series Posts for more inspiration.

Don't forget to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store for fun and engaging activities.