Need suggestions for $5000 homeschool budget - Page 2

[LoMaH]

I would also use the money for buying; supplies, tools, equipment, local travel, memberships (local museums/zoo/aquarium, online sites), magazine subscriptions, classes, attend plays/musicals/concerts/ballet.

Here's a list I've compiled from several different sources (get discount cards, look for sales)...

Magnifying glass, Binoculars, Telescope, Microscope
skeleton model, a balance, chemistry kit, physics kit,
human body kit, space kit, magnetism kit, rocks and minerals kits, prism
Maps, globe, Atlas

Camera, laptop, printer
Musical instruments
Sewing supplies, crocheting/knitting supplies
Dictionary and other reference materials
Cookbooks, Science experiment books, Nature field guides

geoboards, base ten blocks, tangrams, cuisennaire rods, pattern blocks, fraction pieces, clocks, thermometer, dice, Rulers, protractors, measuring tape

magnetic letters and numbers, magnetic word kits,
maze books, suduko games, how to draw books, mad libs
various subject workbooks, start building up your library

Art supplies-watercolor paints and paper, air dry clay, tempera paint, glitter paint, glitter glue, wood glue, all kinds of paper, googly eyes, sequins, buttons, feathers, yarn, plaster of paris, felt, popsicle sticks
egg dying kits
sticker books and stickers
stamps, stamp pads
Puzzles
Letterboxing stuff
cookie cutters and other baking equipment, kitchen tools
Seeds for planting, gardening tools
Carpentry tools
Netflix, video games, download music, online memberships
Lego and other building toys
Sports equipment
List of Board Games http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_board_games

Have fun buying

[pigpokey]

This is what I spend money on for my 6 and almost 5 year olds.

Curriculum / learning games / software -- not much -- a lot is free or cheap. Exception is something like Rosetta Stone, which is an investment.

Gymnastics team x2 kids, meet fees, leos. Not private gym rates or my whole budget would be gym. One is at the Y and the other is at a budget conscious program. I can get most of their workout clothes / leos and general clothes at the thrift store.

Swim team x2 kids, meet fees, team suits, lost goggles, caps, etc. Well, I do have to buy the suits new usually but if I can get them used I do.

Group and private music lessons. If you can find a middle school age musician who likes to tutor you can get some good cheap lessons in this age. My favorite instrument is the recorder. It's plastic and costs about $2.50.

Dance -- combination of private studio, county rec center and free church dance. Most dance clothes are from the thrift store, or Ebay for cheap new tights / leg warmers.

Skating -- we use cheap, but sharp, ice skates and high quality but adjustable inline skates for rec skating (DS wants to be in hockey next year). There are free flat places to inline skate, but we do try to hit the ice rink 1x week.

Scouts -- cheap weekly but uniform start up can be a little chunk.

[AAK]

Like others said, "WOW". But, then if you are including within that the piano/dance etc that your children may take, it can be sucked up fast. Here, dance isn't that bad, but my dd is still in the younger classes so 40/month. But, piano is pricey--I get a deal at 60/month for each kid. So, assuming 10months/year that is 1600 right there! I just have never counted that as part of my hs budget I guess because they were doing that while in ps as well.

If I had lots of money intended for schooling, in addition to my current curriculum (which this year has totaled about $350) I would add:
Membership to our local arts & culture museum
Brain Pop membership
Susan Barton Reading Program for my 7 yr old (the complete program for home use is $2400, but I would only get the first few levels to start, so let's say that it would really only be $800 for the first year--I would also have her tested first $500 for dyslexia and $300 for APD before I made the final decision about the program)

I would take the kids to the East Coast for American History.
Oh, the cricket magazines (Cobblestone, Faces, Calliope, Odyssey) would be nice to get by subscription.

Amy

[luvmybaby333]

Originally Posted by mamasaurus

Thanks everyone, for the replies!

I wish so much we lived on the Mainland for traveling. We live in Hawaii - which of course has it's pluses. However, traveling from here is quite expensive. We could spend the $5000 on plane tickets for four people to the Mainland USA in a heartbeat. So, traveling for us would have to be closer to home - like one of the other islands.

We don't have any big museums here, either. We belong to the ocean center and any other little organization we can find. To see anything bigger, we would have to fly to Oahu. So, maybe a trip over there is in order...

We do have classes - horseback riding, gym, music, languages, art, etc. I am looking into those.

We already have a classroom set up - lots of art supplies.

I'm collecting books and textbooks.

I might get a skeleton. A microscope. My girls are interested in science of all kinds.

I grew up in Hawaii (the Big Island.) I totally understand what you mean. Things like "real" zoos and museums are out.

I would put all towards whatever extracurricular activities your kids are interested in, a good quality microscope, a nice telescope, and whatever other "big ticket" items you can think of. Then I would squirrel the rest away. That's just me, though.

[dotnetdiva]

When I started last February, I had no organized plans, but I spent at least that much (although now I am trying to be much more frugal). The bulk went towards curriculum and books. I can't get enough books. It was too easy to spend money on homeschooling, as I highly value education and reading. Zoo/museum memberships, educational vacations and play gym came out of our family account.

Other than books, I recall getting ReadingEggs subscription (need to renew now), BrainPop Jr. (never used), a talking globe, lots of maps, Netflix subscription, whiteboards, math manipulatives, and built up a library and craft room. High quality colored pencils, crayons, markers are used a lot.

Anyway, $5000? I think I have still enough in my Amazon cart and wish list to use it all up with just books! Love books! And yes, I've been a textbook geek too since I was in elementary school.

[FireWithin]

a regular mother's helper to do activities with your kids that you don't enjoy doing while you take a bath, clean, etc.

[Roar]

They are kids, less is more. They are young. Pace yourself. I say you start with weekly massages. Perhaps a weekend get away or two. Good coffee. Yarn. Fabric. Chocolate. These are the things that probably have more to do with long term homeschool happiness than anything ordered from the Rainbow Resource catalog.

[Amanda Williams]

Originally Posted by Mammo2Sammo

a regular mother's helper to do activities with your kids that you don't enjoy doing while you take a bath, clean, etc.

[AnnR33]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

I'm not tight at all, but I'd put most of it away for an interesting trip at some later time - it costs very little to homeschool. But a really nice printer for your computer could come in very handy. I'd get in good nontoxic art supplies, maybe even a little kiln for firing clay creations and fusing glass, etc. A good climbing structure, swings, rope ladder - things for building up the body, sandbox or sand table and other things for creative imaginative play - like playstands, would be great. Good board games...

Lillian

I agree with all of this! A great trip will teach them tons that can never be taught in a classroom or at home.

A great play structure or tree house is also a wonderful learning tool. We finally broke down and bought one this fall.

I also think a nice quality globe is important-a big one with a stand is what I want and they are about $200-$500.

I bet you can easily get all your books and consumables for less than $500 and the rest can be used as stated above and/or memberships.

[dotnetdiva]

Our floor globe just arrived yesterday, it was a Christmas present from my parents to my husband and I, but of course, it's a great hs tool!

It is a 16 inch globe and cost around $244 on sale with free shipping. If it ever gets out-of-date, we can trade it in for a new one and get 50% off from our old one.

[EviesMom]

In addition, I would set some money aside for each month to choose a book at a store/book club, to do a special event, and replenish art/basic supplies.

[phathui5]

Is there a YMCA there? A Y membership can provide a lot.

[Reebekah]

i could easily spend that amount on all of the things listed....memberships, etc! like someone mentioned, BOOKS! i'd subscribe to some magazines...homeschool mags for myself......maybe subscriptions like national geographic for kids and highlights for kids (check out all the mag. options on amazon.com). i'd buy several books....books about homeschooling for myself....workbooks/books to read/curriculum books for the kids. i plan to use Sonlight for my curriculum, which isnt cheap....but even if i wasnt using it, i'd buy several books from thier lists. i'd also go thru the entire rainbow resource catalog and order a bunch of stuff.....i could probably spend 5k just on that stuff!

[briansmama]

I agree with the pp- put it towards all those fun enrichment activities! Around here, they add up fast. I would break it up in 2 chunks ($2500 Spring, $2500 Fall) so you can make adjustments as necessary.

My 6yo loves his hsing science class 1 day per week, as well as jiu jitsu. Both are monthly fees in the hundreds, so with 2 kids it could easily all go towards those activities.

As for curriculum, I would invest in a laser printer(saves tons on ink costs long-term). We got an efficient one for around $100. There are so many excellent free resources on the internet that I rarely buy curriculum anymore.

Oh, and I did just invest in a sony e-reader primarily to easily access quality children's literature free from googlebooks. I'd highly recommend that if you are using a literature-based or whole-book method of intruction like Charlotte Mason and/or the Well Trained Mind, or even if you just want to read alound to the kids often but don't want to buy/store lots of books. We've exhausted our local libraries and find that the best books are often already checked out and require a long hold period.

HTH!

[Savoir Faire]

I'd personally just like to roll around naked in it and say (in a Cartman from South Park voice) "mmmmm, five thousand dolllllaaarrrrrs."

[theretohere]

Originally Posted by Savoir Faire

I'd personally just like to roll around naked in it and say (in a Cartman from South Park voice) "mmmmm, five thousand dolllllaaarrrrrs."

best answer, yet.

[CariOfOz]

Originally Posted by Savoir Faire

I'd personally just like to roll around naked in it and say (in a Cartman from South Park voice) "mmmmm, five thousand dolllllaaarrrrrs."

[ebethmom]

Originally Posted by moominmamma

Does your budget have to be spent during 2010, or can you salt some away for later? If the latter, I would certainly do so. As their interests and aptitudes have developed, homeschooling my kids has got way more expensive than it was when they were primary-school-aged. I'm glad we developed a nice financial cushion by spending relatively frugally when they were younger. As a result my then-14yo was able to spend two months traveling in SE Asia last year, and we bought my 12yo a skookum new viola the same year, and still had money for the advanced summer music programs they wanted to attend.

Miranda

As usual, Miranda gives stellar advice!

I would love to have a budget for lessons and instruments. And summer camps. Our week at Suzuki Institute was the best money! My kids still talk about it every day.