how much do you spend per child every year on your curriculum?

[ccasanova]

What would you say the average is? Up to now, we are in a public virtual charter but I'm really disliking it and want to be on our own. Iv'e never had to pay for their curriculums though, and have no idea how much we'll be spending. I'm looking into unit studies so I'm sure there will be money being spent on activities plus what we'll spend on math, phonics for the youngest ones, etc.

So what do you spend?

[daisymommy]

I'd like to know too. Our first official year using curriculum will be next year (we pulled DS out midyear a few months ago, and right now we are unschooling just using what we already have at home and the library--haven't bought anything).

So, I put together a complete list of everything I want to buy for next year (which will be basically 1st grade), and it totals $500. But that also includes books that will be used for many years to come, such as nature study handbooks, art appreciation books, etc. that aren't grade specific. So, I think for the actual first grade year, including all subjects and art supplies, it comes to $375-$400. Not too bad I think.

[ALittleBitCrunchy]

I don't have a specific number, but I would guess that I spent $750 this year. I'll admit it - I'm a book geek. I love books and love to buy, use and own books, so that affects my total Probably $200 of that was spent on actual books (literature-based unit studies) because I am horrible at keeping track of and returning library books. Cheaper to buy them than borrow them. $200 was spent on math and phonics stuff and textbooks - Singapore, 100 Lessons reading, FIAR manuals. $150 on books that we will use for years to come - reference books, great Scholastic sales, etc. I think supplies were around $200, but they include a globe, wall maps, art supplies, etc, so that won't happen again. We have memberships to zoos/aquariums, children's museums and science centers, but we had those before homeschooling so I don't include it here.

However...except for the math books and the art supplies, everything is re-usable for the next child, so his K cost $750 but hers will only cost $100

For 1st grade, I am looking at Moving Beyond the Page as a framework and it would be $550 for everything. Add $100 for art supplies and math books and that's it bcause I have everything else pre-bought - like Story of the World, reference books, phonics programs, etc. If I don't go with MBTP and just make it up myself, 1st grade will be less than $250. If I use it, then it's $650 for 1st grade...and I can use it all again in 2 years

[MsBirdie]

$200 for right start math and hooked on phonics, $100 for science experiments, $100 on art supplies, plus more for field trips, science homeschool classes, etc. We use the internet and the library like crazy.

[zeldamomma]

We aren't big on curriculum, so our number will be on the low side. For both my school-aged kids, I spent about $250 total. That was for getting started with Mathusee (and we have all the blocks now, so next year will be cheaper), a handful of workbooks for my little workbook-lover, and a language curriculum we never touched that I expect to sell. If I'd taken the time to shop around for used materials, I could have spent less.

I'm not sure how old your kids are, but there is a wealth of stuff available for free online, and a lot of it is astonishingly high quality. We are BIG library users too. FTR, if I felt like it was necessary, I could spend more on curriculum-- I'm not sacrificing anything, my family just doesn't need a complete curriculum at this point.

ZM

[Baby Makes 4]

I'll be honest here .... probably around $2000 :

We are eclectic homelearnings with a definite unschooling streak.

If I had to break down my estimation of spending this year it would be something like:

Books $500 (everything from novels, history books and interesting looking science books to spelling workbooks and math books)

Board games $300 (We love board games and this year have bought 10 Days in Asia, 10 Days in Europe, 10 Days in Africa, Artifact, Carcassonne, Carcassonne Tower expansion, the Ungame, Castle Keep and Squiggle)

Science experiments/activities $300 (Luke loves those things where you excavate the dinosaur bones and he blasts through science kits in no time)

Art supplies $150 (Sculpy, paints, pastels, crayons, wooden model building kits)

Classes $750 (Luke has taken 3 very expensive series of classes on Flash animation, video game design and web site design.)

iPod $160 (Luke spends hours watching National Geographic and other podcasts, listening to music and listening to audiobooks so I consider this an educational expense.)

There are still a few months of this 2007/2008 "school" year left so I expect our total will hit around $2000+ once we are all done.

We also visit the library at least one a week and use the internet heavily. Luke is an information junkie and he just blasts through stuff as fast as I can get it to him. Our library is a small regional branch about the size of my living room which is why our book costs are so high.

[3momkmb]

This year I spent about $500 on DD and about $200 on DS. A lot of the items I bought for DD (Apologia Biology and slides, teaching textbooks, Sonlight Brit Lit IG) can be reused and the stuff I got for DS (Sonlight science 3 and the teachers guide from Horizons) can be resold. Also, a lot of what I bought was books (I got DD a bunch of horrible histories/geographies/science and murderous maths books and some Usborne books). Very little of it is consumable.

That is just the books though. I also pay for each child to take sports and classes so that's more.

[rsps]

For things we wouldn't have if they were in school (so doesn't include zoo and muesum meberships/art supplies etc -- that I would buy anyway)
I'd estimate that we only spend less than $100. For Story of World vol 3 and activity guide, timeline figures, and maybe a few other books.
Of course, I've been doing this for 5 years now, and in the past have spent more, and we are reusing/still using things I aquired in the past. (I also buy most things used if possible)

[elizawill]

i've never actually calculated and never will - lol....but i'm certain i've easily spent at least a few hundred or more (and probably more) including books, math manipulatives, games, memberships, videos, crafts etc. i try to resell a lot and buy with the money i make back & i ALWAYS buy used .....and i also try to get things from paperbackswap.com when possible. i could homeschool for free definintely (curriculum wise that is)....but i'm a self confessed curriculum junkie and i LOVE to buy, sell, and swap. i always have more than i need and less than i want!

[carmel23]

Our Charter school gives us a lot of money for books, classes and all... and then we spend a bit of our own money... so it is like over $1000 from the charter, and then we spend about $100 on books, and art materials...

[frogguruami]

Math - Math Mammoth - These are e-books so I only have to buy them once and can reuse them for DS2. Each book is around $4 and we probably buy 4 a year. ($16)

Language Arts - This year we are expanding Language Arts so our expenses are going up. Here is what is planned.

Sequential Spelling 2 - We used 1 last year and will reuse it for DS2 ($13)

Reading Fluency - Used by DS2 only ($13)

Worldy Wise 1, 2 and 3 - This is new this year ($30)

Writing Strands - 1,2 and 3 ($55)

Science - $100

History - $50

Museum Membership - $55

Zoo Membership - $55

Art - $50

That plus misc. stuff brings me to around $500. I could do it for less if I wanted. I also haven't included my book addiction! LOL I probably spend another $500 on books each year but those aren't directly related to curriculum and I would probably spend at least that if they were in PS.

I also can't really separate out for each child because I buy very little that is consumable so I can reuse things each year. Also my language arts amounts are probably twice what they would normally be since we are starting a bunch of new things next year.

[pamama]

Ds is 6, so in school he'd be first grade. (Well, our school district was going to put him in K). I think we spent between $300-400. That's about what we're spending for next year, too. But much of what we buy will be reused for the next 2 kids, so I'll only be buying new workbooks for math and handwriting for dd in a couple years. Oh, and that doesn't count art supplies, since I would be spending money on good art supplies anyway. We get most of our books from the library, so I only buy the references, spines, things we'll use throughout the year. I try to spead out the spending over several months, too.

[Citymomx3]

I have a 6th grader and a 1st grader and we'd probably be considered relaxed eclectic homeschoolers. I think we spend around $1000/year total. I am a nut for books. I spend about $300 on books each year - most of which we probably don't really need . Art/school supplies around $100 (I love the August sales and the dollar stores!). Field trips around $200 - this is only for my own subway fare (the kids get free Metrocards in NYC) and souvenirs and lunch when we're out. We spend about $60 on science kits and about $170 on dd's math program. There's probably a bit more in there, too.

My job gives me a corporate membership to all the museums and cultural places in NYC, so we don't pay for those (and we get free cable and internet). The kids take "extracurricular" classes, like dance and basketball, but I don't count that as they would do those even they were in school. We love nature walks, the playground, the library, homeschool group events, and educational websites - all of which are usually free.

[Dakota's Mom]

$19.95 per month for Time4Learning. We buy workbooks on occasion to supplement and we do lots of activities that cost money. I don't know if we should be counting them or not. We go to the theater about once per month, ranges between $10 and $35 per trip. We also do things like the children's museum and farm trips. Prices vary. And lots of playdates. Now that it's warm they will be mostly park dates. During the cold weather we went to an indoor play space that was $6.00 per child. We also do library story time and book store story time.

Kathi

[guest^]

It would be too depressing to add it all up this year-especially as I have a huge box of books/curriculum to sell.

Some years,too much(the box).

Other years, very,very little.

I do know how much I've..ummm...*contributed* to our City via library fines....$65 last year. But! We always have around 80-100 items checked out at any given time.Not too bad.

For those who are just looking/lurking, and want to HS, but think they can't afford it, I know of a family with five DC-all HSed. They use high-speed internet(this uncludes free online printables), the library,garage and thrift stores, and all DC are unschooled and test at least two grades ablove their peers.

mp

[ruswen]

I've been spending about $300/year per child, but I've found a way to cut some of those costs this year, so it'll be significantly less. This cost doesn't include the $250/year we spend on co-op or any class fees (art, etc.). Oh and I'm homeschooling a 4th and 2nd grader using WinterPromise.

[dannic]

We are huge into classic books--and that is what I expect will be our main expense--but books can be read and reread! I am hoping to buy things that can be used by all or over and over with the next children...so, hopefully the overhead will decrease (or at least plateau, lol) after some initial expense...besides, aren't schooling expenses deductible? They ought to be!

[sha_lyn]

about $400 for "materials". Depending on the yr, another $100 or so for fieldtrips, not counting our trip to Pigeon Forge to the Homeschool day at Dollywood.

[natashaccat]

We just finished out first year and we ealily went through our School District allotment of $1150. That included, misc supplies, PE and $25 /month for internet. That being said I probably blew a bunch on $ on things that didn't pan out just because I had the $ to spend.

Now that I know what works I'll be able to spend more efficiently next year. I'll be buying Right Start, a few Explode the Code books and some science kits totaling about $400.

[heket]

Hmm, not really sure... these are abouts

$160 for a used OM curriculum
$35 (with shipping) for pre-K & K HWOT workbooks and teacher guides
$30 for Singapore math 1 & 2 from ebay (2 parts each)
$40 for Wise Enchanter & LMNOP

We're planning on K for the fall, so roughly $265. I already have some paints and beeswax crayons, not to mention pencils and other art supplies.