[VisionaryMom]

Do you budget for HS? If you do, do you mind sharing how much?

Right now, we are paying $210 per month for preschool for DS, plus $160 a month for a sitter who comes one day a week (so I can get work done). DD goes to kids' day out, which is $120 a month, and we haven't decided whether she will continue to go next year or not.

Likely/planned expenses for next year:
~ a sitter for 2-3 hours a week to get in some time for me/my writing

~ We will continue to do dance and soccer, so that's a wash as far as money is concerned.

~ YMCA's hs PE class - $27 a month for both kids

~ Earth Scouts - $20 every 3 months for both, plus possibly snacks or materials when we lead

~ nature conservatory that does 2 homeschooling days per month - I don't know the cost, but we will likely do that.

We have a good supply of books and art/craft supplies, though there are a few things I'd like to get (modeling clay, for example). My dad gave us the complete set of Hooked on Phonics that my stepsister used, but I don't know if we'll use it. DS is starting to read, and I'm not sure if DD will need it. Still it's downstairs.

I know I want to get a globe, small scale for science, children's microscope, large map - a few other things like that. How much more should I budget, or do you just pay for things as they come up without a specific budget in mind?

We have a zoo pass and will get a couple of others (interactive children's art museum, science museum w/ a great Kid Zone).

Looking through everything, $180 a month looks like what I *want* to budget, but I can be flexible.

 

[AAK]

This year I spent about $300 on my oldest's curriculum. In hindsight, I should have eliminated about $50 of it.

My younger dd requires less than $100 for curriculum.

We spend money on piano and dance, but would even if in ps so I don't count that towards hs. An uncle gifted us a museum membership. If I keep it up it will be $75/year. I use the "homeschool" umbrella for about $200/yr misc. purchases. And, we haven't gone on any costly fieldtrips that we wouldn't have done anyways.

So, I think $180/month is very reasonable. Especially, if you can be flexible about when you spend it. For example, August and September are more expensive as I buy new books and stock up on supplies at the back to school sales. But I usually don't buy anything in October/November unless it is a fieldtrip.

Amy

 

[heatherdeg]

I figure out how much we can spare/afford and work from there!

 

[theretohere]

Last year we spent just over $500- we just totaled it for taxes.

Most of that was on non-consumable books that we'll reuse over multiple years and for multiple kids, and art supplies.
This year we'll spend just under $200.

 

[Callimom]

It's really hard to differentiate homeschooling expenses versus "life" expenses for us.

I have a rough kid budget each month to cover extra curricular activities, co-op, field trips etc. that aren't regular events I can plan for in advance - ie a great field trip or program pops up. Other things like sports, or curriculum we just sort of make work in our regular budget. I consider things like books, art supplies, science kits etc part of my discretionary spending money - if we are flush that month we can spend on that sort of thing. If it is a tight month we take a pass.

There are 2 big curriculum sales I go to teach year. I make a budget based on what we need and try to stick to it.

Other stuff we fill in as we go and ask for birthdays etc.
hth
Karen

 

[elizawill]

i buy stuff all year long, but i sell a lot too... so i don't really know how much is out of pocket. for "big ticket" items, i purchase those with tax return money. for example, i'll buy a museum membership, zoo membership, and an amusement park membership when we get our refund. but as for curriculum and other resources, i just buy as we can afford it. oh! i do buy a lot in august though, as the back to school sales are amazing! so if you budget for art supplies, pencils, pens, folders, paper, glue, crayons, etc. aim to get those during back to school sales. you will save a TON! hth.

 

[Madame Pomfrey]

We do budget carefully. We have museum and Y memberships, plus baseball, swimming & flag football fees, science club, astronomy club, and scouts. This year we're able to spend more than ever:

~ I average around $60/mo total on school books and supplies, and I get better value doing it monthly than trying to buy a bunch of stuff at the beginning of the year. We buy what we need to use and can't get from the library. We probably spend twice as much on art/science supplies as on books.

~ I average $80-100 more on homeschool field trips and activities. We were able to do it on half as much when the boys were younger.

It might be different in your family situation, but you might find that you need sitters less than you think. I write in the afternoons while they play, during their practices and scout meetings, or after they & DH go to bed. They rock-climb or do kids' activities while I work out. I have Mom's Night Out while they're with DH. I used to alternate afternoons with another homeschool mom once a week, each taking the kids while the other did a half day of whatever...but we haven't found a family here to do that with. We only ended up using sitters for our dates.

Warm regards,

Lucie