How Much Do You Spend?

We have two kids and we typically spend a combined total of about $500 per year (the older child is more expensive at about $350/year and the younger one needs less, so typically about $150/year). That is just on core materials and does not include some of the fun extras we buy. From the comments above, I guess that is pretty cheap for all the materials needed for 2 kids. We traded books with friends, borrowed curriculum and that helps save a ton, as does buying used.

@purplecurls27 My daughter will be in 3rd next year and I have already bought all of our curriculum for next year. I am buying for her and for my son who is going to be in 1st next year. Combined I spent about $850 or slightlyl more, but I bought a few “luxury” items (like Lego Education for my 1st grader which ran us $150 and some music curriculum that was over $120 as well). We buy each subject from individual companies though rather than one set from one company, so I feel like we could get away for less. Had we not spent on those larger “luxury” items our cost would have been less, but I really wanted to add those things in next year and they will add a lot more “fun” to our school days and interest areas for the kids as well, and that was important to me for next year. Most of my cost though was for my 3rd grader and my 1st grader got away for a lot less since a lot is handed down. I hope this helps!

2 Likes

I’m having sticker shock right now too. I just added up everything I want to get for next year. It came to just under $400. That was for my first and third grader (I’m reusing first grade stuff). That doesn’t include Spanish, which I really want to teach. The program I’m looking at runs $150 but lasts 3 years.

We spend around $400-$500 a year for all four kids total. I buy used whenever I can, and then just get workbooks/consumables new each year. I mainly purchase curriculum for my oldest, then pass the curriculum down to the other kiddos as they reach that grade. So I usually only have to buy workbooks for the younger ones each year.

I don’t have to total it up, which is a luxury, I realize. I think I spend about 300.00-500.00 per child on curriculum. I spend a lot more than that on books and dvd’s as I go along that the library doesn’t have, and our chemistry microscope this year was 300.00 all by itself(high school). We’ve only been homeschooling for 2 years and I’ve tried some things and needed to switch mid year. I hope to get to a point that I know just what we need and that’s what I buy. Mine were 2nd grade, 4th grade and 9th grade this year. I have never factored in things like field trips or general school supplies. So far, I haven’t been able to reuse anything because of the kids ages and the two little ones are totally different learning styles, so I’m not sure how much I will reuse. We’ll certainly reuse that microscope though! :slight_smile:

2 Likes

We’re starting 3rd next year and were blessed with a great deal of curriculum from different people at no cost to us. We spent about $30 on math and that is our only purchase beyond supplies. I am pulling together notebooks to go along with many of his subjects from free online resources. This is probably the last year I will have time to do that! But we have a bit of a stockpile of curriculum that was given to us for the future so I am confident we can keep our costs below $400 a year.

I am thinking of switching to all BJU for my 2 in 2nd and 3rd…can you give me an idea of how you use their curriculum?? Do you teach each individual subject to each kid separately?? I feel like it is very demanding for the parent!!!

This is our first year for THREE kids :open_mouth: but I have scoured the used posts, eBay and other places and managed to pull it together for about $800. Hoping each year gets a little bit cheaper!

If I were buying new, it would be just over $400 (4th grade). But, I always buy used.

I have 10 yr. old twins…so I purchase 1 curriculum…BJU Press and an extra set of consumables. I am hoping to switch things up (2015-2016) for our Fridays…Doing unit studies. In a year…we spend at most $1500. A little high, but cheaper than a private school education :wink: ! I am lucky though…only 1 grade level per year!

1 Like

Thank you for sharing! That makes me feel alot better! We will be homeschooling our 2 oldest and spending close to that amount also. I don’t know if that’s what we’ll spend every year, but for this first year I wanted something completely laid out. So of course the cost is high. I’ve been feeling guilty about that. My husband keeps reminding me that he’s ok with the cost, we’re not going in debt over it and its about 1/4 (or less) than the cost of private school!

2 Likes

@jennyplus6 makes a good point. I only homeschool my youngest child, who has learning challenges. But what do you do with curriculum that works for one child’s learning style but not another’s?

We spend between about $2000 for two kids. That includes extra curricular activities like dance/soccer etc., 2-3 museum/zoo memberships, and supplies. I read an article a while ago which stated that the average homeschooling family spent $2000. Some spend more, and some less.