How Much Does Homeschooling Cost?

Have you been considering homeschooling? Are you trying to make a budget for buying what you need?

Remember this truth:

Homeschooling Looks Different for Everyone.

Therefore, the cost of homeschooling will vary from family to family.

That means that it can look different for you from year to year. Therefore, if you need to really save on costs for a while, feel free to do so. Some parents will opt to order this, this, that, and then some more! It is difficult to keep up with those parents, and I suspect that it changes based on the demographic in which you live. We choose to order less and borrow more (from places like the library).

You will need to prioritize what is most important to you based on your goals for each child. It won’t be identical to your friend’s goals. Some costs of homeschooling you will be more willing to spend your money on.

Here are some costs of homeschooling. Each one varies depending on the spender:

• School supplies

• Curriculum

• Field Trips

• Extra classes/experiences/tutoring

• Joining a co-op or tutorial 1-2 times per week

• Umbrella school services

Any one of these areas could cost as little as $30 or as much as a $1000 or more. It depends on what you are willing to pay. Let’s break it down.

School Supplies-

Basic paper and pencil can go far. Your child can answer questions on paper, keep a journal, summarize what they’ve read on paper, make science drawings on paper, and do math problems on paper. It is essential, in my opinion, and can be used in countless ways.

On the more expensive side of things, parents might choose tablets or computers for their children if they use an online curriculum or class. This drives up the cost. I prefer to have one computer and one tablet, which are both mine. The children take turns using them.

Other supplies I use are basic, such as crayons, glue, a ruler, and scissors.

How do you spend your money on supplies? How do you do to save? What is a splurge for you?

Curriculum-

There are so many curriculum options for homeschoolers; it can truly be overwhelming. I’ve written about curriculum before, but my best advice to new homeschoolers is to choose something and get started. You can always adapt, supplement it with extra resources, or sell it to someone else. There is no perfect curriculum. As you work with your child, you will learn what suits him more and have a better idea of what curriculum you want next.

I’ve saved on curriculum by buying used books (locally or online).

I’ve saved on curriculum by re-using materials I bought for my oldest child.

I’ve saved on curriculum by NOT buying anything for a given subject area and using library books as resources instead.

I’ve saved on curriculum by printing off free materials online.

I’ve saved on curriculum by accepting giveaways from other parents who are “cleaning out.”

A quality curriculum that can be re-used or resold can be a good investment—particularly if it’s conveniently laid out to help you teach something in which you feel inadequate. If you’re hesitant on spending a particular amount, ask yourself what’s the value of your child learning that material? Can you re-use it for multiple children? What is the resell value? If you can do a little math, you can figure out that it might not cost you as much in the end if you re-use it or resell it. In my experience, I have not spent more than $150 on a single curriculum (and that was rare).

Have you homeschooled? What ways have you saved on curriculum?

Field Trips

Going on daily errands, pulling over to watch something occurring (such as a construction project) can be counted as a field trip.

Since having three children who are officially school age, I rarely go on field trips that cost a certain amount per child.

The library is free..

The grocery store is free (How many children get to go inside these days since pick-up?).

Hiking is free.

Driving around is…..(increasingly more expensive with gas prices…), but can be cheaper than paying a field trip fee for myself plus three children.

Visiting a person in their job setting is free as well.

If you have the funds to go on various field trips, there are many options you can try—especially with a group of friends. Just know that you don’t have to spend tons of money for your child to learn. Your child is not inside a school building for 8 hours a day learning about the world outside. Your child is IN the world outside and learning opportunities are all around. As someone once said, “The world is their classroom.”

Extra classes/Experiences/Tutoring

I prioritize experiences for those opportunities in which my children excel. For example, we pay each semester to join a choir. My son is a talented singer, and it’s hard to sing in a choir by yourself at home. I pay for that experience and training. Other friends pay for horse riding lessons, bee keeping classes, and even STEM activities.

If you are concerned about an upper level math, science, or even writing class, you might choose to spend your money toward having your child enrolled in a class (online or in-person). I would consider doing this for science labs since I’m not equipped with the tools and do not excel in that subject. Of course, if your child is having a particular struggle, you might choose outside help and spend your money there. I have spent money for counseling on one child and money for speech therapy for another. If your child gets the help that’s needed, it is money well spent. Usually, it’s only for a season and not all the time every year.

Joining a co-op/tutorial

Truth: You do not have to join a co-op or a tutorial to have an effective homeschool experience.

Remember that when you are trying to cut costs or are having a difficult year.

I have saved with co-ops by hosting activities in my own home and starting my own small group for a year.

I have not chosen to pursue tutorials because I like to choose the curriculum for my children and spend time with them. I might consider it if I found a good fit as my children get older.

If you choose to pay for a more expensive homeschool group, be sure you are getting what you are paying for. If a “day off” for you is what you’re seeking, you might not choose to spend as much money since it’s actually a babysitting service. If you are looking for core courses and lots of instruction in those areas, you might choose to pay more. Honestly, it’s all about how you perceive the value anyway—and we are all different in what we value. So those numbers can go either way.

I value community and freedom. For the past four years, I’ve participated in a co-op so that I can be around other parents and know the children my children are around.

I re-evaluate my situation every year, and it is quite likely we won’t be a part of any co-op or tutorial next year unless it’s a small group I start. We are cutting costs.

Depending on the number of days a group meets and what it offers, the cost can be as much as several hundred dollars per child to over a thousand per child per year.

Umbrella School Services

In my state, I can register with the local school district to homeschool OR I can register under an umbrella school. The other alternative is an online school (not going to happen). My friends and I choose to pay each year for an umbrella school.

The umbrella school allows me to keep track of attendance, grades, and our education plans while staying legal with state education laws. The umbrella school runs specials for pricing throughout the year, such as early enrollment discounts. I am allowed freedom in what materials I teach and when.

Not every state has the same homeschool laws. Check with your state’s website or visit HSLDA.org

You might not need to pay for an umbrella school service. Be sure you understand your state’s homeschool laws because some may require testing at certain grade levels, which is an additional cost.

Do you still have questions? Check out my Survival Guide for the New Homeschooling Family.

I have many videos on my YouTube channel as well. Be sure to visit and check those out.

What did I leave out that you choose to pay for with homeschooling? Comment below

Did you read something in this post you had not thought of yet? Comment below.

SHARE this with a friend. There are so many parents out there with so many questions about homeschooling.