Frugal Homeschooling Ideas

While homeschooling is expensive, frugal homeschooling ideas do exist. These frugal homeschooling ideas are as effective as if you'd spent a lot of money to homeschool.

Before you get started you'll want to decide what your budget is for your homeschooling year then use these frugal homeschooling ideas to help you stick with it no matter what. Consider the cost of everything involved, including: curriculum and supplies; books and magazines; any dues you must pay for support groups or legal associations; and outside activities. Once you do that, it's time to save money by being frugal.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #1: Use The Library 

Your local library not only has books and reference materials, but they also offer classes (e.g. story times, reading programs, writer's groups, homeschool groups) and volunteer opportunities. All of these are really frugal homeschooling ideas that are easy to transfer into “educationese” at the end of the year.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #2: Find Free Homeschooling Materials

Oftentimes you can find free textbooks, audio books, eBooks, lesson plans, and worksheets. There are also complete curriculums such as Easy Peasy Homeschool for middle and high-school students.
You can also use this frugal homeschooling idea for elementary school students, but I'm unfamiliar with such sites, sorry.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #3: Buy Used Curriculum 

Many times you can find used curriculum at your local bookstore or thrift shop. Sometimes you can even find it at a garage sale. There are also a lot of websites that facilitate homeschool curriculum sales. Such sales are a great frugal homeschooling idea.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #4: When You Can't Buy Used, Buy Discounted

Whenever you have to buy some new curriculum, make sure you get it at a discounted rate. Don't overlook this frugal homeschooling idea because it's usually rather easy to find great discounts at Rainbow Resource and Christian Book Distributors. Scholastic also has great monthly sales.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #5: Look For Educator's Discounts 

Talk to your favorite retailers in your area to see if they offer an educator's discount. As a homeschooling parent, you qualify for this as long as you present the store with an official letter or ID card, which you can print from your home computer.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #6: Curriculum “Hand Me Downs” 

Make sure the items you do buy are of high enough quality that you can use it again with your other children. You can also preserve consumable materials by having your child write on a separate piece of paper or by covering them with a plastic sheet protector then having your child use a dry erase marker to write with.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #7: Create Items Yourself 

Take some time to create your own flashcards, lesson plans, worksheets and tests. If you do buy them, don't buy the teacher's edition or answer key unless you sincerely have to.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #8: Find Low Cost Activities 

Since activities are important, frugal homeschooling ideas are really important here. Try to schedule your field trips for those days when you have free admission or go as a group so that you'll get a discount. Offer to trade services for things like music, dance or art lessons. There's always something you can offer to do for them, even if it's babysitting their children.

Frugal Homeschooling Idea #9: Become A WAHM 

If you still can't save enough with these frugal homeschooling ideas, then consider looking into starting a home business.

You can always go to eBay and resell your used curriculum or clothing your children have grown out of. If you have a skill, offer to give lessons for other homeschooling families.