| One of the most common fears of a new or | | | | public, they will sometimes post the special pricing |
| prospective homeschooling mom is MONEY. | | | | on their website, as well. Some extra research |
| "We have a one-income family. How can we | | | | clicking and digging can save you a bundle in the |
| afford to homeschool? How do I spend less | | | | long run. The down side to this is that there is |
| money, but maintain high quality? I don't want to | | | | also extra time, energy, organizational skills, |
| be broke during the entire span of my children's | | | | money collections, delivery errands, and more |
| educational years." | | | | effort involved. If you're only teaching one |
| Thankfully, there are options. | | | | kindergartener, this may be right up your alley; |
| Given the enormous amount of public funds that | | | | but, if you're like most homeschoolers, you have |
| are shelled out day after day in traditional school | | | | multiple children, multiple teaching, multiple |
| establishments, one would think the task of | | | | homework checking, multiple events to taxi the |
| thrifty shopping is impossible when it comes to | | | | children to, multiple errands to run, multiple |
| brand-new or high-quality homeschool curriculum. | | | | housecleaning chores... and the list goes on. |
| Fortunately for penny-pinching homeschoolers, | | | | Fortunately, for the overloaded mom, there's |
| there are many ways to continue offering your | | | | another option available -- an online homeschool |
| children a high-quality education without breaking | | | | community organization called The Homeschool |
| the bank. My most favorite option for saving | | | | Buyer's Co-op. This organization offers free |
| bucks is buying in bulk --- just like the major | | | | membership to any bonafide homeschooler, and |
| big-box retailers - and school districts -- do. | | | | exists to negotiate bulk pricing on behalf of |
| It is common practice in the business place to | | | | homeschoolers. They take care of all the |
| offer product discounts when the wholesaler | | | | heavy-lifting. Moms like you and me, need only |
| purchases in high quantity. You understand the | | | | visit their website, browse the choices, and pick |
| concept of Costco, right? The more you buy, the | | | | the "group" purchases that we want to be a part |
| more you save. Storing extra paper towels, | | | | of. There are other homeschool curriculum |
| napkins, and canned goods is no problem --- you | | | | purchasing cooperatives available, but they only |
| know you'll eventually use them. But, for | | | | work with traditional school systems. The |
| homeschoolers, it's not always that simple when it | | | | Homeschool Buyer's Co-op is the only one I'm |
| comes to books, DVDs, and pencils. Unfortunately, | | | | aware of that caters specifically to |
| homeschoolers typically only need one, maybe | | | | homeschoolers' needs. |
| two copies of any given particular book title, | | | | Why pay more, when you don't have to? Next |
| workbook, or paintbrush. | | | | time you find yourself already at Costco getting |
| I've found some great bargains at bulk purchase | | | | the groceries, make a point to swing by the book |
| warehouses such as nationally known Costco and | | | | tables. You'll surely find something to enhance the |
| the Wal-Mart owned, Sam's Club. Great library | | | | learning at home and you'll certainly NOT pay |
| additions can be had at substantial savings such as | | | | retail. If you've got the free time to organize your |
| reference items like atlases, maps and globes; | | | | own private bulk purchase with some of your |
| classic book titles packaged in 6-packs, and | | | | local pals, then I suggest you get busy. There's no |
| wonderful how-to books like cookbooks, | | | | reason to keep spending extra dollars |
| gardening, knitting, sewing, chess, foreign language, | | | | unnecessarily. If finding spare time is not an easy |
| and more. A savvy shopper can even unearth an | | | | task for you, then why spend those precious |
| educational resource gem like the Core Knowledge | | | | family minutes on the phone collecting orders and |
| series by E.D. Hirsch, ("What Your Kindergartner | | | | payments from other moms? If there's an easily |
| Needs To Know, What Your First Grader Needs | | | | accessible, online, program available already doing |
| To Know", etc.) amongst the Costco book tables. | | | | all the legwork, then pour yourself a cup of tea, |
| These items can be found at retail bookstores at | | | | grab the computer mouse and click-buy-and-save. |
| much higher prices. | | | | No matter which option you choose, I highly |
| Another opportunity to bulk-buy purchase is by | | | | recommend tapping into bulk purchasing power |
| teaming up with a few local moms and then | | | | for your Homeschool classroom. The bottom line |
| approaching the vendor directly with a large | | | | is this - you have to spend - you might as well |
| quantity order. If a vendor is already open to the | | | | spend wisely. |
| idea of bulk purchase discounts to the general | | | | |