For the last 4-years our family has spent less than $100 per year on homeschooling. We’ve learned how to stretch resources and pinch pennies without lacking a stimulating educational experience for our children. More than that, we’ve seen the Lord provide. We’ve had to trust him for what our children need. He has given us the tools that we’ve needed; empowering us to creatively compensate for what we haven’t been able to run out and buy.
This series is for:
- New homeschool parents wondering how they can afford to homeschool.
- Moms stressing out over the cost of the curriculum that they love.
- Families looking to creativity cut financial corners without cutting educational quality.
- Parents on a zero budget who want to look at how frugal homeschoolers make it work.
- Homeschool moms looking for free & frugal supplements to their purchased curriculum.
This is a series about being confident in the choice to homeschool for free & frugal; you can still provide your child with a fabulous education without breaking the bank!
When my husband lost his job, I remember nearly shaking as I faced a new year of homeschool with a zero budget. Years later, since stepping into the Homeschooling for as free as possible mindset, that experience has blossomed opportunities that we would have otherwise missed. Homeschooling on the cheap has sparked ingenuity in our children as well.
Day One: How Our Family Began to Freely Educate
Day Two: Four Frugal Ways to Teach Preschool
Day Three: Our $50 Homeschool Year-Part One
Day Four: Finding Cheap or Free Homeschool Curriculum
Day Five: How to Create Homeschool Printables
Day Six: Don’t Let Fear or Money Steal Your Joy of Homeschool
{ + Free & Frugal Homeschool Planning Pack}
Day Seven: Homeschooling on the Homestead for Free & Cheap
Day Eight: Frugal Homeschooling: A Lifestyle Of God’s Best
Day Nine: Our $50 Homeschool Year (Part Two)
Day Ten:Tips for Planning Your Free & Frugal Homeschool Year
{ & A Journey Through Learning Giveaway}
You won’t just hear from me over the next 10-days. I have a panel of guest posters who know homeschooling for free & frugal. They’ll be sharing with us different perspectives that will help in any free & frugal homeschool journey.
Now, we’ll hear from our first guest post.
How Our Family Began to Freely Educate
(from Lori Seaborg)
In 2004, our family of six was hit with a desperate need to be frugal, when Hurricane Ivan directly hit our Gulf Coast area. Our family endured losses during that time, of a job, things, and…peace. A few people helped with food (and the Tennessee power guys gave a bag of Snickers to the kids!), but the greatest help came in the area of education when someone reached out two hands full of generosity.
our youngest last week, at our homemade chalkboard
As soon as we were back on our feet, as a “pay-it-forward” thing, I started an online group where people could share their extra school supplies with those who needed them. The group grew and eventually became FreelyEducate.com. At Freely Educate (which is also FreelyHomeschool.com), I share high quality, 100% free educational finds, and I focus on the freedom we have to educate children in whatever way we believe is best for them.
our boys, nature journaling
Children are born with a love of learning; we only need to preserve it.
Knowledge is freely available; we only need to find it.
our 13yo gal in a favorite reading spot
A high quality education can be achieved, no matter the obstacle. If someone doesn’t have money, knowledge can be free. If someone feels stifled by textbooks, a quality education can be taught creatively. As long as we have a love of learning, we can learn. No matter what.
founder of FreelyEducate.com
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The 10 Days Series is organized by iHomeschool Network, a collaboration of outstanding homeschool bloggers who connect with each other and with family-friendly companies in mutually beneficial projects. Visit us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. And of course, click the image below to visit all the 10 Days posts from these homeschool moms of the iHomeschool Network.
You’ll be blessed with tips on how to handle bad days, cultivating curiosity, teaching with Legos, and much much more!
I LOVE this first post and can’t wait to read the rest of your series. If not kept in check, homeschooling can cost a fortune…as with anything. But, I have found that keeping it simple….and spending less, has created a greater love of learning in our home…where we are learning to Rule Our Curriculum…. Love ya!
I have quite a few books from the Troll Target Series 30 copies of each title You can look them up on Amazon These are great for Homeschooling FREE to whoever will use or share them. I can deliver or meet you near Atlanta, Ga or Chattanooga, Tn. or contact me and I’ll mail them for $3.00 postage.
1. Survival, How we Prevail
2. Identity, Who We Are
3. Together, How We Belong
4.Turning Points, When Everything Changes.
I can’t want to see all the posts! We are rapping up our first year of homeschooling and are schooling on a tight budget:) can’t wait to see all the great ideas:)
I’m so looking forward to this series! I’m slowly starting to think about how/what curriculum I want to use. I still have lots of time though (a year and a half before “official” kindergarten age). My 4-year-old son was recently showing an interest in learning how to read. I was starting to stress a bit knowing that the curriculum I wanted to use was a bit out of our price range. I talked with my mother-in-law and she is letting me borrow the curriculum she used with her two youngest!!!! I’m so thrilled! It may not be the curriculum I would have bought, but it has the parts that are important to me.
So this week I am SLOWLY going to introduce some of these phonics topics with my son and see if he really is interested in this topic.
I love this post and look forward to the rest! This is our second year starting up and it is quite overwhelming looking at prices. Great to hear these wonderful tips:) thanks so much for hosting!
Looking forward to this exciting series! Thanks for the free e-book!