A lot of us struggle with determining how much we should spend on our children’s education. This is true whether we homeschool or send our children to public or private school. We all want to make sure that our children experience and learn as much as possible. As a homeschooling mom, I know that I find myself afraid that I will somehow totally leave out some crucial area of my children’s education. Here are a few steps that we are finding to be helpful as we make purchasing decisions for our family:
- Determine your priorities. We will all say that God comes first, then our family, and so on and so forth. But, the way we spend or time and our money is often the true indicator of our priorities. Before we go about deciding what we need to spend money on, it helps us to decide where we should be spending our time. If we determine that we need to be spending more time one-on-one with our kids, we don’t have to worry so much about whether or not we should enroll them in the latest and greatest program.
- Do some research. My favorite place to find reviews is The Old Schoolhouse. Here I have found information on products related to Bible study (for our home and for our church), music, physical education, and much more. These reviews have really helped me to figure out what it is our family truly needs.
- Consider alternatives. Do you have to buy a product or sign up for lessons, or can you teach your child on your own? While our kids are still young, we have decided to work on physical activities with them as a family. We are seeing so many families wearing themselves thin as they enroll their kids in all kinds of lessons. But if we can make physical play a part of our family time, we not only get exercise, but we get quality time together–something which has become so easy for many of us to give up. If you are not confident in an area, check out your library for a great assortment of books related to all kinds of activities. Or, if lessons are the best option for your child, you might suggest them as a birthday gift from a family member.
- Don’t buy it today. When I come across a product on the internet which I would like to purchase, I will open up the site tab and just let it set there for a few days. Sometimes I won’t end up buying it. Other times I will realize that I should add something else to my order, like a birthday gift, and save on shipping.
Whatever you are considering, take some extra time to think about it before you lay your money down. You just might come up with a much better solution!
For more tips on avoiding over-purchasing for your homeschool, check out Terri Johnson’s helpful article at Knowledge Quest.
