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Leonie
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| Posted: Aug 26 2009 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
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On the Unschooling Catholics email list, someone asked -how much do you send on unschooling?
Which got me thinking - do you have a homeschooling budget? How much do you spend?
Oh, and my answer on the list?
In one way, I spend almost nothing on unschooling as we don’t buy textbooks or curricula – we use life, books, the library if we can pay the fines  , movies, music. On the other hand, you could say we spend a lot if you count all our DVD hiring and buying, our games, our outings and the subsequent lunch out with friends. 
So, what do we do all day if not use curricula? Today, we did folding of junk mail, our part time job – and this money making venture fits right in with our unschooling lifestyle, we have more time for this sort of thing. Computer games, piano, guitar, errands, prayers, mini golf with other homeschoolers for a birthday party and then lunch at the friends’ house with games, delivery of junk mail, reading religion related books in the car and reviewing Chinese for a Chinese Open Uni course and doing an Italian assignment for an Italian Open Uni course, gaming, games of billiards, reading, someone is writing a story on the computer, someone is on Facebook, listening to 60s music CDs in the car, watching the DVD Willow and discussing the fantasy gtenre...So, we didn’t buy curricula but our money still gets spent, just on things of more interest or of more importance to the kids. And the kids made money today with their junk mail!
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Leonie in Sydney
Living Without School
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Mary G
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| Posted: Aug 26 2009 at 5:48pm | IP Logged
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I was thinking the same thing that you said, Leonie ... if you're unschooling than the budget is either $0 or the whole budget!
This year I'm veering a bit from unschooling  because Thomas wants to go to Rick's high school and so he's doing Seton for 5th to see if he likes the rigor of set schedule and curricula.
Maggie and JP are still hanging with me for the less than structured days .... 
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
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Paula in MN
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Well, I spend more than I should  and less than I would like to.
A lot less. 
I honestly don't know the exact dollar amount, and I don't really have a budget. I get what I can through the library, and the rest I buy when I have the money.
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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Barbara C.
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I spent about $350 on homeschooling supplies this year. Some of this was stuff to keep my preschooler busy. Some was for RE instead of sending my daughter to classes (which would have cost $275). Some is reusable for years to come.
We mostly unschool the preschool years. We just do reading and math for kindergarten. This is our first year (First Grade)doing more formal work in other subjects, partly at my daughter's request. Our only "text" books are Singapore Math and St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism. We have a few workbooks. Otherwise we use the library a lot.
But also request things like art supplies for Christmas presents. I don't count activity classes or sports that they may have done anyway.
I don't have a budget, but I try to keep costs down while trying to find things that will fit my kids needs.
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Barbara
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Erin
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I tend to buy supplies and books about every quarter (term here) Although we only use maths texts, our library system is pretty sad so we buy living books. although books are MUCH cheaper from my favourite supplier, Book Depository (and postage free) it still adds up. Plus stationary and craft supplies are our other big cost. Funnily enough Leonie, I have started keeping a budget and I have kept to dh's budget, which is about $400 first term and $200 for terms 2,3 and 4. I think that's pretty good for the needs of seven children's education. This doesn't cover their sporting costs which really is part of their education too.
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lapazfarm
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NO idea. It all sort of blends together, doesn't it? I bought a few new field guides this year. Are they school supplies or just life supplies? Most of our stuff is ambiguous that way.
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Theresa
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Kristie 4
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Hmmm, math texts cost money.
This year I bought some cool coloring books: The Biology, Marine Biology, and Geology coloring books.
I also purchased some good books from a small Orthodox booksellar, ones I couldnt' find at our small parish.
I also bought heaps of books at my local thrift shop- about 35 books for 15 dollars. Can't beat that!
But don't even ask about music lessons and ballet
(Please also excuse the bad typing-sliced my finger tonight)
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Kristie in Canada
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TxTrish
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| Posted: Aug 27 2009 at 10:42am | IP Logged
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My hubby said "A LOT"
When we were enrolled in Seton it was easier to say how much I spent. But, that was years ago.
The more money we have to spend, the more I spend.
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AndieF
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I'd like to spend more, but I manage to spend enough for the basics (which for us is Math Books and a history spine.) We are blessed with a good library.
Andie, homeschooling mom to dd 9, dd 7, and ds 4. Always missing Christopher (born still on 03/28/08).
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: How much do you spend?
