Here Are 3 Ways You Can Save Big On A Homeschool Budget

For many families, before they worry about curriculum and routines, they worry about the homeschool budget. Your homeschool budget can include a few things too! Like, can one parent afford to stay home? Can we afford homeschooling? Or how can we make the homeschool lifestyle fit into our budget? It might even be, how do we feed all of these kids? 

But seriously, I hope that I can encourage you today that you can make it work with some creative planning! We have homeschooled for over a dozen years now, and I have been at home for all of them. 

Of course, sacrifices have to be made and budgets set, but it is all worth it. One of the best decisions of my entire life was to home educate my children. The extra time spent with them is priceless, in addition to the opportunity to disciple them daily. 

If you are reading this, you might be considering homeschooling right now. Don’t let fear creep in and destroy what could be a major blessing in the lives of your family. 

Before you decide on homeschooling, first check the costs. Homeschool Mastery Academy has a great list of homeschooling expenses to be aware of in advance. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that home education can be extremely affordable. But this list will give you great insight into all that you will encounter when it comes to educating at home. 

Here Are 3 Ideas for Saving Money On A Homeschool Budget

• Food – Yes, food! For most families, the grocery budget has the most wiggle room. It’s a great place to start trimming down, and an excellent way to do that is with meal planning. Meal planning and eating cleaner can make a huge impact when it comes to saving money. Not to mention, it’s a win-win situation when everyone is eating healthier. I say this because I don’t love to cook, and from experience, I know this is an area that I can waste money in easily. I have found that meal planning helps us to eat out less and save money. This planner from 100 Days of Real Food is a great place to begin overhauling your food budget and learning to better plan for your family. 

• Insurance – Car insurance, health insurance, and life insurance, what do they have in common? They take up a considerable portion of a family budget, and you can almost always find better rates if you make an effort to look. One way that many Christian families save on medical insurance is by using Medi-Share. When I heard about them, I was shocked to find out what a blessing they are for so many families. They are a non-profit that offers medical coverage plans that are actually affordable. If health insurance for your entire family is overwhelming your budget, or worse, you are without medical insurance – definitely take a look into Medi-Share. You won’t be disappointed!

 

• Side Income – Lastly, another way to make a homeschool budget work for your family is to make more money. There are so many ways to do that from home now; the work-from-home possibilities are broader than ever today. I am a prime example of a homeschool mom turned blogger/educational content creator. I make a part-time income from home, working my own hours. So whether you need a way to bring in just a little extra money for your homeschool family or an income, the possibilities are vast. I have a full list of ideas to bring in a little money from home, many of which I have done myself. 

Additional Homeschool Budgeting Resources

Grocery and Meal Planning Help for the Homeschool Budget

Jessica at GoodCheapEats has a great resource for prioritizing the grocery budget. These ideas will give you the inspiration you need to get things organized when it comes to food. 

If you love a good podcast chat, you will enjoy this listen from Amy of Humility and Doxology talking about homeschool families eating healthy on a budget. She has an informative interview with Steph from Cheapskatecook.com about how to keep all your people fed healthy on a budget that is definitely worth listening to. Plus, you will find more valuable resources in this one too. Listen here.

Tips for Stretching the Homeschool Budget

Amy also has another listen-worthy interview with a financial planner all about budgeting for homeschool families. 

If you need ideas to help you save in the clothing department, you will want to check out this creative way that June from This Simple Balance scores $1000 worth of brand new clothing for her family each year, completely free! Yep, I said FREE.

You can find more resources and information about stretching the homeschool family budget from Michelle at Homeschool Your Boys. She has more than 60 fantastic budget-friendly ideas for living on one income as a homeschool family.

When your budget is stretched, you may also need to find ways to save on homeschool curriculum. Luckily, Charlene from Hess Academy has an extensive list of all the best places to find free homeschool curriculum.

If your pocketbook is hurting after the holidays, Sophie from My Cup Runs Over has an incredible 100+ Tips for Saving Money after the Holidays that you need to check out. 

I hope this gives you some insight into the most significant things you can change in your budget to make an impact now. 

You can also grab a bundle of planning printables FREE here to help you get organized. It’s full of budget planners, grocery lists, meal planners, and more!