A lot of times I will just post daily activities on Facebook. Find me and like that page if you just want to see what is going on day to day with homeschooling. The Homeschool Cottage is the name and I will be on that daily. I may not blog daily but posting pictures daily is a mother's daily habit. :) So just click on the link above and like me on Facebook. THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING THIS JOURNEY WITH US!
Today was all about Geoboards! As I get new things I let the boys try them out. It gets them excited for when we start school in August!
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Friday, April 4, 2014
Preparing for my first year...
Starting to homeschool for the first time is overwhelming. You make the decision and then end up asking yourself, "What's next?" "How do I start?" "What do I teach?" etc. The list of questions can go on and on and on. What I have learned from the last 3 months (that's when we made the decision to homeschool) is that following other blogs and using what others have used takes a huge load off of starting.
The stress I was feeling seemed to be lifted once I realized that I don't have to spend the same amount on curriculum and teaching supplies as I would for the tuition of a private school. I shop for used books and supplies as well. You know what else, I love to shop! I don't care that its for homeschool books. I just love receiving packages in the mail or searching online yard sales for teaching supplies. Its fun to get the books and look through them and start planning them into our daily schedule.
If you haven't joined any online yard sale groups through facebook, homeschool classifieds, or half.com, I suggest you do it. Every year there are teachers that are retiring, getting promoted, changing grades or getting new things and they sell off their old supplies and books. I have saved big $$$ by buying this way. Then the things I do want to buy new I shop around for sales and/or use gift cards that I have on hand. My goal: to NOT spend an arm and leg on my first year of homeschool. We are on a limited budget and I can't just shop whenever I feel like it. So I plan and search for deals or search my yard sale sites. Sure enough there is usually some one that has what I want. Here are a few of things I have been able to buy used.
I found the Kumon books on half.com. They were in "like new condition" and I save over 50% by buying them from the site. The Art book was from one of the online facebook yard sale sites. A retired teacher was selling it. Its in great condition. And that book new is over $20. I paid $4. The level 1 readers were used but you wouldn't know it. And these ones are not sold anymore so I found them on the homeschool classifieds website! I still saved about $5 if I were able to buy them new. And last my favorite steal, the dinosaur counters! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that they are dinosaurs! As a mom of boys I was not wanting those cute teddy bears. I would have bought them but seeing that my boys would be so excited to use these I was stoked. New, these counters are $25 before tax and shipping. I paid $8 on another facebook yard sale site. And most of the dinosaurs are still wrapped in plastic. SCORE!
Now what I have bought new are things that I wanted new and not missing any pieces because I know it could affect using them. But I used gift cards that I have received and paid NOTHING out of pocket.
I wanted to get pattern blocks and a geoboard new. I didn't want anything pieces missing or pegs broken off. These will last me forever! And I know my boys will have a great time. Also for the pattern blocks pictures, I found a great website that let's me print them for free. And I can just laminate them or put them in sleeve protectors. Talk about saving money there!
I love that I am slowly but surely checking things off my shopping list for homeschool. I can't wait for the next post to tell you why we are called the Homeschool Cottage.
The stress I was feeling seemed to be lifted once I realized that I don't have to spend the same amount on curriculum and teaching supplies as I would for the tuition of a private school. I shop for used books and supplies as well. You know what else, I love to shop! I don't care that its for homeschool books. I just love receiving packages in the mail or searching online yard sales for teaching supplies. Its fun to get the books and look through them and start planning them into our daily schedule.
If you haven't joined any online yard sale groups through facebook, homeschool classifieds, or half.com, I suggest you do it. Every year there are teachers that are retiring, getting promoted, changing grades or getting new things and they sell off their old supplies and books. I have saved big $$$ by buying this way. Then the things I do want to buy new I shop around for sales and/or use gift cards that I have on hand. My goal: to NOT spend an arm and leg on my first year of homeschool. We are on a limited budget and I can't just shop whenever I feel like it. So I plan and search for deals or search my yard sale sites. Sure enough there is usually some one that has what I want. Here are a few of things I have been able to buy used.
I found the Kumon books on half.com. They were in "like new condition" and I save over 50% by buying them from the site. The Art book was from one of the online facebook yard sale sites. A retired teacher was selling it. Its in great condition. And that book new is over $20. I paid $4. The level 1 readers were used but you wouldn't know it. And these ones are not sold anymore so I found them on the homeschool classifieds website! I still saved about $5 if I were able to buy them new. And last my favorite steal, the dinosaur counters! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that they are dinosaurs! As a mom of boys I was not wanting those cute teddy bears. I would have bought them but seeing that my boys would be so excited to use these I was stoked. New, these counters are $25 before tax and shipping. I paid $8 on another facebook yard sale site. And most of the dinosaurs are still wrapped in plastic. SCORE!
Now what I have bought new are things that I wanted new and not missing any pieces because I know it could affect using them. But I used gift cards that I have received and paid NOTHING out of pocket.
I wanted to get pattern blocks and a geoboard new. I didn't want anything pieces missing or pegs broken off. These will last me forever! And I know my boys will have a great time. Also for the pattern blocks pictures, I found a great website that let's me print them for free. And I can just laminate them or put them in sleeve protectors. Talk about saving money there!
I love that I am slowly but surely checking things off my shopping list for homeschool. I can't wait for the next post to tell you why we are called the Homeschool Cottage.
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