Homeschool Blog Cruise is UP

Come on over and have a look at what budgeting looks like for homeschooling (or what it doesn’t look like )

Stocking the Homeschool Supplies- there has to be a better way…

 

The topic for this TOS Blog Cruise is “Budgeting” -for homeschool that is. Here is the real question: “Do you set a specific budget for your homeschool supplies and books?” Uh, since I’m not so good at budgeting at all I wondered how I was going to answer that.

Finally I decided honesty is always best No, I do not budget.

I make a list (or rather I go by these lists and thin them out to suit us) and then scour Amazon, paperbackswap, and used book sales. Because I do not have a specific amount that I’ve decided I will spend on homeschool needs, I spend what I have that can be spent.

I know it’s quite lame. But so far it has worked for us. I did read on another TOS Crew Member blog about making a homeschool proposal (which I equate to a list of the specific items that are wanted/needed to be purchased as well as the costs) and I really like that idea. With my kids’ getting farther in school (those high school subjects seem to be more expensive) the cost is getting to be more than just what can be ‘done by the seat of my pants’. (that means without budgeting lol)

It’s something to think about. I really haven’t thought about it terribly much. The money is always there when it’s needed. And there are tons of products that I would love to purchase that there is no way we could. But perhaps a budget would help with that.

Then again, maybe it is needed so that we don’t try to take on too much- buy too much.

So how do you deal with the costs of homeschooling- with a budget or by the seat of your pants? (I do hope there are a few other ‘seat of the pants’ers out there will make me feel better)

Budgeting..because I just don't know where I put my money!

Oh, gee... I have been thinking lately about how I budget (or rather don't) my money. There are certain things I pay for a month (internet, cell phone, netflix, ancestry.com, sponsoring a child in Africa, daughter's ballet class) and also grocery buying. But I have a limited amount of money to pay for those things. As a matter of fact I couldn't pay for dd's ballet this month. What a horrible feeling...going to tell her teacher that I couldn't pay. I don't want to take her out and am so grateful that her teacher said "don't worry about it. We have an anonymous donor that I think will take care of her the rest of the year." Such a relief! But at the same time: I should have the money for that!

I have decided that I will keep track of what I spend and on what. I want to see exactly where my money goes to because I think there should be enough for all the things that I have committed myself to pay for.

I was taught how to do budget in high school and have occasionally put it into practice as an adult but honestly not very often. In our household, dh pays for and keeps track of all the major payments and bills. I only have responsibility for a few things and many of those are the things that I myself want and could most likely live without.

I am not going to go looking for a budgeting how-to, because I know how to do it. Now, if I could just find something that would make me do it, that would be marvelously helpful ;) I will probably just use an excel sheet to keep track of things. It will be somewhat difficult because I don't usually keep receipts (it's like pennies, I don't like carrying them around although they are beneficial!). That is something to work on.

I think to start with I will list all the recurring bills/payments that go out each month. Then I will try to estimate what I spend on other things (such as my beloved coffee, dc's occasional toy/treat, randomness that steals my money). Of course, I am thinking my estimations will be off by far from the true amounts and so I will need to start to keep those receipts.

So much fun... imagine if I were to stop buying the coffee drinks and cremosas, stop buying frivolous items that are used just once and left on a shelf (or given to Goodwill within a short time). Imagine how much money I will recapture (because it isn't saving it...it's just not spending it). I could put that to better use...such as buying healthier food for the family, buying the plants/seeds for my garden that I can't at the moment (because, I am sure, I spent too much on the coffee/cremosa drinks this month) or just for things that are needed here and there, like new pants for either of my kids. Or even a special treat like a trip to the zoo (I can't afford that either right now but I think I should be able to).

It will mean sacrifice though. Mostly on my part...perhaps some on the kids' part. Oh, I know of one sacrifice that I will gladly make: the morning headache I have from the caffeine!