Our Homeschool Budget: What We’re Actually Spending This Year

Whenever someone asks how much it costs to homeschool, I never quite know how to answer.

Because technically?

You could homeschool for very little.

There are free resources online, libraries full of books, used curriculum sales, hand-me-down materials, and approximately 47 pencils hiding somewhere in my house at any given moment. For years, we’ve used the free curriculum from The Good and The Beautiful (highly recommend it).

But that’s not really how I think about our homeschool budget anymore.

We’ve been homeschooling for a long time, and over the years I’ve learned that my goal isn’t to homeschool our kids for the least amount of money possible.

My goal is to spend our money intentionally on an education that works for our family.

And this year, that means we’re spending a little more than you might expect. After all, we’ve got a high schooler, middle schooler, and elementary schooler. So the game has changed a bit, especially with high school, because there are required courses that have to be taken in order for my oldest to graduate in four years.

What We’re Spending on Homeschool This Year

For the 2026–2027 school year, I’ve budgeted $3,756.70 for our direct homeschool expenses.

Here’s the breakdown:

That’s for three kids—one in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school. So if we divide this up amongst them, it comes to $1,252.23 a kid. Of course, that’s slightly inaccurate, as my high schooler’s curriculum does cost a bit more, so it’s not an equal distribution, but just to give you an idea of the rough cost between the three of them.

And yes, curriculum is by far our biggest expense.

Why We’re Spending $3,396.70 on Curriculum

I can already hear someone saying:

“You spent HOW MUCH on homeschool curriculum?”

Fair.

But one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned after years of homeschooling is that cheap curriculum isn’t actually cheap if it doesn’t work for your child. I have two children who are classified as neurodivergent. They both have ADHD and dyslexia (with one of them having a much more severe case of dyslexia than the other). So they require slower instruction, and for some years that has meant having to use curriculum that was designed for grades much lower than the one they were in. But that’s okay, because that’s the beauty of homeschool – you get to go at your child’s pace so they can actually master the material.

I’ve bought curriculum because it was inexpensive, only to abandon it a few weeks or months later.

I’ve tried making something work because we’d already paid for it.

I’ve also spent countless hours trying to piece together resources myself because I thought that was what a “good” homeschool mom was supposed to do.

At this stage of homeschooling, I’m much more willing to pay for something that works.

And as our kids have gotten older, their educational needs have changed.

High school isn’t the same as teaching elementary school. We’re thinking about credits, transcripts, graduation requirements, higher-level math and science, foreign language, electives, and preparing our kids for whatever comes after graduation.

We’re also homeschooling three different grade levels.

There are subjects we can combine or reuse, but there are plenty we can’t.

So, yes, curriculum costs us $3,396.70 this year.

But it’s an expense we’ve intentionally chosen.

School Supplies: $60

This is one category where homeschooling for years definitely pays off.

I spent only about $60 on new school supplies this year, and most of that wasn’t notebooks, pencils, crayons, or binders.

It was a Texas Instruments calculator for my high schooler’s Algebra class. (Unfortunately, it seems we lost my graphing calculator from college in our move ).

We already own most of the basic supplies we need. Even when my boys were in public school, I would spend time going through what we already owned before going out to buy what was on the supply list. You might be surprised at the amount of supplies you already have on hand at home.

Over the years, we’ve accumulated binders, pencils, art supplies, books, manipulatives, calculators, paper, folders, and all the other random things that seem to multiply when you homeschool.

So before every school year, I try to shop our house first.

I don’t replace perfectly usable binders because they’re the wrong color. I don’t buy new scissors because the back-to-school aisle tells me they’re 50 cents. And I don’t need matching containers for everything we’re learning.

Turns out kids can learn algebra even when their school supplies aren’t aesthetically pleasing.

Who knew?

Co-op: $0

We’re fortunate that our homeschool co-op isn’t costing us anything this year because I’m teaching a personal finance class.

Of course, “free” doesn’t necessarily mean free.

I’m exchanging my time, preparation, and teaching for our participation.

And I think that’s worth pointing out because bartering skills and time can be an incredibly valuable tool in the homeschool community (and in life!).

Maybe you can teach a class.

Maybe another parent teaches science while you teach writing. Or maybe you can be a “toddler wrangler” while the other moms teach your kids.

Maybe families swap curriculum. (Our church does a curriculum swap every year! Highly recommend organizing one in your area if there isn’t already one).

Maybe you trade childcare.

Homeschooling doesn’t always have to involve pulling out your debit card.

Sometimes the resources we already have—our knowledge, abilities, time, and community—are valuable too.

Field Trips: $300

I’ve budgeted $300 for field trips for the entire school year.

I like having this money set aside ahead of time because field trips are one of those categories that can quietly get out of control.

There’s always another museum, historical site, homeschool day, nature center, play, tour, or educational experience we could do. And if you know me in real life, you know I rarely impulse shop/buy, but a historical site or museum? Oh buddy, you better believe I’ll impulse spend!

And when you label something “educational,” it’s surprisingly easy to justify the expense.

But we don’t need to do everything.

Having $300 set aside gives us room to say yes to experiences that genuinely interest us without feeling like every homeschool opportunity needs to become a family outing.

And once that money is gone, we’ll have to get creative.

Libraries, hiking trails, parks, nature studies, community events, and plenty of other educational experiences cost little or nothing.

What I’m NOT Including in Our Homeschool Budget

There’s something important missing from these numbers.

Our kids’ extracurricular activities.

We have things like dance and baseball, but I’m intentionally not counting those as homeschool expenses.

Why?

Because we’d likely be paying for those things if our children attended public or private school, too.

For me, the question is:

“Would we have this expense specifically because we homeschool?”

Curriculum? Yes.

Co-op? Yes.

Homeschool field trips? Yes.

A calculator required for Algebra? Yes.

Baseball registration for a child who would play baseball regardless of where he went to school?

No.

That doesn’t mean those expenses don’t belong in our family budget. They absolutely do.

I just don’t think it’s fair to include them when I’m trying to calculate what homeschooling itself costs our family.

And making that distinction gives us a much more accurate number.

What Our Homeschool Budget Costs Per Month

If I take our $3,756.70 annual homeschool budget and spread it across 12 months, it comes to approximately:

$313 per month.

Or about:

$1,252 per child for the year.

That’s not a perfect calculation because we don’t spend equally on every child. Our high schooler’s curriculum, for example, may cost considerably more than something we can reuse with a younger child.

But it gives some perspective.

We’re educating three children at home for roughly $313 per month in direct homeschool expenses.

Could we do it for less?

Absolutely.

But I’m not sure that should be the goal.

I’ve Stopped Trying to Homeschool as Cheaply as Possible

This may be one of the biggest shifts in my thinking over the years.

When money was tighter, I was constantly looking for ways to make homeschooling cheaper.

Used curriculum.

Free curriculum.

Library books.

Printables.

Hand-me-downs.

And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things. We still use plenty of them.

But somewhere along the way, I realized there was a difference between being frugal and refusing to spend money.

If a particular math program helps one of my kids finally understand something they’ve struggled with, that’s worth considering. (I’ll share our specific curriculum choices at the end.)

If paying someone else to teach a subject removes enormous stress from our homeschool, that has value.

If a curriculum allows my older child to work more independently, that’s valuable too.

Our budget isn’t just about dollars.

It’s about deciding where our family’s money, time, and energy are best spent. Homeschooling is truly a gift because it lets you shift gears and tailor learning to your child’s needs. I’ve always believed the heart of learning should be mastery, not merely learning to pass a test.

The Hidden Cost of Homeschooling

There’s also one expense missing from my $3,756.70 total that I think deserves acknowledgment:

my time.

Homeschooling affects our family’s finances in ways that don’t show up on a receipt.

I’m home teaching our children.

There are work opportunities I can’t take because they don’t fit our schedule. There are days when convenience costs us more because I’m balancing school, work, activities, and everything else happening in our home.

There is an opportunity cost to homeschooling. (Shout-out to my fellow Accountants! )

That doesn’t mean I regret it.

But when we talk about the “cost” of homeschooling, I think it’s important to acknowledge that curriculum isn’t the whole story.

For many families, the biggest financial sacrifice isn’t what they spend on books.

It’s the income they potentially give up in order to have a parent at home. And that’s important to understand as well.

You Don’t Need Our Homeschool Budget

Here’s what I really hope you take away from this.

You don’t need to spend $3,756.70 to homeschool your kids. I have spent significantly less in years past on curriculum.

You also don’t need to feel guilty if you spend more.

Your homeschool budget should reflect your children, your finances, and your priorities.

A family with one elementary-aged child may be able to homeschool beautifully for a few hundred dollars.

A family with multiple teenagers taking advanced classes may spend several thousand.

A child with learning differences may need specialized curriculum or tutoring.

Another family may have access to an incredible free co-op.

Someone else may live five minutes from everything while another homeschool family drives 30 minutes each way to nearly every activity.

Comparing the final numbers without understanding the circumstances doesn’t tell us very much.

Start With Your Budget, Not Your Shopping Cart

If you’re trying to figure out what your family can afford to spend on homeschooling, I’d start with your household budget—not a curriculum catalog.

Figure out what you can realistically afford for the year.

Then make a list of your homeschool priorities.

What do your kids need?

Where are you willing to spend more?

Where can you reuse something you already own?

What can you borrow?

What could you find used?

What could you teach yourself?

And what isn’t worth your time just to save $50?

Then build your homeschool around those answers.

Because the goal isn’t to create the cheapest homeschool possible.

And it certainly isn’t to create the homeschool that looks the prettiest on Instagram.

The goal is to give our children the education they need while being good stewards of the resources we have.

For us, this year, that number is $3,756.70.

Next year it will probably look different.

And that’s exactly what a budget is supposed to do.

It changes as our family changes.

Curriculum Choices

Below are the various curriculum choices we’re using this year, as well as a few recommendations that we’ve used in years past. Remember, these are our family’s choices and are not necessarily what you need or should be doing with your children. I just wanted to share, as I know it can get overwhelming trying to find curriculum.

Math:

Teaching Textbooks – We’re using both Algebra (my 9th grader) and Pre-Algebra (my 8th grader).

Learn Math Fast – We’ve used this curriculum for the past three years, and I highly recommend it if you have a child with learning differences or one who is struggling to understand math. I actually purchased this curriculum used from Facebook Marketplace a few years ago. So definitely look at used options before purchasing new.

ELA:

Book Study – We’re reading through Where the Red Fern Grows as a family using the book study from Treehouse Schoolhouse. We’ve used several of their book studies over the years, and I always do them together as a family. It’s a great way to set up the day!

Seton Books – We’re using various books from Seton Books for our English Language Arts this year. But in years past, I’ve used the free curriculum from The Good and The Beautiful (which helped my two struggling readers learn to read!). In years past, I’ve also used the various curricula from Peaceful Press, which were fantastic when my kiddos were all in Elementary School.

Science:

Apologia – We’re using this for the Physical Science requirement that my oldest must have for high school. To be honest, I personally hate science. It’s definitely been the hardest subject for me to teach over the years, but we purchased this curriculum through Seton Homeschooling and were able to get the lab kit from them as well. This at least keeps me from having to source everything myself.

History:

Gather Round – We’ve used Gather Round at various times over the years for history and science curriculum. This year we’re focusing heavily on U.S. History because we’ve spent a lot of time doing Ancient and World History. This is another subject that we do together. I just purchased the individual grade-level notebooks from Gather Round.

Foreign Language:

Spanish – This is an in-person class. All three of my children are taking Spanish this year (different levels). It’s a very immersive class, so it’s been a bit overwhelming for my kiddos, but we’re managing.

Electives:

Co-Op – This is where our co-op comes in. Our kiddos are getting all of their electives through our co-op this year. Of course, one of those electives for my older two kids is being taught by me. I’m teaching my personal finance class, Real Life Money Skills, to them and their peers this year.

The post Our Homeschool Budget: What We’re Actually Spending This Year appeared first on Jessi Fearon.