Where is the best place to buy homeschool curriculum? This is probably one of THE most important questions to ask if you’re trying to save some money in your homeschool budget. The answer to this question can vary depending on the curriculum you are purchasing.
The key to saving the most money is planning ahead.
You’ll want to nail down your curriculum for the next year at the end of the current school year. That way you have plenty of time make purchases throughout the summer. I find if you wait until the week before school starts, many places are pricier and have back orders.
The Best Places to Buy Used Homeschool Curriculum
1. Homeschool Curriculum Sales – Before I ever look for curriculum online, I hit up my local used homeschool curriculum sales. Then I fill in the gaps with online sources. I highly recommend creating a spreadsheet to take with you. I include a list of the curriculum I need, the prices from Rainbow Resources and used prices from Amazon. This will let you know how much to spend at your local curriculum fairs and sales. By doing my research ahead of time, I’ve found that sometimes you can buy new curriculum for the same price as used!
2. Amazon – My first choice is always Amazon if I only have a few items to purchase and I don’t qualify for FREE shipping. I don’t mind paying a dollar or so more to get the shipping free. Their prices are always more than Rainbow Resources. I do like the option to purchase used books/curriculum. If I find a school book for $.01 or so, it doesn’t bother me to pay the $3.99 shipping cost, that usually makes it way less than the discounted price at Rainbow Resources.
3. Rainbow Resources – They typically have the best prices and the widest selection of homeschool curriculum. You can find just about anything here. To get FREE shipping, make sure your order is $50 or more. The only problem I have seen lately with ordering from them is items on back-order. If an item is on back-order (and you won’t know until after placing your order!), they will hold it until all items are available. The only way to avoid this is to pay a $10 expedition fee. Not really saving you any money there!
4. ChristianBook.com – This is my second choice because they don’t typically have back-orders. They have a great selection of christian books over all, and almost always have the best prices. But, the downside is you have to pay shipping, minimum of $3.99 per order depending on the weight. Keep an eye out for free shipping deals, they have those sometimes.
Where are your favorite places to purchase your curriculum?? I would love to learn some new places to find what I need.
