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....but I am using HOD with my children this year and love it!!! I am using LHTH with my soon to be 4yr old. I started off with my 9yr old in bigger and my 7yr old in LHFHG BUT then life happened and things started to get a little crazy. I have now combined my 7 & 9yr old in Beyond and just beefed things up for my 9 yr old regarding history and using the right side of Bigger for her. We could not be happier with this change. I really do like having them combined for the content subjects.

With that said, I spend lots of time on this site in the evenings when I can just looking at all the great books and guides to come What I am embarrassed to admit is that I am freaking out about the price tags that come along with the higher guides. I own everything up through Preparing and know that we will be able to use HOD for the next few years at least. After that I have no idea if we will be able to afford the other guides. I struggle with having faith and believing that if this is the route the Lord wants me to take as far as homeschooling, He will make a way. OR if its just for me to enjoy HOD for this season then being ok with that too .

I am driving myself crazy feeling like if I wont be able to use HOD in the near future I may as well switch to something else now and sell what I have . Because of that I keep trying to squeeeeeeeze Ambleside Online readings into our day so that when/if I do have to switch we will be where we need to be (in the correct year without missing any of the readings).

Am I crazy??

I just had to get that out and wondered if anyone else has had the fear of.....what if I can't afford the next guide.


Thanks for listening/reading. Geez, I feel so silly now....

I pieced it together for years and am thankful to now have Carrie put it all together for me. I keep buying a bit ahead so it doesn't all come at once.

My personal thoughts about the rising cost is that costs to educate children increase anyway, well they certainly do in our country, so I have no issue with the cost increasing. My other thought is that I will be using most of it four times, there is minimal purchasing for each subsequent child. There is also the thought we can onsell some of the books later, although I do doubt we will want too, as there has yet to be a book we have not enjoyed.

Thanks Molly,

I guess I should have said that I don't have a problem with the cost increasing. I honestly think it's totally worth it! I just know that we are SO broke and my fear is that we will not be able to afford it later on down the line. We ate bread a butter for about 6 months after I purchased the last few guides (really kidding!). I just want SO badly to be able to continue on all the way through. I know that I probably should not be looking that far ahead but I am.

Like I said...maybe I'm just being silly even spending time thinking about it.

keyjoh wrote:Like I said...maybe I'm just being silly even spending time thinking about it.

I don't think your silly thinking about it. Maybe like the person said earlier just buy bits at a time. Seeing as you're already a little ahead, keep at that when you can. The other thing, give the burden over to the Lord. He will provide for you, I know he will, as he has lead you to HOD, so he will provide. Hang in there.

Molly wrote: I don't think your silly thinking about it. Maybe like the person said earlier just buy bits at a time. Seeing as you're already a little ahead, keep at that when you can. The other thing, give the burden over to the Lord. He will provide for you, I know he will, as he has lead you to HOD, so he will provide. Hang in there.

Thank you!

I don't think you're silly, either! It's very good of you to think ahead and make wise choices for your family!

As you mentioned before, the Lord will provide for all your needs. Try not to worry too much about the future. He has all our tomorrows, and so much can change in a few short years! I think it was very good of you to combine your children in a guide, as it sounds like that's working well for you. This is also a blessing as far as spending less money in the future, as you'll have less guides to buy in a year. You can also re-use pretty much everything, which is cost effective.

One other thing I wanted to mention, is not to feel like you have to squeeze other things in each day, unless you really want to and have time to. One of the big blessings of HOD is the time management aspect of each guide. Carrie's written each guide in a very time conscious way. She makes it very do-able to get everything done each day, making the day very quality packed, but not overwhelming our lives either. If you add other curriculum to what you're already doing, it might just overwhelm you and your children and take away from the joy that can be experienced with things how they are.

Try not to worry over the future, and just enjoy what God's placed before you now! Give those cares to the Lord, Who can very easily provide!

Blessings on your year!

I agree with the pp. Just enjoy where you are now. If you can purchase a little at a time, that would help. It sounds like it will be a while before you need a full set, so just take a day at a time and enjoy your HOD guides you have.

I don't know if you get a tax return each year, but that is when I buy the bulk of our homeschool curriculum for the following school year. It usually comes in spring, which is perfect timing, and we know to just budget part of our return for school costs.

Heather4Him wrote:I don't know if you get a tax return each year, but that is when I buy the bulk of our homeschool curriculum for the following school year. It usually comes in spring, which is perfect timing, and we know to just budget part of our return for school costs.

This is exactly what we do too!!! I too would stop adding in the extra readings. Enjoy where you are at now in life, your needs are provided for school, etc. Don't worry over the future.

keyjoh wrote:I own everything up through Preparing and know that we will be able to use HOD for the next few years at least. After that I have no idea if we will be able to afford the other guides.

We are just now getting started with our homeschool adventure, but like you, I've looked ahead to what the cost will be each year, and tend to panic a little as well. For right now we plan on budgeting a part of our income tax return, and we have also set up a homeschool envelope. (We are Dave Ramsey fans, and use the cash envelope system - it really helps with budgeting and watching how we spend money.) We may put $5 in it one month, or $20... but we are saving now, for our future expenses. I know this may be hard to do, expecially when you have to watch every penny you spend, but it is a great way to start, especially if you have a few years before you have to make anymore major purchases.

Hope this helps!

Mike is wonderful about working out flexible payment plans too! Just give him a call at that time, if need be. We always just set money aside for it little by little. One year we had a rummage sale. Another year we sold some things we didn't have to have. Babysitting for another family for one night a week for awhile helps too. I tutored for a few years. I'd place it in the Lord's hands - He always provides! You can always start with just the Economy Package, which is quite economical, too. Don't let your joy be stolen away with worry about the future! God is sooo good. I always take comfort in the fact that I know we are in His will homeschooling with HOD, as it is completely God honoring and Christ-centered. He wants this for our dc too! Enjoy your year, set even $20 aside a month in an envelope. It accumulates! HTH!

In Christ,
Julie

This year was a struggle for us with ordering HOD. I didn't get to order until mid September. It was hard but so worth it . One thing I did was purchase gift certificates each month and used my dh bonus check.

The next year shouldn't be so hard because I only need to purchase one program and some consumables for the younger ones .

Honestly, I would just enjoy the now. Not that anything is wrong with planning and such but don't worry about it, it's a ways off. Like the others mentioned, the Lord will supply.

As for trying to use Ambleside along with HOD, that would be too much at our house. If your struggling to get it all in I would stop trying to use both. Again, trust in the Lord. Pray and see where he leads you =)

Blessings,
Linda<><

I like the idea of setting aside $20 a month... will ask my dh about that.

I would love to order the dithor and storytime books from HOD but if not possible then the library to save costs.

What about used HOD curriculum? Maybe it is hard to find. I know I wouldn't want to part with my guides and books... but maybe if I had only 1 child it would be different.