Find Those Free Catalogs For Your Comparison Shopping
I was recently looking for a product to teach science. What surprised me was that I could find the item at one price at the homeschool convention, another price in a catalog and yet another price at my local homeschool store. With the growing popularity of homeschooling and the marketplace that is also growing around it, having a supply of catalogs on hand can help you to find what you want for the best price. I also like to have a bunch of catalogs around to leaf through on those cold winter evenings planning for all the great things my kids and I will learn in the future!
If you are comparison shopping you may want to make a list of the items you wish to purchase and then make columns after that list. Amy Dacysn in The Tightwad Gazette suggested making a pricebook for the grocery store. You list all the items you are buying on a regular basis and then list columns after them. At the top of the columns you list all the grocery stores available to you and then visit each one to record their prices on each of the items. Many people have used this method to successfully save money on groceries, so how about a price book for curriculum? You can either list a specific product like "Switched on Schoolhouse Science" or you can list it generally like 4th grade science and compare the many types of science programs available. Also, don't forget to check for shipping expense in your catalog selections. I recently received a giant box with little cd-rom inside. I know I paid plenty for that box, besides the waste to the environment from the overpacking!
If you are new to homeschooling and would like to create a stockpile of catalogs or you want all of the website addresses of the curriculum publishers in one place, I have listed them for you below. I know I did not even come close to covering what is out there, and I missed a big one, either add to the discussion link at the bottom of this article or click on my email box above and I'll add it to the list.
Abeka-You can download their catalog at http://www.abeka.com/ABB/Catalogs/defaul...
Alpha Omega Publications -go to www.home-schooling.com http://www.home-schooling.com/HomeSchool... or call for a free catalog at 1-800-622-3070 also has switched on Schoolhouse
Bob Jones University Press-Shop online at https://secure.bju.edu/mall/catalog/StoreFront.asp?VendorID=bjuph
Calvert School-curriculum package for k-8 basics and values based education. For a free catalog or more information call 888-487-4852 or visit their website at http://home.calvertschool.org/hs/contact
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