We are two homeschool moms who are unabashed penny-pinchers. We don't have a choice between homeschooling with a lot of money or with a little. Like many parents, our choice is between homeschooling frugally, or not at all. In Homeschooling on a Shoestring, we share our ideas for economical and joyful homeschooling in a two-income, latchkey world. This book is packed with freebies, tips, resources and anecdotes to give parents the confidence to tackle homeschooling with enthusiasm.

Many parents fear that homeschooling will require endless drudgery, especially if their budget is too tight to allow for many extras. They wonder if there will be nothing but tedious workbooks, day after day. To a child, learning is as natural as breathing and as fun as a sleigh ride. Even if parents are counting their pennies, homeschooled children can leave senseless drudgery behind. They can munch their math in the kitchen and sail their science in the bathtub. Backyard entomology and window sill botany are among ideas that cost as little as nothing. Parents may be surprised and reassured to learn that, if necessary, they can give their children an outstanding education using little more than a library card, scavenged materials and an imagination.

In Homeschooling On a Shoestring, parents will learn how to:

• Make, borrow or buy affordable learning and reference materials.

• Make the world into a child's own classroom.

• Locate cheap (or free) art supplies, music lessons, and sports activities.

• Decide if they need a computer, and if so, how to buy hardware and software on a shoestring.

• Find affordable resources for children with learning differences, including giftedness, learning disabilities, hearing and vision impairments, and others.

• Create custom-made volunteer jobs to help a child explore his interests and to allow him to experience the satisfaction of helping others.

• Prepare their teens for college, ministry or a vocation without breaking the budget.

This book covers much more than the traditional Three R's. We tell the personal stories of homeschool parents, including single parents, who have found creative ways to earn a livelihood. Some of them invented a job that allows them to be with their children by starting a business. Others have unusual schedules, such as working 12-hour shifts (three days on, four days off), or unusual jobs, such as providing care for a disabled person at home.

The need to be resourceful has added a certain spice to our children's education. We don't think their childhood memories will be the worse for all our frugal ways.

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Revised 02/18/00