Five Tips for Unschooling on a Budget

Money isn’t the only matter

Last week while scrolling through social media, I came across a post about unschooling. In short, it said something along the lines of “the only people who can afford to unschool are upper-middle-class or the rich.” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard the argument.

As a family that’s somewhere between not-so-new, but not quite veteran unschoolers, conversations about the affordability of this off-beat path aren’t uncommon. “But how?” is a question that comes up a lot. How to unschool when parents have to work? How to unschool on one or limited income? Or, like the comment section of that post questioned, how to make “quality” self-directed education affordable? 

There are unschoolers across the financial spectrum”

I get it. At a glance, unschooling can look like a learning path reserved for the privileged. Whether it’s financial, time, mental/emotional space and energy, or even proximity to other homeschoolers, certain factors can make unschooling easier. But on its own, the cost isn’t usually and doesn’t have to be the determining factor to unschool.

Shift Your Mindset

If you’re thinking about unschooling and are concerned about the cost, the very first thing is to shift your mindset. Taking a moment to step back and think about learning from a perspective that doesn’t rely on school should get the creativity flowing. When you start to think about ways to facilitate learning rather than ways to recreate school, you’ll begin to realize some of the costs and expenses you’re associating homeschool with aren’t exactly relevant to you, your children, or unschooling.

Go Online

These days it’s easy to feel a bit of digital fatigue, but even so, the Internet remains one of the most valuable (and budget-friendly) tools for unschoolers. A quick search can introduce you to a host of free and cheap opportunities for your children to explore their interests. My son, who loves to cook, has used everything from YouTube videos to recipe blogs to affordable one-time classes on Outschool to free virtual classes through our local library system. We’ve also found competitions to put his learning into practice and virtual clubs to join as well. All online.

Embrace the Library

Speaking of the library, this particular gem holds a wealth of opportunity for unschoolers on a budget. Besides the benefit of abundant access to books, check your local library system for free classes and events. We’ve attended classes like coding, cooking, art, yoga and even foreign language along with different clubs and groups. Lego and anime clubs are always a hit with my sons and also give them time to connect with their peers with the same interests (a win for unschoolers who are looking for socializing opportunities, too). Author and expert events are great opportunities for your children to get a deeper insight into areas they’re interested in.

Community is one way unschooling on a budget is possible ”

Get Outside, Take Field Trips, and Catch the Free Days!

Traditional homeschooling often requires expenses like pricey curriculums, elaborate homeschool rooms, and a ton of school supplies. And while these can be part of your unschooling, they don’t have to be. Instead, you can spend your days (and save your money) in other ways. Getting outside and into nature provides a ton of (free) learning material like foraging, wildlife exploration, survival skills, and more. Field trips are also great opportunities to deep-dive into interests or discover some new ones. A couple of times a month, I’ll check out local museums and community organizations to see what events are happening and usually, we can find free or pay-what-you-can days to participate. We’ve been able to explore art museums, history exhibits, science institutes, archery classes, and more this way! Be sure to look for tags like community days, homeschool days, or pay-what-you-wish to catch the deals.

Lean on Community

Building community as unschoolers isn’t always the easiest task, but with a bit of intention, community is one way unschooling on a budget is possible. Whether you find another family or two to learn and explore with, or join something a bit more structured like a homeschool co-op, coming together can often help to offset costs. And don’t limit community just to other families either. I’ve found so many willing organizations, small businesses, and community members willing to offer time and space for our children to learn as well. We were able to take free equestrian classes with another family through the spring simply by asking!

The truth is, there are unschoolers across the financial spectrum. That’s the beauty of unschooling — its flexibility. It can be as expensive or affordable as you want or need it to be. The key is being intentional, focusing on what truly matters, and getting a little creative.