Not sure if you should shop those homeschool bundle sales that pop up throughout the year? Today I’m sharing some things to consider before you purchase to help you make an informed decision and do what’s best for you, your kids, and your homeschool.
I have a love-hate relationship with those homeschool bundle sales. I love that I can snag some great deals on resources to help my kids learn, but I hate the pressure and the decision fatigue that comes with those sales.
Add in all the social media hype and the emails that flood my inbox and these sales induce some serious homeschool FOMO for me. Tell me I’m not the only one.
Here’s the thing. The bundle sales can be really great. They can introduce you to some great resources you may not find otherwise.
They can also allow you to purchase a huge chunk of your homeschool resources at one time and even help you spend less on homeschooling.
Even so, the bundle sales are not always the best way to spend your homeschool budget.
What to Consider Before Shopping the Homeschool Bundle Sales
Keep in mind that I’m not promoting the sales and I didn’t submit my own products for inclusion in any current or upcoming sales. I’m simply sharing what I wish someone would’ve said to me before I purchased my first bundle.
Now that all of that’s out of the way, here’s an idea of how the sales work:
Some bundles come prepackaged according to theme or intended age. You may choose to purchase because you like some of the items, but most likely you’ll also purchase some you’ll never use at all through a prepackaged bundle.
There are also build your own bundle options that allow you to add a certain amount of basic or premium products to your cart as a “bundle” and purchase them for a specific price regardless of the usual price.
Okay, on to the tips:
1. Don’t gamble with your homeschool budget.
Don’t buy bundles if they don’t contain items you were genuinely planning to purchase anyway. Instead, use the money in your budget to purchase elsewhere rather than using it up on resources that happen to be on sale. If that means skipping the bundle sale, so be it.
2. Don’t buy it if you’re not going to use it.
A bundle full of resources (digital or physical) can turn into clutter. Clutter makes it harder to find the resources you actually need when you need them. If you can honestly say you’re going to use half of the bundle, it might be worth buying.
If not, consider buying the individual items from their creators. In the end, you may not spend any more than you would on a bundle and save yourself some organizational headaches.
Related: Practical Tips for Organizing Your Digital Homeschool Resources
3. Value is irrelevant.
Don’t get lost in the value of the bundle. The total value of the individual items won’t matter if you’re purchasing things you honestly don’t need or won’t use.
You’re only getting a good deal if you’re purchasing things you *need* at a lower price than normal.
4. Don’t give into the FOMO.
Ultimately, I say buy that bundle if it’s $40 and includes two items (one that’s usually $30 and another that’s $5) that you were going to purchase anyway. Everything else is a bonus you may turn to down the road.
Otherwise, let go of the fear of missing out on a timed sale like this and just buy what you need from your usual sources.
5. Don’t purchase temporary solutions.
A $40 bundle that covers one science topic, one math topic, an artist study, comes with some lined handwriting sheets, and a few other items will only take you so far. You’ll most likely need more math resources, more science resources, more art resources, etc. as you move throughout the year.
It’s not always obvious that most of the bundles don’t contain comprehensive curricula, but primarily contain topical resources. That’s awesome if you’re looking for help covering specific topics. It’s not so helpful once you’ve worked through them and are back at square one and need to purchase for the other 3/4 of your homeschool year.
Bottom line: Make sure you’ll get the needed mileage out of those bundled resources before purchasing so that you’re not scrambling when November rolls around!
In closing, remember that homeschool bundle sales can be a wonderful help in gathering your resources for the upcoming year. However, only you can determine if they’re a solution for a problem you’re trying to solve.