Homeschooling on a Budget by Jessica Marie Baumgartner details the challenges of the public school system and how to overcome them through affordable solutions. Baumgartner destigmatizes and clarifies homeschooling, giving the reader a preview into the homes of homeschooled children. Some vital issues covered include teaching materials, selecting a curriculum, socializing, sports or physical activities, and the resources available to homeschool educators. Homeschooling on a Budget proves that homeschooling is affordable and effective at preparing well-rounded children who can succeed at whatever they choose to do as adults. Baumgartner debunks many of the myths related to homeschooling and details the unique benefits, where parents can tailor curriculums to their children's unique strengths.

Homeschooling on a Budget by Jessica Marie Baumgartner is a remarkable, fascinating, and awe-inspiring book that has made me look at homeschooling in an entirely new light. My most significant criticism of homeschooling has been that children won't learn to socialize, but this book has wholly debunked that uninformed opinion. Baumgartner has covered parents' most critical concerns and addresses them with multiple solutions. Her passion and love for her children and learning come through strongly in this book, making it inspiring to read. I especially love how she includes lesson activities unique to her children's personalities, whether introverted or extroverted and adapts lessons to activities they enjoy - this is one aspect I think is missing in public school systems. Her views are candid and bold, backed by her experiences of homeschooling her four children. Homeschooling on a Budget is delightful, elevating, well-written, and an exceptional read.

“Life is a constant learning experience and lessons don’t start and stop in a classroom.” Public education is undergoing massive changes and many of these changes are not for the good of students or teaching staff. With the pandemic and the growing concerns about large class sizes, more parents are opting for homeschooling to keep their children safe and ensure that they have a sound, well-rounded educational experience. With more students being set up with classroom learning within the home, parents are addressing multiple concerns, first and foremost being the cost of homeschooling. However, the basics offered in the public education system really don’t merit the big price tag set on each student in the system. There are ways to circumnavigate the need to purchase too many teaching materials, or any at all for that matter.

Jessica Marie Baumgartner’s book, Homeschooling on a Budget, is a great resource for those thinking about homeschooling their children, as well as those already veterans in teaching at home. With a concise and thorough introduction and conclusion and well-detailed and organized chapters on various ways to provide adequate and inexpensive education at home, the author (a homeschool mom herself) even shares some of her ideas to accommodate different child needs, including examples of working with her own children. The text is clear, easy to read, and engaging as well as packed full of valuable information and sites to find resources. I particularly applaud the author’s recognition of the public library system as a valuable tool for providing inexpensive education. At the end of the book is a detailed list of sites she uses (but one must be aware of the flaw of the internet and how quickly a good site one day might be sold and used as an unsuitable site the next day), as well as other resources. Well documented and a handy, quick resource to have on hand.