Why Sonlight is Cost Effective.

originally posted on June 7, 2008 at Prairie Prologue

One of the first questions I get about Sonlight is inevitably, "well, I really like the look of Sonlight but how do you afford it?". As you add up the different subjects and recommended resources, the dollar figure mounts until it is most likely floating anywhere around $750.00 or even up to $900.00 for a year's materials. BUT, don't shudder and run away just yet. Let me explain a few things that are very important to understand.

First of all, I don't know a single curriculum where you won't spend 300 to 500 dollars a year, even the cheapo workbook curriculums. And when we are talking 300 to 500 dollars, we are talking 300 to 500 dollars PER child, per year. So if you have two children, you are most likely spending anywhere from 600 to 1000 dollars on curriculum by the time you are said and done. With Sonlight, since 90% of the materials are NON consumable you don't multiply the cost of a year's curriculum by the number of children you have, you *divide* it.

I buy the full shebang from Sonlight, all recommended resources, all supplemental workbooks, all subjects. My largest bill (when the exchange rate sucked) was 900.00 canadian. If I divide that 900.00 by my children, it works out to 180.00 per child, let's say maximum $250.00 per child by the time I replace consumable materials. And if I get my way and have a future Prairie Poppet then my kids top notch education only costs me 150.00 a year plus consumables. There is no curriculum out there that is that economical, unless you make it yourself and use the library. So for me, Sonlight turns out to be not only the highest quality, but *highly* economical (if not the most cost effective way I could school 5 (6?) chicklets =)

Now granted, most people don't have 5 or 6 kids, so is it still an economical option for smaller families? If you are a one child family, yes, it's going to be pricy for you. If you have two children, like I said, I think it is comparable to most other curriculums on the market, ringing in at anywhere from 250 to 500 dollars per child per year. At least it *looks* comparable when you look at the price tag, but I would *still* say it is a way better deal than anything else on the market and here are two reasons why.

1. Sonlight curriculum is not a certain dollar amount of textbooks and workbooks that get used once and then "put" away. It is a veritable heirloom library of classic, colorful, beautiful, treasurable literature. All of it. Even the science books. They are REAL books that call your children's names and are taken down from the shelves again and again and again and will never be put away in a box somewhere because they are "last years text books". You don't pay for a year's worth of school books, you pay for a lifetime's worth of lovable literature. You get to keep it and reap the benefits of it for years to come, even when your kids are grown and gone and your grandkids are the ones to raid the bookshelves.

2. If for some reason (crazy thought but I'll throw it out there) you don't *want* to keep years and years worth of wonderful literature, Sonlight has a high demand resale value. The Sonlight website even has a special forum just for advertising and selling their USED curriculum. And I'm pretty sure you are guaranteed to get 50% of your investment back by selling your used materials. So you can cut the cost of your children's education in half.

Either way, it brings you back down into the category of "very cost effective, academically superior" curriculum.

One last comment. The other remark I routinely get is; "I really want to try it, but I'm afraid to make that investment and then have it flop on us." HAVE NO FEAR. Sonlight has the BEST (and only one of it's kind that I know of) no risk return policy. They give you ONE FULL YEAR from date of purchase to fully use and teach 18 weeks of the year's materials, and if at any time before then you decide that Sonlight is not a good fit for you, you can return the whole kit and kaboodle (USED, written in, dog eared, food stained, you name it- up until week 18 of the materials) for a 100% refund. Talk about NO RISK. What have you got to lose? Nothing but your hesitation. Go for it!