Here are some of my money and frustration saving tips for buying resources at a Convention.
BEFORE the Convention:
1. If you’re new to home education, (or haven’t thought through your own beliefs about education,) spend some time renewing your mind in God’s Word and prayer, and reading books or talking with someone about home education, to get a better idea of the right approach for your family. This will help you more than about anything else.
2. Through prayer, make a list of the types of things you think you’ll need. Such as: History resources for 20th century. Hands-on way to teach math, covering all levels. Mom’s “how-to” guide for teaching in a relaxed way. A few interesting read-alouds for character building. A drawing program for Suzy. … This will help keep you from spending a lot of time (and money) looking at (and buying) things that you don’t need this year/ yet.
3. Visit as many websites as you can, so you will have an idea of what you particularly want to browse through at Convention. Make a list under those “types of things” needed, of possible resources to fulfill those needs. There will be plenty of other things at the convention that you haven’t heard of before to choose from, that you may also want to look at, but this pre-looking will at least narrow it down some. You will have, through the websites, eliminated many choices. You can walk right past those booths with no condemnation or questioning for ignoring them.
AT the convention:
1. Go to the booths that carry the resources on your list first. There will be other good things to check out, but going to those pre-determined booths first will help you do some more eliminating.
2. Don’t buy anything on your first round. Make it a “skimming” tour. Make note of any other resources (or booths) that fit into your “types of things needed” that you’d like to check out further.
4. Talk to the vendors about resources that look really interesting. Go to workshops that focus on that resource (if possible) or at least give you an idea of that vendor’s/ author’s view of education (as it determines the philosophy behind the books that vendor carries/ author writes). Small vendors and especially those that have authored the resources are usually the most helpful.
5. Buy only when you have God’s peace about a resource. If you still aren’t sure as the convention nears completion, don’t rush or be pressured into buying anything. It will well be worth any extra you have to pay in shipping to get the right thing. Spend the time you need praying about it and getting God’s direction and peace. Don’t let a vendor (or others there) talk you into something that doesn’t fit your “litmus test” unless you really sense God leading in that new direction. Perhaps it is Him giving clearer revelation, but perhaps it’s an expensive (in money and time) rabbit trail.
More Tips tomorrow, especially for the seasoned homeschool buyer.
