Budget For Fun Stuff?

[kendallina]

How much per month do you spend on supplies? I'm not talking about paper towels, soap, etc. I'm talking about the fun stuff like toys, art and science supplies. I think I don't spend enough, but my husband disagrees .

Also, how many children do you have per day...I have 5 per day, but only for 3 hours, so I think that's supposed to mean I shouldn't spend very much, but I'd like to spend a lot more. Plus I just opened a year ago, so I feel like I'm still buying start-up supplies. For example, I never bought stamp pads, so we haven't used stamp pads. How can I have a preschool without stamp pads....

Do you set aside so much per month or do you just buy what you feel the whim to buy...hahaha.

Please, someone give me permission to spend some money!

[jessrlee]

I spend a couple hundred dollars every six mos or so. I also pick up anything cool I find in the dollar spot or the dollar tree. I bet I spend at least six hundred a year on creative/ science toys. I have 12am kids and 4 pm kids 6 mos- 9 years.

[daycare]

I use the summer time to write all of my curriculum. I will start out with the first of the month and decide what we will do and then buy it. I go to yard sales and try to spend as little as I can. I have been doing this for almost 8 years, so I have a lot of things that I don't need to buy again.

I don't buy things unless we need them. i budget about $50-75 monthly... then save for the bigger items when needed

[small_steps]

I use the summer time to write all of my curriculum. I will start out with the first of the month and decide what we will do and then buy it. I go to yard sales and try to spend as little as I can. I have been doing this for almost 8 years, so I have a lot of things that I don't need to buy again.

I don't buy things unless we need them. i budget about $50-75 monthly... then save for the bigger items when needed

That was my plan this past summer but I didn't "get around" to it. I do want to do that for next year though. I'm spending about $70 a month for 5 kids to do Funshine's Curriculum. Too expensive when I still have to buy things for the projects sometimes.

[daycare]

OUCh $70 just on the curriculum.... How do you afford to buy glue and paint and all the other necessary perks??

[small_steps]

I am pretty new too so I feel like I'm buying a lot of start up things too. I'm always looking for things on craigslist or something. After Christmas my plan is to use the money I get from my one state pay child for new items for the daycare and savings if I don't need anything that particular month. It's about $300 for him each month. I haven't bought anything big in a while though. I'm itching to buy something big . Maybe the choo choo train wagon thing someone posted on a different thread. I like that and the price isn't too bad. I have 9 kids here all day right now, licensed for 12 though.

[daycare]

I think we have all made the mistake of jumping into the prewritten expensive curriculum./

I used to buy MGT and boy was that a lot of money and I didn't even like it...

Maybe you can do more of the play through learning. I find this much better for the kids, they seem to enjoy it more, learn more and its less expensive.

[small_steps]

OUCh $70 just on the curriculum.... How do you afford to buy glue and paint and all the other necessary perks??

I buy the glue at the beginning of the school year. Walmart usually has that and crayons for really cheap...same with water colors. I bought about 5 different colors from a lady off craigslist for really cheap but I'm about out so looking into purchasing that soon too.

I have purchased the Zoo Phonics curriculum, I just need to do my plans and gather supplies ahead of time and use that one instead of funshine. Funshine is just convenient. I could use that $70 on something else every month.

[kendallina]

I think we have all made the mistake of jumping into the prewritten expensive curriculum./

I used to buy MGT and boy was that a lot of money and I didn't even like it...

Maybe you can do more of the play through learning. I find this much better for the kids, they seem to enjoy it more, learn more and its less expensive.

Yeh, I don't buy a curriculum, I just want the fun stuff!

[kendallina]

So it seems like it varies from $50 and up? That doesn't seem like a lot.. Maybe it's just because I'm new and still buying stuff?? Right now I average about $40/month. I've been kind of winging it since I opened, and most months I spend nothing, but I feel like I'm lacking in some important things. I think I need to talk to DH and set up a budget that I can spend on preschool guilt-free.

Do you think it'd be ridiculous to spend $75/month on my fun supplies? I earn only $1200/month.

[Mrs. CC]

I currently reinvest 10% of my income into the business. I have been buying a few things over that amount lately but that is due to needing furniture (tot sized tables) and that would have taken forever to save up for.

[Meeko]

Ask for donations! I let parents know that I am always happy to take scrap paper we can use to color on etc.

I had one mom who worked for Provo Craft. She worked in the area where they would pack up all the gorgeous scrapbook papers in bundles. If some got bent, or didn't go through the machine that binds the "books" of paper together, it gets dumped. She brought me reams and reams of paper in all colors and designs.

Another is a teacher who gets brand new paints etc for her classroom each year. She gives me the old unfinished bottles of paint. Still good!.

Parents bring me cardboard boxes, empty toilet tissue rolls, empty formula cans, brown grocery bags etc.

[small_steps]

So it seems like it varies from $50 and up? That doesn't seem like a lot.. Maybe it's just because I'm new and still buying stuff?? Right now I average about $40/month. I've been kind of winging it since I opened, and most months I spend nothing, but I feel like I'm lacking in some important things. I think I need to talk to DH and set up a budget that I can spend on preschool guilt-free.

Do you think it'd be ridiculous to spend $75/month on my fun supplies? I earn only $1200/month.

I think it depends on whether or not you can really afford it. If you don't depend on that money and need it to pay other things then I say go for it and have fun .

[Crystal]

I spend at least $100 per month on supplies and "stuff" - usually more. I do have a very extensive supply of materials and invested alot initially to supply in bulk on things like paint, paper, etc. Around Christmas each year I spend between $500 and $1000 to restock and buy new classroom materials, furnishings, big toy items....last year was new blocks, a light table, etc. I do spend A LOT on my program, but I also recycle and use alot of materials found in nature.....especially for art and for "loose parts" in the block and science area, etc.

I am fortunate that my hubby works with me....he sees the need for investing money back into the program, AND how happy it keeps me and the kids!

[Nellie]

So it seems like it varies from $50 and up? That doesn't seem like a lot.. Maybe it's just because I'm new and still buying stuff?? Right now I average about $40/month. I've been kind of winging it since I opened, and most months I spend nothing, but I feel like I'm lacking in some important things. I think I need to talk to DH and set up a budget that I can spend on preschool guilt-free.

Do you think it'd be ridiculous to spend $75/month on my fun supplies? I earn only $1200/month.

I don't think its to much. You make more than I do and I know that I at least spend that per month. I'm sure your husband thinks that you shouldn't spend the money if you don't HAVE to. When I first started we kind of REALLY needed my income and my husband would cringe every time I went out and purchased something. I'm sure he thought I could get away with out having X. I finally just bought a laminate. When I just started I couldn't have afforded to laminate some of the things I now laminate, but the waste of my time for cutting out the same things over and over is well worth it.

If you don't NEED the money I'd say go for it. Your are re-infesting in your business.