How to save money in education....

Recently I was given a brochure that detailed the cost of textbooks only per student from kindergarten through high school.  Kindergarten books cost $138.76 per child.  High School books cost $464.85 per child.  And these prices are per year, but the textbooks are not new each year.  They are recycled for three or four years depending on the text which may need updated and general wear.  This amount does not include science lab equipment, pencils, paper, specialty paper, art supplies, copies, etc.  A report from the 2009 census bureau says the public school system spends $10,499 per student.  And only $464.85 is in textbooks? 

As a home school mom, I am wondering the average cost per child a home schooling families spend on curriculum/books/resources.  I found the following information from Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA):  "A reasonable estimate would be about $250–350 per child, including games, software, and books. You can keep your bill down to a reasonable amount by selecting your materials from a variety of publishers. Some or all of these materials can be purchased used at about a 30- to 50-percent savings."   

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This may seem crazy, but I doubt I spend $200 on each child.  If I did, it would equal $800/year.  We buy lots of items, but I get them second (or third) hand.  We utilize the library and the free World Wide Web...  My kids hand things down to other students when they are done.  I rarely sell our items.  I made a mistake of purchasing a strict curriculum software once.  Everyone was frustrated and only about half the work the software company had set up to accomplish was actually completed.  I'll not spend a lot of money on a single class again.  Not with the internet at our fingertips, good curriculum that I can purchase (or get for free) on Amazon or E bay or Paperback Swap!  Not to mention moms   swapping curriculum at my local support group or wanting to get rid of a bunch of stuff to clear out room for other great stuff!  I got a brand new, beautiful, color USA wall map for free one time.  It would be nice to have $10,ooo per kid ($40,000 total with four kids) to spend! I'd go on a field trip to Australia or Europe, or the beach?  Or the beach in Australia during January!

My favorite free online resources include YouTube,  Khan Academy and Kid Blog.  We also enjoy ABCya and the PBSkids website.  Speaking of PBS, my kids love Wild Kratts where they learn about animals and often  in a format that reinforces what we have learned during 'school'.  All these learning tools are free.  My older daughter is learning American Sign Language via a free website from Lifeprint (ASL website).  

What is your favorite free resource?