10 ‘Ridiculously’ Simple Ways To Make Music Lessons More Affordable

If you find adding music lessons to your kids’ extra curricular activities to be extremely expensive then you are not alone. 

This is a complaint that I get from many parents and I have to say that it is not wholly unfounded. 

However, it doesn’t have to be so, there are many different ways in which to reduce the exorbitant cost of music lessons and this post I’m going to explain ten great ways in which you can do just that.

Buy Second Hand Instruments And Books

Yes, simply buying second hand musical instruments like guitars, trombones, pianos and much more can be real life savers and end up saving you a fortune. This is especially true if you have many kids all learning different instruments.

Don’t know where to get good quality instruments and books at a cheap rate or how to source them? 

No worries, read my post 6 ‘Unbelievable’ Ways To Add Music Resources To Your Homeschool and also 9 ‘No Fail’ Ways To Fill Your Homeschool With Instruments or Desperate To Learn To Play The Piano, But No Piano/Keyboard At Home? and you will be well on your way to saving a ton of money from the get go. 

Supplement Learning With Online Courses

This is a very innovative way to reduce the cost of music lessons. 

For example if your child wants to play the guitar, a large part of learning at the start includes learning to read music notes and learning chords. 

Sometimes this process alone can take 6 – 12 months to master depending on your child and the actual playing part only starts after that. 

So why not take an online class, where you pay a small fee upfront, learn the basics and then go for private one on one music lessons to fine tune the learning?

Did you know that learning to read notes when playing the piano can take as much as 6 months or even more with one on one music piano lessons? 

Why not instead join my Read Music Notes & Play The Piano in 5 Days challenge, and learn to read music notes for FREE before your child attends piano lessons. 

Focus On One Instrument

If there are multiple children learning music in your household, one of the best ways to keep costs down is for all of them to focus on just one instrument. 

This way not only can you save on instrument purchases, but you can also hire just one teacher and gain many other benefits as I will explain later in this post. 

Have Group Lessons

Learning only one instrument will enable your family to have group lessons, which can be very cost effective when compared to one on one private lessons. 

Besides saving on tuition, if you have to transport your kids to music lessons and back, it reduces scheduling complications, saves on gas, and will be convenient for you overall. 

If you have only one child looking for music lessons, why not look around for group lessons anyway, and compare the cost with one on one lessons.

And have your child join an existing group, or bring together kids from your homeschool co-op or neighbourhood and have group lessons. 

Ask For Family Discount

If group lessons are not possible because of disparities in the learning situations of each of your children, why not ask for a family discount, if you have more than one child learning from the same teacher, or at the same music studio?

Have Goals

This is key to keeping music lesson costs low. 

Know your goal and speak to your children’s music teacher about what goals you want to see at the end of the year or end of six months. 

You have to remember that not all children learn alike, so have a different goal for each child and be flexible. 

However, having a goal is essential and will give you a roadmap and help you track the progress and see if the music lessons are worth it or not. 

Use Existing Music Resources

Instead of going out and buying new books and resources, try to use what you already have. 

Most homeschool parents I know have tons of material in their homeschool and it is a waste to spend more money on materials. 

So speak to your children’s music teacher and try your best to use existing resources as much as possible. 

Avoid Buying Cheap Or Age Appropriate Musical Instruments

This is another big one. With some instruments like the Ukulele or a guitar for instance, there are different sizes depending on age. 

While it is essential to use age appropriate sizes, they can be a huge waste of money, unless you have many kids and there are younger kids who can use the same instrument, as the older ones grow out. 

Sticking to an instrument like the piano, or simply waiting until your child is a tween and able to handle the standard size instrument can be a big cost saver. 

Also investing in a good quality instrument, rather than a cheap one, will help you save tons of money in the long run. 

Join An Orchestra/Church Choir

Some free ways to learn music is to look around for a church or group choir or an orchestra and ask if your child can join. 

Want more ideas on how you can teach your kids music without private lessons? Then I’m sure you will find this post very helpful 6 ‘Ridiculously’ Simple Ways To Bring Music Into Your Homeschool Without Private Lessons.

Take Online Lessons

Online music lessons are way cheaper than the one on one lessons and can be a big cost saver. 

They can also work as a great primer, so your children can learn the basics online, and then proceed to one on one lessons to learn the more advanced concepts. 

Not sure about online lessons? Then read these different posts that argue for and against online music lessons and make up your mind. 

6 ‘Must Have’ Features In An Online Piano Course, 

4 Benefits You May Have Not Known About Learning Piano Online, 

6 ‘Must Know’ Reasons Why Online Music Courses Are Not For Your Child, 

11 ‘Undeniable’ Benefits of Learning Piano Online, 

3 ‘Must Ask’ Questions Before You Commit To Online Piano. 

What is your biggest take away from this post? Which one of the above strategies will you implement to reduce the cost of one on one music lessons? I would love to hear from you.