chiggins1066

My wife and I are homeschooling our two boys and I was thinking about purchasing a computer primarily for educational purposes (an iMac).

I know that Apple offers educator discounts, but they require teacher and/or student ID cards, etc. Other stores have similar policies.

Any way I can get discounts and/or tax breaks on educational materials I purchase?

Sandra Dodd

-=-I know that Apple offers educator discounts, but they require
teacher and/or student ID cards, etc. Other stores have similar
policies.-=-

Sometimes the salesman has leeway. In some states there are
homeschooler ID cards or registration papers to prove unschooling.

Generally those places in which homeschooling is the least regulated
are happy and peaceful places for homeschoolers to be. If you live
where there's no such thing as a registration card, you might need to
pay more for a Mac, but you'll have freedom to go with it.

Discounts can't be the best reason to unschool.

Sandra

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Joyce Fetteroll

On Nov 1, 2009, at 9:08 AM, chiggins1066 wrote:

> I know that Apple offers educator discounts, but they require
> teacher and/or student ID cards, etc. Other stores have similar
> policies.

It might be more difficult on line, I'm not sure, but when I bought
my daughter's I just told the woman I was a homeschooler and she was
fine with that.

In MA after sending in a letter of intent, the superintendent sends
back an approval letter. I've used that at Barnes and Noble and
Borders to get their educator's discount card. (BTW, the new B&N card
is good for 2 years.)

She may have asked to see the letter. There was a box on the form she
checked off that said "individual educator" I think.

Other's have used membership in a state homeschooler's group. They
would probably know the particulars for your state.

Joyce

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

yutafl

Going to a physical Apple Store usually requires proof of educator status. Depending on the state you live in, that could be a full curriculum, or a homeschooling certificate. Having worked at an Apple Store, I always asked if anyone was a student or educator before completing the purchase, and the handful of times homeschooling was the answer, I gave the education discount. The individual specialists have the ability to do that, but that'll depend on who helps you.

If you don't want to take that chance, the online Apple store does have a homeschooling site, which doesn't require any proof. Shipping is free.

http://store.apple.com/us_edu_21023?&cid=AOS-US-EdMkting-090126

An easier link to remember is http://apple.com/education/shop. There's a homeschooling link further down the page.

The new iMacs are a great value for the specs, and the new displays (esp. the 27") are gorgeous. You won't regret getting one!

Cheers,
Yuta



--- In [email protected], "chiggins1066" <chiggins1066@...> wrote:
>
> My wife and I are homeschooling our two boys and I was thinking about purchasing a computer primarily for educational purposes (an iMac).
>
> I know that Apple offers educator discounts, but they require teacher and/or student ID cards, etc. Other stores have similar policies.
>
> Any way I can get discounts and/or tax breaks on educational materials I purchase?
>

Ed Wendell

I just simply sat down at the computer and made all 3 of us homeschooling ID cards. Zac gets a student discount and Ed & I get educator discounts. They are the size of a business card.

Our favorite discount places are book stores and Jo-Ann Fabrics - we used our homemade ID to get one of their educator discount cards. But we also used it to buy a computer. Oh and the coffee house where our homeschool group of teens meet on Wed evenings accepts it.

wolf picture on the left: I hunted on the internet for a picture of a wolf pack as we all like wolves - the picture has one upside down wolf nose to nose with another right side up wolf (playful wolves).

to the right of the picture it says:
Natural Learners (Larger bolder print)
Relaxed Eclectic
Home Learning

My Name typed
(tiny print) Member of the pack
then a signature line. and I signed it.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

yutafl

The easiest way to get the discount is order online. There is no requirement for proof online... Apple goes by the honor system, but does do random audits for people who are trying to get more than the allotted number of systems (1 per academic year). The homeschooling online Apple store is here:

http://store.apple.com/us_edu_21023?&cid=AOS-US-EdMkting-090126

An easier link to remember is http://apple.com/education/shop. There's a homeschooling link if you scroll down.

You can go to a physical Apple Store and get it, but it's up to the specialist you talk to. When I worked at the Apple Store, I always asked if there was a student or educator in the family. The handful of times homeschooling was the answer, I gave the discount. Specialists have the ability to give the discount, it's just a matter of what kind of proof they're comfortable with. Corporate policy, depending on the state, requires a copy of the full curriculum or a certificate.

Tax exempt status is a bit trickier, but the education discount ranges from 5-10%, so it basically cancels out sales tax in most places. If you really want to try and get tax exempt, you have to either call Apple Sales Support @ 800-676-2775 or go to an Apple Store. I'm not sure if being homeschooling educator officially counts, but it can't hurt to ask. The exemption system at our store required a valid teaching certificate #, so your mileage may vary.

Hope this helps! The new iMacs are really great values, and the displays (especially the 27") are gorgeous.

Cheers,
Yuta

--- In [email protected], "chiggins1066" <chiggins1066@...> wrote:
>
> My wife and I are homeschooling our two boys and I was thinking about purchasing a computer primarily for educational purposes (an iMac).
>
> I know that Apple offers educator discounts, but they require teacher and/or student ID cards, etc. Other stores have similar policies.
>
> Any way I can get discounts and/or tax breaks on educational materials I purchase?
>

Laureen

Heya!~

On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 7:08 AM, chiggins1066 <chiggins1066@...> wrote:

> My wife and I are homeschooling our two boys and I was thinking about
> purchasing a computer primarily for educational purposes (an iMac).
>
> I know that Apple offers educator discounts, but they require teacher
> and/or student ID cards, etc. Other stores have similar policies.


I took my kids with me into the Apple store, and when the charming young
associate asked me for proof of homeschooling, I called the kids over, and
asked "where do you guys go to school?" They answered "we're homeschooled",
and that was my proof. =)

I have no idea what the answer is about taxes, but I'll be curious to find
out.
--
~~L!

s/v Excellent Adventure
http://www.theexcellentadventure.com/

We are so programmed by other people’s programming which is programming by
other people’s programming that we are on autopilot and we ourselves can’t
see through our own stuff. ~~ Nwenna Kai


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sandra Dodd