How Teachers Can Save Money on Labs Without Losing the Learning
We’re science teachers, we know this truth…labs can get expensive FAST! Disposable cups, household chemicals, and the never-ending pipettes. Why do we end up with so many pipettes?! Yea, it adds up quick. The good news? You don’t need a huge budget to give students a meaningful, hands-on science experience that sticks with them.
Over the years, I’ve collected a few money-saving tricks that not only stretch my classroom dollars but also keep labs engaging and effective. And by no means do I have deep pockets to dip into.
Here’s how I save money on labs without cutting corners on learning.
1. Spend Smart, Not More
Not every piece of equipment is worth the investment. The trick is knowing where to spend and where to substitute. Think, how many labs and units can you use this piece of equipment for?
For example:
Worth the investment: sturdy, reusable goggles. Safety isn’t the place to cut corners, and a good set will last for years.
Skip or substitute: full class sets of specialty glassware, like volumetric flasks. Rotate stations, run demos, or use everyday alternatives (like bulk measuring cups from Amazon) instead of buying 30+ beakers for everyday household chemicals and solutions.
It’s all about putting your money where it matters most and planning effective ways to run your labs. Not every lab has to be an individual experience, class demos and stations can be just as impactful—sometimes more impactful if we’re talking about students who need the scaffolded support to fully understand the connections.
2. Take Advantage of Free + Digital Resources
Some of the most engaging labs I’ve run didn’t require any physical supplies at all. Free simulations like PhET Interactive Simulations are fantastic when equipment is scarce, your time is short, or you’re teaching a concept not accessible in a high school science lab.
Don’t overlook open-source lab manuals, district-provided resources, or even teacher communities that share free lesson plans. These can all save you from spending on one-off activities. Check out this blog post all about simulations!
3. Tap Into Community + Shared Resources
You don’t have to fund your lab alone. Parents, PTAs, and even local businesses are often willing to help when they know what you need.
I’ve also swapped supplies with other teachers in my district. Got too many pipettes? Trade them for extra wires or bulbs. Even your school’s cafeteria can be a goldmine for jars, trays, or cardboard.
A quick “wish list” email can go further than you think!
You can also jump on TpT and search for free labs or join Facebook groups for your subject area. We teachers are great at sharing ideas and resources. Here, I’ll go first! Download the Free Lab Roles Card Set and organize the chaos of lab days. Just fill out the form below. 👇🏼
And community yard sales! I’ve gone to some and had homeowners give me items for my once I told them I was a teacher and what my plans were for the labs.
4. Think Long-Term
This is one of my favorite strategies! Look for labs and equipment that are reusable, multi-year, and low-consumable. If you want that big ticket item, just make sure it’s not some random one-time use gadgets. And certainly don’t choose a piece of equipment for an obscure topic. Make it super meaningful and memorable! Make that money count.
For example, an optics kit might feel like a big upfront expense, but if you can reuse it for five years of physics classes, it’s a smart buy. And one of the most impactful labs I do all year.
Whenever possible, invest once, and then reuse.
5. Easy Budget Hack
If you want to make every dollar you spend as a teacher count and get loads of support and resources all year, SciAcademy is an easy classroom budget hack. For less than what most of us spend on one random TpT lesson, members get access to an entire library of ready-to-use labs, lesson resources, and sub plans for both physics and chemistry, fresh each month.
Yes, relevant topics and classroom-tested resources organized nice and neat in a private Google Drive each month. Check out the pacing guides to see what content is live now.
Bonus Tip!
Want to fund a classroom supply account or just have a little extra guilt-free spending available? Become a TpT seller!
I started my store back in 2017 and that little store has done so much more than I ever expected.
But getting started has it’s own learning curves and hurdles. Some of the biggest pain points are these:
What the heck is my niche?
Which branding colors are right for me?
What should my logo look like?
How do I build/write resources that sell?
It’s not as stressful as it may seem. I made the mistakes for you and built an easy-to-use TpT Store Kit to save you the hassle. So go ahead, make that store, earn that money, go on that girl’s trip, or buy that rotational motion sensor you’ve been eyeing for your physics class.
Not sure you want to buy the kit yet? That’s okay, grab the free TpT Playbook to get started with your niche and branding! Make it your weekend project.
Did You Download Your Freebie?
Running labs smoothly isn’t just about saving money. Lord knows with these class sizes now, money isn’t the only concern. But we want to keep students engaged, deepen their understanding, and create unique learning experiences. Welp, I have a free hack you’ll love. My Lab Roles Card Set! These ready-to-print and use cards make it easy to assign roles like Recorder, Timekeeper, and Reporter so your labs (and demos!) run without chaos and without spending a dime…you know, because it’s free and all.
So download this set and find a little calm in the crazy of teaching high school science.
The bottom line? Whether you’re saving dollars in the classroom or making dollars with your TpT store, there are smarter, easier ways to do it. And I want to help you get there.
