Why Teachers Spend Too Much on TpT (and How to Stop)
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had that moment where you log in to TpT for “just one resource” and end up with a cart full of labs, activities, emergency sub plans, and cute clipart just because. Then later, you realize half of them didn’t fit your class, weren’t editable, or got used once and never again.
It adds up fast, and it’s super frustrating.
Teachers spend hundreds of dollars a year on TpT, not because we’re incapable of doing it ourselves, but because we’re trying to save time and sanity. The problem is that shopping for random items here and there often means spending more in the long run without solving the bigger issue: consistency, coverage, and quality across your whole course. Kids know when it’s just some random resource you just bought.
Aside from what I do here on this blog, I also run a successful TpT store built around a concise and well-developed full-year curriculum. I’m not the random items here and there seller. In addition, I LOVE my TpT store and what it’s offered my little family. With all that said, let’s dig into why we overspend on TpT, and more importantly, how to stop without sacrificing engaging lessons for your students.
1. The “Last-Minute” Trap
We’ve all been there: tomorrow’s lab or sub day sneaks up on you, and you grab the first resource that looks decent. It works for the moment, but it doesn’t always align with your curriculum or your teaching style. Sometimes it really falls flat on its face, and then you’re left searching for more!
Let’s do a quick fix to prevent this situation in the future.
Quick Fix: Build a ready-to-go subfolder with emergency plans—and not just any emergency plan…on-topic so the learning continues even when you’re out. To get you started, download the free Mini Sub Folder. It’s on-topic, student-friendly, and requires very little prep for you.
⬇️ Download your Mini Sub Folder Freebie ⬇️
2. The “Trial-and-Error” Problem
Too often, we buy a resource hoping it will be the one, but it misses the mark with students or doesn’t meet standards in the way we’d hoped. After a few rounds of trial-and-error purchases, you’ve spent $30–50 and are back at square one…making your own.
Wasted time and money. How annoying!
Quick Fix: Look for resources that have been classroom-tested and are part of a larger, consistent curriculum. One-offs are tempting, but bundles or memberships usually give you more for less.
3. The “Piecemeal” Collection
Buying labs, worksheets, and activities one at a time is like trying to meal plan by buying single ingredients at full price. You end up with a random mix in your pantry that don’t make a dish.
Same thing in teaching. You buy this little thing here and that little thing there, and before you know it, your course is a patchwork mess that lacks consistent standard alignment and quality of work.
Students can tell.
Quick Fix: Invest in resources that build on each other. Whether it’s a complete unit, a course-aligned bundle, or (my favorite) a membership library or subscription, your money goes farther when everything is designed to work as a set. Oh yea, and the content makes sense with one another and looks professional.
The Ultimate Quick Fix and Money Saver!
Here’s the shift that changed everything for me. I was that person, an item here and an item there. Heck, I even do it with my own resources that I sell in my TpT store. But instead of spending $10–15 on a single TpT resource, I had a moment of brilliance that turned into SciAcademy. Toodle loo random and excessive TpT purchases, and hello to an entire library of physics and chemistry resources that costs less than one Starbucks run per week. And the library is full of on-topic resources and sub plans that rotate with a fresh batch each month.
Inside, you’ll find a rotating variety of:
Full-length labs and simulations
Sub plans you can assign in minutes and are on-topic so the learning continues
Bellringers aligned to current content
Beyond the textbook, classroom-tested resources
Instead of piecemeal shopping, SciAcademy keeps everything (and you) consistent, professional, and aligned—without draining your wallet. You’re welcome ☺️.
The sad reality, teachers overspend on TpT because we’re trying to save time, but piecemeal shopping isn’t the answer. With a smarter strategy—and budget-friendly tools like SciAcademy that make every dollar count—you can save money, cut stress, and still give your students engaging science every single day.
Don’t leave before checking out SciAcademy and see how it can be your classroom budget hack this year.
