Crafting is creative, fun and should- when done right – offer you a way to save money. $5 for a Valentine’s Day card when you could find a nice bundle of Valentines SVG files online and then design and print your own, seems to make sense right?
However, whether you’re doing a DIY project like the one we just suggested or just making something cute to decorate your home, basic craft supplies can end up costing a pretty penny, cutting into the savings you had assumed you would be getting.
It does not have to be that way though. Crafting can be fun and still very economical. With that in mind, here are a few tips to save on craft supplies.
1.Know what you already own.
Before you start shopping for craft supplies for a new project take the time to take inventory of what you already have so you don’t waste money buying doubles of what you already have.
2.Have specific projects in mind.
If you head to the craft store without a specific project in mind, you’re going to be attracted to all the shiny things you encounter – and there will be lots of them and spend way more money than necessary.
Before you leave, research the project and make a list of only the things you need to do the project (and don’t forget to take inventory of what you already have). Then buy only what’s on your list. It does not matter how cheap metallic stars and moons are this week, $5 is still $5 and it all adds up and you really don’t need stars and moons for that Easter basket project do you?
The same is true if you are shopping online. Do your research and look for the best prices on everything from the Valentines SVG files you need to make those cards to the printer ink you need to print them out.
3.Buy off-season items
We all know that the time to buy Christmas items is right after the holidays. Same goes for every season. If there’s a holiday, it’s celebrated at your local craft stores and at craft outlets online. So if you want to decorate for a St. Patrick’s Day party next year, head into the store on March 18th this year to get the best deals.
4.Don’t be afraid to make returns.
Rather than debating whether or not one pack of googly eyes is enough, go ahead and buy two and you can return one later. It will save you time and gas so you don’t have to constantly go back to the store when you run out during the project.
On the other hand, if you think you’re going to use the 10 bags of leftover googly eyes before the kids get into them and glue them all to the walls, you know won’t, so at that point just go ahead and return them.
Of course, this all depends on whether or not you can return items. Most stores, both on and offline, will not take returns on sale or clearance items, so before you buy excess supplies ensure that you will be able take/send them back if you have to.
5.Know the coupon policies.
Store coupons policies will often differ a bit depending on which store you go to. For example, you should ask your local store what they allow before you count on the policy you find online. Many of the larger craft stores are franchise stores, owned and managed by separate entities, and not all them choose to participate in every offer
6.Shop Online Only
Some crafters avoid shopping for their supplies online for a number of reasons. They don’t want to pay for shipping. Or they don’t want to wait the two to three days it will take for their supplies to arrive. For things like Valentine’s SVG files they’ll make use of online resources but for everything else it’s easier to head to the craft store in town right?
However, by not considering online craft supply shopping you may be missing out on some real bargains and/or great supplies that your local stores just don’t carry, so if you really want the best, both in terms of the items themselves and price, shopping online
and off is often the best idea of all.
