How to Stretch a Craft Budget
Save your scraps., Clip your coupons., Learn to upcycle., Buy craft materials at the dollar/pound store., Go online to get your craft ideas., Buy in bulk., Ask for expensive tools for birthdays or Christmas., Go to the library for your craft books...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Save your scraps.
When on a craft budget, each length of ribbon, each fat quarter of cloth and each small piece of felt can come in handy.
Pick a corner of your house, if you don't already have 1, and organize your scraps from old projects until the day they can be of use.
This may require more space and a reorganization of your craft space.
Take the time to make a slot or canister for everything.
Save old yogurt containers or cardboard boxes, label them and organize them so you have easy access. -
Step 2: Clip your coupons.
Craft stores give out weekly coupons via the newspaper, websites and e-newsletters.
Although they may clutter your email inbox, most coupons give a 10 to 75 percent discount on 1 item or the whole purchase.
Sign up for JoAnn's Fabrics, Michael's, Ace Hardware and local craft store e-newsletters to get updates about all the applicable discounts in your area or online.
Don't ignore hardware stores when you do your coupon clipping.
Lowe's, Home Depot and Ace Hardware all have e-newsletters with printable coupons.
Take advantage of these coupons to buy sandpaper, paint, wood filler, paint brushes and more. , What was once called reuse, is now referred to as "upcycling" by crafters.
This means that you take something that would otherwise be thrown away and turn it into something new, so save milk cartons, egg cartons, torn clothing and magazines in your craft station.
There are blogs and websites devoted to upcycling.
This may also affect your grocery buying decisions, since many of the things we throw away after eating can be turned into new items.
Cardboard egg cartons are especially useful if you have children.
Candy wrappers can be made into bags.
Magazines can be made into flowers and furniture.
This type of crafting is great for imaginative designers and people looking to be more eco-friendly. , These stores often carry fake flowers, votives, markers, glue, glitter and other crafting supplies at low prices.
Check out various dollar stores in your town to see what they carry. , Cut your budget by stopping subscriptions to Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, Do-It-Yourself and other crafting magazines, because the online community embraces budget crafting.
You will be less likely to be tempted into buying expensive materials if the craft recipe calls for magazine pages or toilet paper rolls.
Try blogs like "The Frugal Cafe," "Dollar Store Crafts," "Earth911, "Brittney's Budget Crafts,"Fave Crafts," Fits My Budget" and "Kasasa."
It is a bad idea to cut corners with some materials, such as glue, superglue and varnish, which you need to hold your projects together.
Instead, you can buy in bulk at superstores, such as Costco or Sam's Club or on Amazon.com.
If you do not have a membership to Costco, Sam's Club or another warehouse store, ask your friends if they do.
They are allowed to bring a friend along with their membership, so ask if you can tag along the next time they go.
Remember some of these places do not allow you to buy with a credit card, but you can use a debit card. , Hold off on doing a project that requires a soldering iron, expensive knitting needles or self-healing mats.
Ask for these for presents or hint that you need them, instead of buying them yourself. , Most libraries stock a large amount of craft books where you can get great ideas.
You can also read the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living without having to subscribe. , There are many free images and stencils that can be found online.
If they are not listed directly on the website or through a portable document format (PDF), then search Google and click the "images" tab at the top to look for patterns.
Go to blogs, such as "Sew Mama Sew," or "Ravelry" for free patterns. , If you are trying a new craft, this is the best way to ensure that you are given exactly what you need without overbuying.
A craft kit bought with a printable coupon from a craft store is a craft budget success. , Thrift stores sell everything from sewing machines to clothes to furniture that can be turned into a beautiful statement piece with a little hard work, sanding and painting.
Some thrift stores even have days of the week when home, furniture or clothing items are discounted further. , Go to the craft store with only the money in your budget and you will not be able to overspend. -
Step 3: Learn to upcycle.
-
Step 4: Buy craft materials at the dollar/pound store.
-
Step 5: Go online to get your craft ideas.
-
Step 6: Buy in bulk.
-
Step 7: Ask for expensive tools for birthdays or Christmas.
-
Step 8: Go to the library for your craft books or patterns.
-
Step 9: Look for patterns or stencils online.
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Step 10: Buy your crafts in "kit" form
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Step 11: especially if they are on sale.
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Step 12: Shop from thrift stores.
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Step 13: Shop with cash so that you won't be tempted to buy more than you can afford.
Detailed Guide
When on a craft budget, each length of ribbon, each fat quarter of cloth and each small piece of felt can come in handy.
Pick a corner of your house, if you don't already have 1, and organize your scraps from old projects until the day they can be of use.
This may require more space and a reorganization of your craft space.
Take the time to make a slot or canister for everything.
Save old yogurt containers or cardboard boxes, label them and organize them so you have easy access.
Craft stores give out weekly coupons via the newspaper, websites and e-newsletters.
Although they may clutter your email inbox, most coupons give a 10 to 75 percent discount on 1 item or the whole purchase.
Sign up for JoAnn's Fabrics, Michael's, Ace Hardware and local craft store e-newsletters to get updates about all the applicable discounts in your area or online.
Don't ignore hardware stores when you do your coupon clipping.
Lowe's, Home Depot and Ace Hardware all have e-newsletters with printable coupons.
Take advantage of these coupons to buy sandpaper, paint, wood filler, paint brushes and more. , What was once called reuse, is now referred to as "upcycling" by crafters.
This means that you take something that would otherwise be thrown away and turn it into something new, so save milk cartons, egg cartons, torn clothing and magazines in your craft station.
There are blogs and websites devoted to upcycling.
This may also affect your grocery buying decisions, since many of the things we throw away after eating can be turned into new items.
Cardboard egg cartons are especially useful if you have children.
Candy wrappers can be made into bags.
Magazines can be made into flowers and furniture.
This type of crafting is great for imaginative designers and people looking to be more eco-friendly. , These stores often carry fake flowers, votives, markers, glue, glitter and other crafting supplies at low prices.
Check out various dollar stores in your town to see what they carry. , Cut your budget by stopping subscriptions to Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple, Do-It-Yourself and other crafting magazines, because the online community embraces budget crafting.
You will be less likely to be tempted into buying expensive materials if the craft recipe calls for magazine pages or toilet paper rolls.
Try blogs like "The Frugal Cafe," "Dollar Store Crafts," "Earth911, "Brittney's Budget Crafts,"Fave Crafts," Fits My Budget" and "Kasasa."
It is a bad idea to cut corners with some materials, such as glue, superglue and varnish, which you need to hold your projects together.
Instead, you can buy in bulk at superstores, such as Costco or Sam's Club or on Amazon.com.
If you do not have a membership to Costco, Sam's Club or another warehouse store, ask your friends if they do.
They are allowed to bring a friend along with their membership, so ask if you can tag along the next time they go.
Remember some of these places do not allow you to buy with a credit card, but you can use a debit card. , Hold off on doing a project that requires a soldering iron, expensive knitting needles or self-healing mats.
Ask for these for presents or hint that you need them, instead of buying them yourself. , Most libraries stock a large amount of craft books where you can get great ideas.
You can also read the latest issue of Martha Stewart Living without having to subscribe. , There are many free images and stencils that can be found online.
If they are not listed directly on the website or through a portable document format (PDF), then search Google and click the "images" tab at the top to look for patterns.
Go to blogs, such as "Sew Mama Sew," or "Ravelry" for free patterns. , If you are trying a new craft, this is the best way to ensure that you are given exactly what you need without overbuying.
A craft kit bought with a printable coupon from a craft store is a craft budget success. , Thrift stores sell everything from sewing machines to clothes to furniture that can be turned into a beautiful statement piece with a little hard work, sanding and painting.
Some thrift stores even have days of the week when home, furniture or clothing items are discounted further. , Go to the craft store with only the money in your budget and you will not be able to overspend.
About the Author
Anna Cole
Brings years of experience writing about hobbies and related subjects.
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