Let's be real guys, scrapbooking has the potential to be a very expensive hobby. Some of us over the course of time have spent a fortune on our scrapbooking supplies ( I'm no exception!) As time has passed though I've come to realize that you don't have to shop in the scrapbook/papercrafting section of the store for A LOT of the supplies and embellishments we use to scrap with! So with that I'm going to share with you 5 ways I use to cut down my cost so that I can scrap to my hearts content:)
1. Dollar stores, especially Dollar Tree, are the bomb!
I can't even tell you how many of my favorite scrapbooking items have come from Dollar Tree! They carry all sorts of things that can be used from ribbon to paper to dimensional stickers and even tools to organize your supplies. The only negative about shopping at stores like this as well as Big Lots and Tuesday Morning is that sometimes it's a hit or a miss. They always get new things in so sometimes you find a cart load of awesome items and sometimes you leave with only a couple items. So you have to have some patience and just keep checking in on it to see if you've struck gold.
2. Cutting corners with Embellishments
Maybe you're not like me but I love adding flowers to my scrapbooks and cards! They come is all kinds of colors and shades, styles, textures, glittered or not glittered...They add such a lovely touch. But because they come in all these different types that's one of the main reasons why adding flowers to your projects can really break the bank. On average you can get a pack of flowers for 2 to 3 bucks. That might not sound like a lot but I'm sure a lot of you can testify it can really add up. So what I've started doing is going to my local Dollar Tree and buying flowers that sold as fake flower arrangements which I can purchase for $1 and then sut the flowers off the stems individually myself. You can get a whole lot more bang for your buck that way and it's super simple! And flowers aren't the only thing you can change up, you can also use everyday household items such as paperclips (which you can paint and bling up), Clothespins, hair clips, buttons, bottle caps, pages from old books, newpaper, even cutting off the elastic, buttons, and buckles off of old clothes ... and the list goes on and on. You just have to have a little imagination:)
3. Shop around
There are some scraping products that are amazing to work and there are supplies that you might be ready to buy to take your scrapbooking to the next level, a die cut machine for instance. Obviously there are only certain places you can get a lot of these supplies so you're kind of limited. But, I kid you not, there is ALWAYS a sale somewhere. You have to do some research. It's important to think through what you want instead of shopping on a whim (even though that's tough!! lol) and go to purchase where the sale is with coupons in hand. There are a lot of craft stores that even price match. I think it's a safe bet to say most things you shouldn't have to pay full price for and who doesn't love that?!
4. Put a Budget on each particular project
This one is a big one for me because I can get carried away really easily! Whatever the project is that you are working on, most of the time, you'll want to go to the store to find the perfect embellishments and paper that you envision for your scrapbook. While it's fun to go shopping for a craft, if you're anything like me, once I walk into the craft store my wheels start spinning at full speed. I can't get 2 feet down an aisle before finding something else that I think I need for my project in mind. But when I go in with a budget I'm much more selective in what I choose, I take more time, and I think through how I will utilize each item in my project to see if I really think that item is necessary. It's an incredible way to help crack down on impulse buying!
5. Be Organized
This is a must for me! Though time as you accumulate more and more supplies if you don't have a good organization system in place you will run the risk of forgetting about products you have which not only limits the projects that you work on but it also causes you to run out to buy more because you simply don't know what you have. Good organization is key to reminding you what you have and allowing you to make an accurate decision on what you really need for a particular project. Another added benefit is seeing the products you have that you've had for a long time and haven't used. Knowing that you can de-clutter or de-stash and sale them off to someone who might find it a treasure.
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