Become A Smarter Shopper With These Scrapbooking Shopping Tips!You, too can scrapbook like the pros and still stay within a budget! These scrapbooking shopping tips will help you get the most bang for your buck, while cutting down on waste and effort. • Plan Ahead! Know what you need before you shop. Only get the necessities – make a list of what you want to get before you go, and then do your best to stick to it! Otherwise the impulse to buy every cute thing you see may be overwhelming. Believe me, I have a pile of stuff that I “just had to have” sitting in my closet. A little planning and forethought can save you bundles down the road. • Watch for sales! Many craft stores start their sales or run new ads every (or every other) Sunday, so keep a lookout in the paper or sales flyer to see when scrapbooking supplies that you need are on sale. Also, some craft stores offer a coupon for a single item. Save those for your big ticket items and you could save a good bit of money!
• Order your supplies online. If you live in a rural area, or walking through the craft store makes it too tempting to stay within your budget (and boy, have I been there a time or two!), check out Ebay or your favorite scrapbooking supplier online. There are great mixed lots available on Ebay that allow you to get a combination of materials for less than you would pay to buy them separately. Many sites also offer free or reduced shipping, making it just as cost efficient to shop online as it is to go to the store. • Consider some kits. During and right after the holidays, many stores usually carry special scrapbooking kits, generally meant for gift-giving, that are a great value (especially if they’re on sale!) and a good way to build up some reserves if you are just starting out. You’ll get coordinated papers, elements, and sometimes an album for much less that if you purchased these things separately. • Bring some pictures along! I now have a huge pile of patterned papers sitting unused in my closet that I bought for my wedding album. They are absolutely beautiful, but when I got them home, found that they didn’t go with the pictures. Talk about a major bummer! Don’t make the same (costly) mistake that I did and take some photos along - you’ll be sure that you get the paper properly color-coordinated and won’t waste money on extras that you don’t need. • Buy in bulk – but only if it’s something you know you’ll be using a lot of, like glue sticks or multi-colored cardstock packs. Just like anything at the grocery store, you’ll have to do the math and be sure that you’re actually getting a deal. But if you have found a good price on necessities, then by all means, do stock up. You’ll save a trip by having the supplies you use on a regular basis close at hand. • Buy new items in small quantities. If you are trying out a new product, just get one to make sure you like it. Or better yet, see if there’s a demo available where you shop so you can see how the product will work before you buy it. This will help you cut down on unused supplies and save you money. If you find you like the item, you can always go back and get more. • Shop in other departments. The kid’s craft and office supply department have lots of hidden gems for scrapbookers. There you can find the same quality items, such as acid-free glue sticks, for less than the special scrapbooking kind. The kid’s department also has things like foam stickers, glitter pens, and gel markers. Check out the clearance section in the silk floral area to find flowers that you can disassemble and use to embellish your pages. You can even find grommet setters (otherwise known as eyelet setters) in the sewing department for less. As you shop around, be sure to keep a creative eye out for items that can do double duty. Click here for more out of the box ideas. Remember, scrapbooking doesn’t have to stop at the scrapbooking aisle! Scrapbooking really is a craft that anybody can get into. It doesn’t take a whole lot to get started and you don’t have to have the hottest scrapbooking supplies to make great pages. With a little smart shopping, scrapbooking can fit into any budget!
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