Crafting‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌Budget‌ ‌-‌ ‌A‌ ‌Helpful‌ ‌Guide‌

For many folks out there, the word “crafty” itself is basically synonymous with “thrifty.” After all, when you’re into crafting, are you also into saving a buck or two by doing it yourself? 

Indeed, crafting as economically as possible holds special appeal for most of us in the crafting community. When most crafters realize they’ve saved a buck, they can’t help but wonder whether they could have saved another. Saving is part of the hobby. But it’s also true that some of us are on shoestring budgets. 

Whether you’re saving because it’s a part of the fun or you’re stowing away a few more bucks out of necessity, why don’t we find out just how much more you can save with this helpful guide to crafting on a budget? 

So let’s lay our strategies out on the cutting mat and see if we can’t carve out additional savings — because even the thriftiest crafter can learn new tricks. 

Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose 

It’s no secret that breathing new life into old items is one of the surest ways to save money on craft projects. But (and we’ll be hitting this point throughout the article) craft opportunities you’ve never even considered surely surrounded you. Let’s put those craft tools to use and see what you can breathe new life into around the house. 

An example: Got an old vase sitting around? Some unused Mason jars? Also have scores of candles that won’t burn anymore because the wick has dipped beneath the wax? Simply affix pre-waxed wicks to the bottom of those empty vessels, melt your candles down by placing them in a pot of boiling water and then carefully pour that melted wax into the new (old) jars. 

And those old white t-shirts? That could indeed serve as canvases for your kids’ watercolor paintings. That old picture frame destined for the dumpster? Why not slap a fresh coat of paint on that thing and give it a whole new life? 

So many tired old items lying around suddenly become fun projects once a crafter with the creative juices flowing and a budget in mind sets in. 

Don’t Forget Thrift Shops and Antique Malls

The thriftiest crafters among us approach secondhand shops the way hunters stalk prey in the wild. Here, they are truly in their element. They stalk not only deals; they view items through a creative lens. A lovely old piece of glass can become one of those candles we mentioned previously. It can deploy old bed sheets or even a set of napkins that look worn from decades of use in creative fashion — or you can dye them and put them back to use in their intended purpose. 

When you go into secondhand shops with a smile on your face and your eyes open wide, you can unlock worlds of creative potential. 

Plan Ahead and Gobble Up the Deals

For those of us fully committed to the crafting life, there’s really no such thing as an off-season. But there is indeed an off-season at stores throughout the country looking to move seasonal/ holiday goods as the calendar turns. 

That old sewing supply kit found tucked away at your favorite aunt’s house — oh, that can surely be put to use. 

You get the point here. There’re many opportunities in mundane items that a lot of folks might simply overlook or send to the trash heap. The first time you transform some random found piece of scrap into a component of a craft project, the floodgates open. 

This speaks both to the crafter’s creative heart and their desire to operate on a budget.