Scrapbooking can become a very expensive hobby. There are so many the tools and supplies that you really can’t recycle and have to buy more of.  If you do a lot of scrapbooking it can get really expensive and become a strain on your budget. That is why many scrapbookers are always looking for a good deal. Here is a list of how to get discounts on your scrapbooking supplies.

    Look on-line to find discount stores. Search for scrapbooking stores or sites these will generally have the best deals.
    Buy in bulk, generally the more you buy the better the discount.
    Share and trade with another scrapbooking friend.
    Look at yard sales. You never know what you can find. You can at times find a yard sale of someone who is selling many of their scrapbooking items.
    Shop at scrapbooking clearance stores. They may just be a craft clearance store but you should be able to find scrapbooking supplies.
    Join on-line scrapbooking communities. As a member you can gain discounts on the supplies.
    Join scrapbooking chat rooms to learn from other scrapbookers how they get discounts on their supplies.
    Look into joining on-line scrapbooking warehouse stores. You may need to bring in so many people to qualify but with enough scrapbookers the money saving discount may be worth it.
    Get on the mailing lists of local craft stores. They will usually have a coupon in the mailer for you to use.
    Shop the sales at the local craft stores to get your supplies at a lesser cost. If you are on the mailing list you may have a coupon on the weekly or monthly ad you received.
    Don’t have the attitude that you need to have the newest and the best right away. Sometimes the better product will come out later. Waiting for the tools or products can be better on the budget.
    Take a look at on-line auction sites for some good deals on bulk scrapbooking supplies. You might not want everything in the lot but you can then turn around and trade or sell the items you didn’t want.
    Look through your local paper for scrapbooking swaps to exchange or buy supplies from another avid scrapbooker who is looking for a deal.
    Put an ad in the paper yourself as to what you are looking for.
    Scrapbooking magazines will have coupons for many supplies and tools especially if they are new. There are also ads in these magazines for trading or buying other tools and supplies. Getting a subscription may be a good idea.
    Watch scrapbooking how to shows on television. These shows will sometimes have discounts they give to callers. They will also run contests for you to enter and most times will give you more scrapbooking supplies as a prize or even for just submitting to the contest.
    Joining a scrapbook craft of the month club may also help. You get a full kit every month with all the supplies. They also give other inserts and ads with these mailings and you can then find other ways to find discounts.
    If you are familiar with your local craft stores and the employees it may be a good idea to ask about getting discounts. For a loyal customer many stores will help out.

Getting discounts on your scrapbooking supplies is not always easy but for an avid scrapbooker it may be a necessity. Finding good craft or scrapbooking stores will help. Also find other scrapbookers or scrapbooking groups to join will allow you to share information on ways to get discounts. Join mailings or groups and these can lead to other ideas for receiving discounts on your scrapbooking supplies.

Posted by Don under Scrapbook Embellishments , Scrapbook Techniques on Sat 8 Mar 2008