How to Save Money on Your Craft Supplies

I’m far from Martha Stewart, but I do love to indulge myself in crafting – and saving money on my craft supplies. Fortunate enough to live near a city with at least three major craft stores, I have learned to take advantage of the bargains and deals that craft stores offer. You don’t have to pay full price for your craft and hobby supplies, and with a few minutes online you can find great deals and bargains for online and in-store shopping.

Hobby Lobby

The selection at Hobby Lobby is wonderful, but the prices are the steepest of the chain stores. However, if you sign up for their flyers you will always be able to save (if the item is not on sale already). You can sign up online for their advertisements, and the best part is they don’t flood your email inbox. Typical savings are 40% off of the regular purchase price of an item – and a single cut of any fabric equals one purchase.

Favorite Tip – While my sons don’t usually jump at the chance to go to the craft store with me, they do enjoy Hobby Lobby. The store has a great selection of model rockets and cars, as well as fun science experiment kits.

Joann’s

Again – sign up online at their store to receive regular email coupons you can print from home and use in the store. They also have coupons specifically for online use, and you can get a paper flyer delivered to your snail mail box with coupons as well. If you’re a seasonal crafter, make sure you take the time to stop into their stores and check out their clearance after holidays like Easter, Valentine’s, Thanksgiving, and 4^th of July. They have great pre-made craft items as well as do-it-yourself items.

Favorite Tip – If you’re a teacher or home-school parent you can get an Educator’s Discount card that gives you an additional 15% off of your purchases in store.

Michael’s

Sign up online to receive regular email advertisements and printable coupons or coupon codes to use online. The coupons are usually 40% off of one regular priced item, but keep your eyes open for my favorite ones – an extra 15% to 25% off of your total purchase price (sometimes it even includes sale prices). Michaels’ doesn’t have much for fabric supplies, but does have a great framing center and quaint décor at reasonable prices.

Favorite Tip – When you make purchases in-store you will often receive another coupon with your receipt. These are usually good for 40% off a single item of regular price to be used the following week. One week I took my email coupon and bought a laminator at 40% off, then went back the next week and used my receipt coupon for 40% off the cartridges to fill the laminator.

A.C. Moore

While I don’t live close enough to an A.C. Moore craft store, I have heard great things about the selections and classes at these locations. Again – you can sign up online to receive advertisements and coupon offers.

Favorite Tip – A.C. Moore offers a Rewards program where every $1 you spend earns you 1 point. When you have accumulated enough points, you get a $10 gift card to the store.

Even if you’re not the crafty type, many of these stores have pre-made crafts that help your home look like Martha Stewart or Nate Burkess visited. Besides, when you can get craft supplies at 40% off, you can afford to try a new hobby!

Note from the Editor: This article is not promoting any of the above mentioned merchants.

About The Author

Chris Oldenburg

Chris Oldenburg earned her BSc from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in Technical Communication. After 10 years of home-schooling, the mother of four children now enjoys a career as a contributor to several online publications. At youlovecoupons.com she shares her experience as an online shopper.