Craftsmen and craftsmen have one thing in common: finding the best supplies at the lowest cost to increase your profit margin. And spreading where they find those amazing deals is like asking your great-grandmother to tell the world her secret recipe for pecan pie. Finding rock-bottom craft supplies is pretty simple if you know where and when to look.
The easiest place to start your search for cheap craft supplies is online. Head over to eBay (www.ebay.com) and do a search, you guessed it, cheap craft supplies. The results can be hundreds of items up for auction or ready-to-buy on a Buy It Now list. Try searching for the specific craft item you need for a short list of items. While several sellers on eBay are honest folks like you and me, some have less than desirable ratings, leading some to steer clear of this place.
So while you’re still online, visit Oriental Trading for a great variety of arts and crafts items at very reasonable prices. Be amazed at the number of kids crafts that could make any kid’s next birthday party a huge success. Do you need silk flowers for a wedding bouquet or 3D embellishments for your scrap booking project? Oriental Trading has an abundance of items and is a hot spot for craft supply finds.
Another goldmine for cheap craft supplies is AllCraftSupplies.com, which has just about every craft item under the sun, even leather and papier-mâché items that aren’t always easy to find in a brick-and-mortar store.
Then there are the local favorites: Michaels (michaels.com), AC Moore, Hobby Lobby or Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts (joann.com) are waiting to dazzle visitors with special offers in store and online. Sign up with any of these companies and receive email alerts inviting you to super secret online-only sales events.
Before shopping online at any of your favorite craft stores, take a quick detour to Ebates (ebates.com) and find out which stores you’ve partnered with that offer discounts on your purchases. While the rebate percentages are small, some just 2 or 3 percent, hey, if you’re shopping at a particular store anyway, you might as well get the rebate.
There is also an original place online called Etsy.com (pronounced Betsy without the B), especially for artisans and artisans. It is proclaimed a showcase of everything homemade. Type in a search for “destash,” which is craft jargon for someone cleaning up leftover supplies that they no longer want and are selling cheaply.
Now that you have some examples of where to buy cheap craft supplies, the trick is also knowing when to shop. Weekly sales are, of course, the most popular time to buy those items that are … well, on sale. Several sales circulars have coupons, and some craft stores even accept competitive coupons. End of season sales can save up to 80% on some items.
