I recently took a trip to A.C. Moore to stock up on some much-needed crafting supplies.  It is very difficult, especially around the holidays, to purchase these supplies as they can be quite expensive.  I am planning on making some gifts for the holiday this year, and still want to continue with various projects so the purchase was a necessary evil.  I had to think outside the box as it is becoming more and more difficult to raise the additional funds needed. I thought I would share with you the items I purchased, with a total out-of-pocket cost of about $3.62!

So, How did I do it? Let me explain:

COUPONS!

A.C. Moore is the only craft store in the area that sells Mod Podge by the gallon.  I know others make their own versions of Mod Podge, as seen here and that is a much more frugal way, but I am always afraid if I measure the ingredients incorrectly something could go terribly wrong, and to me it is not worth the risk of ruining a project. A gallon of Mod Podge is about $36.99 with tax. Ouch!  That is where the A.C. Moore coupon comes in.  They often feature a coupon for 50% off one regular priced item.  This holiday, I was able to score a printable 55% off one regular priced item coupon online. Before going shopping always check for printable coupons or for those more electronically savvy use your smart phone to check for deals! This coupon saved me over $18.00 on the Mod Podge. I went through the line and purchased the Mod Podge with the coupon, to obtain the maximum savings.  I then took it outside to the car came back in and continued to shop. If you send the hubby through the line or don’t mind going through the line again, you can use another coupon to save even more! On this day I forgot to do this, so in hindsight I could have saved more money!

Bank Incentive Programs-Shop Around

I currently use a local bank in the area The Beneficial Bank that sponsors a points rewards program called Bank Thanks. The program encourages you to use your debit card as a credit card to make purchases and pay bills. This saves the bank money and in return the bank issues rewards points to the card holder.  Once I reach $6,000 points I can exchange those points for various gifts on their rewards website. One of these gifts is a $50.00 gift card of my choosing, including a general Visa gift card you can use practically anywhere! Many banks have eliminated their various rewards programs, so be sure and research your bank very carefully.   This allowed me to purchase my supplies without guilt, and a few smaller craft items and a coloring book for my daughter!  Can you say “free money?” Everything pictured cost about $53.62, minus the $50.00 gift card a difference of $3.62!

Stay Calm, Stay Thrifty and Craft On!