A few years ago when m husband and I decided to downsize, build a modular home in a 55+ community, and started to think of retirement, budgeting was top on my list. I say "my list" because I was the one that had so many hobbies and crafts that cost money and I knew I needed to get a grip on my spending. As I cleaned out the finished basement in our home for the move, I parted with a ton of items that at the time I thought I had to have. Well. some were 10+ years old!
Right then and there I decided to spend the next year on a budget for my scrapbooking hobby! To make it stick, I told all of my friends that for a year I was NOT going to make any purchases for items that were not for a specific project. I would use products I had on hand, even if it meant I had to spend a little more time when I designed a scrapbook page or card. There were a few exceptions. Of course I needed adhesive which is a staple and has very few substitutions available, and I could purchase items for a project I was asked to do. At that time I was working on a baby's first year scrapbook for my boss to give his brother and sister-in-law on the birth of their son.
I did it! I went an entire year and successfully did not spend any money besides my two exceptions. And it opened my eyes...…………….
We tend to think we have to have the newest and greatest products that come out. We have to have what our friends have. Really? Do we need all this STUFF? When the year was over, I continued to follow this game plan for another year. I did lighten up my exceptions and purchased a few new things that second year, BUT I "earned" some money by charging for that baby album as well as sold quite a few retired Stampin' Up! stamp sets that I owned. I paid for these items from my sales.
Lesson learned...…….you can do any craft on a budget. Here are a few steps to follow:
1. ORGANIZE what you have BEFORE you go out and spend any money for newer products.
2. CHALLENGE yourself to use the products you have. TRUST me, if you have a "stash" you can go a year using these products and STILL have a stash!
3. TREAT yourself occasionally - you deserve it!
4. SHOP sales and price check all the time, still striving for the best quality products.
5. FACEBOOK and PINTEREST can be your best friend! I find sewing and quilt patterns all the time that I love. Search these social media sites to find the FREE!
6. SMILE and enjoy whatever craft(s) that you LOVE!
Happy Crafting!
Donna
I have been toying with doing my next dollhouse ‘on a budget’ meaning everything is made by me...with as few purchases as possible! I know I wIll probably need add some things like more balsa wood for furniture and fabrics (Lots of scraps of fabric for the bolts of fabric in the store.) But the idea is really looking favorable!
ReplyDeleteThe plan for the next dollhouse? ‘Stone house quilts’ Finished quilts in one room, fabrics and quilting sundries in another room....a quilt frame set up in another room....etc!
Anxious to hear and see your progress as you work on this project! I LOVE doll houses and never added it to my list of crafts due to "Fat" and "arthritic" fingers! I worry that as I grow older that my mobility might decrease.
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