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Are you excited about the craft ideas I shared in Tuesday’s post? If your residents complete any of these projects, I would love to hear about the results.
I promised to share lots of ways you can save money on your craft supplies, so here goes!
1. Save on taxes
Check to see if your nursing home is exempt from paying local/state sales tax. Many states allow this for nonprofit organizations. With tax rates higher than 10% in some areas, the savings could be significant.
Several states offer tax-free holidays around the time school starts. You can save money on supplies even if you’re not using them for school.
2. Use coupons
Many of the major craft stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Joann offer great coupons through their websites. And don’t forget about online coupon sites like RetailMeNot. You can also save money by using coupons online and then picking up your purchases at the store instead of paying for shipping.
Even more coupons become available when you sign up for mailing lists, text messages, emails, or apps from popular craft stores. Also, be sure to check and see if any coupons print at the end of your receipt.
Sometimes stores accept competitor’s coupons. This is great because then you need not drive all over town using individual coupons at various stores.
3. Shop at thrift stores
Many people don’t realize that some thrift stores offer discount coupons. You might find them on the store’s website or in newspapers. Also, when you donate items, you’ll often receive a discount coupon or store credit.
Did you also know that many thrift stores offer terrific sales? Sometimes there’s a certain day of the week when they provide discounts for seniors or students. One of my favorites is the bag sale where you get everything you can stuff into a bag for just $5.
It’s not uncommon to find new, in-the-package products at a thrift store. Also, think about how you could creatively repurpose an item. For example, an ugly shirt might have especially pretty buttons that you can use in a craft project.
4. Simply ask
Ask to speak with a store manager and let him or her know about your nursing home project. They’ll often give you a discount. You can also ask if the store offers a discount when you pay cash instead of using a credit card.
If you find that a store’s competitor offers a lower price on an item, show the cashier the ad and see if they’ll match it.
5. Watch for post-holiday sales
If you have enough storage space, stock up on supplies right after major holidays. Many stores gradually discount items up to 90% during the first week or so after a holiday.
The best part is that a good number of discounted items are often fairly generic and could be used for another holiday. For example, you could use red Christmas ribbons for Valentine’s Day. Or we can save the green paper plates for St. Patrick’s Day.
6. Look for damaged items
Some craft stores offer shelves of damaged merchandise at greatly reduced prices. Most times, the damage is minor and won’t interfere with the appearance of your finished project.
7. Stock up during back to school sales
This is the ideal time to stock up on colored pencils, markers, crayons, glue sticks, construction paper, and other art supplies. It’s also a good time to shop at stores that match competitor’s prices and coupons.
8. Check out Garage Sales
Fortunately for us, lots of people start craft projects and never finish them. They also have leftover supplies that end up on the garage sale table for little or nothing.
Don’t hesitate to let a garage sale owner know what you’re looking for. When they hear you’re shopping for a nursing home project, they might offer to decrease the price or even give you the items at no cost.
9. Explore the dollar store
You’ll find terrific deals on party supplies, holiday decorations, and art supplies at dollar stores. This is another excellent place to check for post-holiday clearance sales.
10. Put the word out on social media
Post a notice on Freecycle and let the public know what you need. This organization helps keep items out of landfills by encouraging people to give things away at no cost.
Facebook, Nextdoor, and Craigslist are three other places to get the word out about your project and to let people know what you need.
What did I miss? What tips do you have for saving on craft supplies?
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