How To Aquire Items For Doing Witchcraft On A Budget
If you're anything like me you are very frugal. I do prosperity spells but I don't like to do them often as I feel like that would throw off the balance of things. So in an effort to help keep my pocket book from screaming at me and also so I can purchase books (it's the one thing I splurge on for my Craft. I buy $20 books from the bookstore.) or other things that I cannot get cheaply.
Here are a few ways I have cut costs:
1. Grow my own herbs.
I know that many people don't like to do this and if you hit the right store you can get herbs as cheap at $1.50 per packet. But if it is something you use regularly (I use a lot of Witch Hazel) then why pay for it? Some of the more rare herbs would be good for you to grow as well. Here is an excellent video for those of you who will complain that you don't have any room to grow them (You live in an apartment, it's cold where you live, yada yada yada).
2. Dollar Stores, Clearance Racks and Thrift Stores
I shop at dollar stores all the time. Where I live there are 97 cent stores, 99 cent stores and Dollar Tree's. Just today I picked up a giant bag of whole bay leaves for $0.99. I put a bunch of the whole leaves in my jar, crushed up some more of them in the mortal and pestle and then put the rest in a ziplock baggy to use whenever I deplete one of the two jars I have.
But I don't just shop at dollar stores, I pick up things from the clearance racks too and sometimes I find good deals in the store anyways. Craft stores often have cute jars that you can use to store things. For example, I picked up a ton of little jars that are perfect for storing most herbs. They cost me a $1 each and I was able to use chalkboard paint on the little areas that were made for labels to be stuck to them and so now I can write whatever I wish on them. You can also stick labels to them as well but I thought the chalkboard paint idea was the cutest. Plus I like things to be uniform, but certain things like whole cinnamon sticks won't fit in them and if you have more herb than you have room in the jar you may need a bigger one.
I also go to Walmart for tons of things. One of those being candles. I like to buy the dollar candles in the cute little jars and once there is no more candle left in the jar and it is done making my house smell good I rinse out the inside of the jar, soak the jar in water overnight to get the label to come off the jar cleanly, I turn around and reuse that jar for herbs. So I spent $1 and I got a candle, a nice smelling house and an herb jar out of the deal. Not too bad if you ask me. You could also re-use that jar to make your own candles if you know how to make candles too.
Next I recommend thrift stores, charity stores or second chance stores whatever you may call them. You can find things that you didn't even know you were looking for in there. My altar table for example is an old wooden kitchen cart that was at a thrift store called Out of The Closet and benefits AIDS/HIV research. I just had to have it and I can't even remember how much it was but it called out to me and it barely fit in my backseat but I made it work. I brought it home and went online to find some Ivy leaf patterns. I then used my wood burning tool and some carbon paper to burn an ivy leaf border onto the table and then I burned a few markings and symbols into the legs. Then I bought some dark wood stain and re-stained the wood (make sure you sand the whole thing prior to wood burning if you're thinking about re-purposing some wooden furniture for your Craft).
I've also found candle holders, a candle snuffer, jars for herbs, boxes, bookshelves, wall shelves and let's not forget books! I've found tons of books on wicca for great prices at thrift stores. People don't even know what they are giving away most of the time. You can find books that can be used towards your Craft that aren't necessarily wicca related. I've been on the hunt for an old edible flowers book. That's something an elderly person is sure to have in their collection that their children might not want and might donate but it is useful for our purposes is it not? Things like that can be found in thrift stores all the time.
The other thing that can be found at thrift stores is clothing! Sometimes you can find pieces in a thrift store that you could use for a costume for a festival you might be going to. Instead of spending a ton of money you may not have on a corset and skirt or a cape why not try making your own? There are tons of tutorials on making these things. Here, let me make it easy for you.
How To Make a Cloak
How To Make Fairy Wings
Most people don't want to do this. Money makes the world go 'round you know but sometimes you'll find prosperity is right around the corner and someone will help you out. You just have to know who but more importantly how to ask. Don't beg and definitely don't take advantage - that will come back to get you!
Here are a few ways I have cut costs:
1. Grow my own herbs.
I know that many people don't like to do this and if you hit the right store you can get herbs as cheap at $1.50 per packet. But if it is something you use regularly (I use a lot of Witch Hazel) then why pay for it? Some of the more rare herbs would be good for you to grow as well. Here is an excellent video for those of you who will complain that you don't have any room to grow them (You live in an apartment, it's cold where you live, yada yada yada).
2. Dollar Stores, Clearance Racks and Thrift Stores
But I don't just shop at dollar stores, I pick up things from the clearance racks too and sometimes I find good deals in the store anyways. Craft stores often have cute jars that you can use to store things. For example, I picked up a ton of little jars that are perfect for storing most herbs. They cost me a $1 each and I was able to use chalkboard paint on the little areas that were made for labels to be stuck to them and so now I can write whatever I wish on them. You can also stick labels to them as well but I thought the chalkboard paint idea was the cutest. Plus I like things to be uniform, but certain things like whole cinnamon sticks won't fit in them and if you have more herb than you have room in the jar you may need a bigger one.
I also go to Walmart for tons of things. One of those being candles. I like to buy the dollar candles in the cute little jars and once there is no more candle left in the jar and it is done making my house smell good I rinse out the inside of the jar, soak the jar in water overnight to get the label to come off the jar cleanly, I turn around and reuse that jar for herbs. So I spent $1 and I got a candle, a nice smelling house and an herb jar out of the deal. Not too bad if you ask me. You could also re-use that jar to make your own candles if you know how to make candles too.
Next I recommend thrift stores, charity stores or second chance stores whatever you may call them. You can find things that you didn't even know you were looking for in there. My altar table for example is an old wooden kitchen cart that was at a thrift store called Out of The Closet and benefits AIDS/HIV research. I just had to have it and I can't even remember how much it was but it called out to me and it barely fit in my backseat but I made it work. I brought it home and went online to find some Ivy leaf patterns. I then used my wood burning tool and some carbon paper to burn an ivy leaf border onto the table and then I burned a few markings and symbols into the legs. Then I bought some dark wood stain and re-stained the wood (make sure you sand the whole thing prior to wood burning if you're thinking about re-purposing some wooden furniture for your Craft).
I've also found candle holders, a candle snuffer, jars for herbs, boxes, bookshelves, wall shelves and let's not forget books! I've found tons of books on wicca for great prices at thrift stores. People don't even know what they are giving away most of the time. You can find books that can be used towards your Craft that aren't necessarily wicca related. I've been on the hunt for an old edible flowers book. That's something an elderly person is sure to have in their collection that their children might not want and might donate but it is useful for our purposes is it not? Things like that can be found in thrift stores all the time.
The other thing that can be found at thrift stores is clothing! Sometimes you can find pieces in a thrift store that you could use for a costume for a festival you might be going to. Instead of spending a ton of money you may not have on a corset and skirt or a cape why not try making your own? There are tons of tutorials on making these things. Here, let me make it easy for you.
How To Make a Cloak
How To Make Fairy Wings
3. Barter
Do you make things? I make soaps and all sorts of crafts and you would be surprised the things people would give you for your quality goods if you make something like that. I go on forums, ect and ask around. You're not asking for something for free you are bartering for other goods you need. You just go on there and ask people if they have what you need and if they would be willing to accept in lieu of cash a few trinkets or something of equal value. You're obviously not going to try and trade 3 bags of herbs that can be found in the grocery store for a $300 item. It usually has to be something simple and that's only if it cannot be made or found in stores. For example, since I make soaps I have a Wiccan friend who is a wood and metal worker and from time to time they will want soap so they'll ask me if there is something I need like a cute box to store my new deck of tarot cards or a new set of runes. I'll let them know and we'll trade.Most people don't want to do this. Money makes the world go 'round you know but sometimes you'll find prosperity is right around the corner and someone will help you out. You just have to know who but more importantly how to ask. Don't beg and definitely don't take advantage - that will come back to get you!
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