Here Are 8 New Cheap Scrapbook Ideas If You're On A Budget

Coming up with fun and creative scrapbook ideas doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Sure it is fun to splurge once in a while, but most likely you have a lot of supplies on hand or can purchase items at a fraction of the cost.

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Do you have a lot of gift wrapping paper on hand? If not, you can purchase gift wraps at any dollar store or get them super cheap after a holiday is over. Gift wrapping papers are versatile and make for a great background for scrapbook pages and will even work with almost any type of samples of scrapbooking template.

Tip: For a great christmas scrapbooking idea, Use seasonal wrapping paper for your background. 

If you have the foil type of paper, cut it with a paper trimmer to create borders for your layouts. What I love to do with wrapping paper is that I rip them up and create stunning borders out of them.

Need to fill in some empty spaces on a scrapbook page, cut out objects from wrapping paper decorations. This way you don't have to spend a lot of money on buying expensive cardstock meant for crafts but simply buy cheap wrappers and adorable printed paper for scrapbooking.

A gift tie-on from a used gift bag comes in handy as you work on making decorative but affordable scrapbooking pages. Simply mat the tie-on with card stock and add it to your page.

I rarely pay full price for scrapbooking supplies. I love going to craft stores or large retail stores that have craft sections and check out their clearance racks. Quite often when a particular line is being discontinued, you can purchase scrapbook paper, stickers, etc. at 50% off or better.

On the down side, you don't often find any craft store closing or other brands discontinuing. What I always look forward to is charging for cheap scrapbook supplies after holidays. Christmas scrapping items are sold ridiculously cheap by the end of January. That's the time they're changing their stock supplies with hearts in preparation for Valentine's. The same way, I often buy budget scrap items in March because they're clearing out Valentine's supplies.

Embellishments are some of the more expensive items on our list but they're definitely affordable when the holiday is over.

Be sure to check out the sewing clearance racks as well as you think about scrapbooking ideas. You might discover cute buttons or ribbon that will greatly enhance your scrapbook layouts.

Do you work in an office that frequently gets rid of the thin cardboard backings used for notepads? Start collecting the cardboard!

This is the ideal size for 8.5×11albums. In fact, instead of purchasing an expensive album, you can purchase a binder instead and use it as a scrapbook album. Most dollar stores carry binders, as well as the 8.5×11 protective pages. You may even opt for drawing pads with thick pages.

Save your greeting cards, calendars, and old book pages as well. As you're working on budget designs for your scrapbooking layouts, you can cut items from the cards and calendars to add to your scrapbook layouts.

Whether it's using some of the letters or cutting out a cute bug, these items are a great resource to have on hand. When you come across items that you think will go great for scrapbooking albums, prepare a tin can or a small box to store your recycled scrapbook paper and other supplies in. I have gone away with buying expensive embellishments and started cutting up magazines and beautiful brochures for future scrapbook projects.

Did you know that some online sites will send you free samples to use as you work on scrapbooking ideas? If you contact a company and let them know that you are new to scrapbooking and you're not sure what scrapbooking supplies to purchase, Some will send you a free selection of random items for you to try out. It doesn't hurt to ask, in fact, it's one reason why I got to love making scrapbook designs!

One of my most favorite resources for scrapbooking ideas is our elementary art teacher. At the end of each school year, she does a lot of weeding out. If she doesn't have enough of a particular item for a class to use, then she gets rid of it.

During the past two years, she has given me dozens of die-cuts, odds and ends of color paper, partial paint sets, used glue sticks, and cute embellishments. The trade-off? At the start of the new school year, I take in brownies for the students! The teacher is happy that I request her "leftovers"; otherwise, they would just be tossed in the garbage. I happen to enjoy cute crayon drawings of little children on paper and use them as scrapbook backgrounds or embellishments.

When I first started out scrapbooking, I kept everything in one large bin. It wasn't long before paper was being wrinkled or torn and stickers were getting unpeeled and stuck on things that shouldn't be covered with stickers. I ended up tossing out several things and was so frustrated that the thought of working on scrapbooking ideas was not appealing.

However, once I took the time to get organized, it made a huge difference. I save my scraps and use them until there's barely anything left. It's amazing that with a little bit of organization, how much you can stretch out your supplies.

Scrapbook supplies that you know you'll use regularly as you create scrapbooking ideas should be purchased in bulk. Glue sticks, double-sided tape, and card stock are items that are cheaper when bought in bulk rather than individually.

If you are scrapbooking with a group of friends, consider buying in bulk together and splitting the cost to save money. If you're purchasing online, wait until the site offers a free shipping day or offers a special discount on top of the bulk rate. Some companies offer odds and ends of materials at a very low cost. For example, you can purchase a bundle of card stock that will come in various sizes and colors for a fraction of the cost.

One of the reasons why buying items online is a cheaper option is because you get to compare prices from various sellers. What's surprising is that you can buy them directly from scrapbook material suppliers rather than buying them in stores.

Online scrapbook crafting stores offer a ton of discounts and also free shipping allowing you to simply choose, add to cart, check out, and wait for delivery. Scrapbook items are also affordable when you're buying them in bulk online and you also get budget bundles from a couple of stores. Signing up for newsletters will also get you free discount coupons.

Plus, you also discover new items that you'll surely love to use on your scrapbook pages.

Scrapbooking doesn't have to cost you a fortune. Take a look around your home for materials that you already have on hand, contact an art teacher, and look for bargains. In no time you will be working away on scrapbook designs without breaking the bank!