How to Save Money for Sewing

Why buy a comforter at Target for $60, when I can make a quilt for $250?!

It seems insane, but you get it— don’t get me started on why quilts are better than anything else…in the whole world, because that’s completely obvious. And, that’s for another post, another day. BUT, those quilting and sewing projects can get expensive, so how do we save up the cash to pay for all those supplies? Here are 7 ways that I try to save up my pennies:

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Cash Back

Cash back is a beautiful thing, why not make money off of spending money? When you funnel your cash back money to support your quilty habit, you build up a decent sum pretty quickly.

Credit Cards

Cash back credit cards are the BOMB! I will always warn you though, don’t spend money just for the cash back and be sure to pay off your bill each cycle. If you end up spending that mad money on interest, you won’t have much left for fabric!

Ebates

Ebates is possibly the most brilliant thing for online shopping. Ever. I really can’t get over it. It’s so simple: Do all your online shopping at your favorite online stores, before you check out, go to Ebates, see if that retailer is listed on their site, and then click “shop now.” That’s it! You get a percentage of your order back! How you get that cash back might differ based on how you set it up, but I get a big fat check in my mailbox every month.

Acorns & Apps Like It

Remember those big glass jars that you’d throw your change into at the end of the day? Maybe you’ve still got one that doesn’t fill up as fast as it used to. With the era of putting everything on plastic, Acorns has come up with a simple model that consists of the same basic idea: This app will round your purchase up to the nearest dollar and funnel that money into a savings account of your choice. It only costs about $2/month for the app and the mad money adds up fast!

Oh, if You Insist…

I had a dear friend (Gizella, if you remember hearing about her before) that used to pay me for doing odd jobs around her house (it usually involved something with her flowers, and singing was required because “it makes the flowers grow!”), she always insisted on two things:

1. that I be paid (generously). When I protested she just replied with a simple “Oh, just you never mind!”
2. that the money I earned wouldn’t go toward anything I needed

I’ve kept this rule (unless we desperately need some cash) for all those random times that a few dollars comes my way. Maybe you babysat (or catsat) for a friend that insisted you take a few bucks—save it! That sort of money is just waiting to be spent on something fun—just you never mind!

Finders, Keepers

Alright people, if any of you are like me, laundry is the WORST fate, I mean, job. But, just a reminder, this is the only job that has a chance of paying! I make more money per-hour when doing laundry than any other household chore. So, those wrinkled up 1’s and clanging quarters might just brighten up laundry day. Tuck them away for your next project…even if they more than likely fell out of your own pockets.

Spare Change

Earlier I mentioned the old change jar. In the winter months, while we are buying groceries at a real store, this wouldn’t really work. But come summertime, all we use is cash for those road-side produce stands and farmer’s markets! Find an old mason jar, tie a ribbon around it and let the change add up!

Sip Less, Sew More

There’s always something we can give up when we are trying to save for a big project! Give up a coffee or two every week and put that money towards your sewing addiction!

Affiliate Programs

Affilate programs are great! If you’re a blogger or have a good social media presence, give affiliate marketing a try! I use it here on the blog as well as in my newsletter. This is a simple program where you tell someone about a product, give them a specific link assigned to you by the web site and get a commission on the sale if/when they purchase. There’s lots of great websites out there who have these programs including Amazon and me!

If you’re interested in telling the world about your sewing and quilting projects and making  a little cash while you’re at it, make sure to sign up for my affiliate program!

There’s seven great ways to get started on your fabric stash or save up for a big project. What are some of your thrifty ways to save money for your projects? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!