Pens, markers, and washi tape can be expensive. Still, you want them all. Here are 5 quick and simple ways to save money on bullet journal supplies.
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I feel like I’m either on Amazon or in Michael’s every single day. The obsession with stationery is real here! But, with all the time I’ve spent googly-eying and buying stationery, I’ve learned a few tricks to save money. I don’t necessarily consider myself the most frugal woman in the world. I also don’t claim to be a financial advisor.
But, I do know how to use coupons, save money without thinking about it, and find deals. Back in the day, you had to wait for the daily newspaper and then clip the coupons. Then, you had to remember to bring the coupons to the store and use them before they expired. But, with technology evolving, coupons have been made simpler. And, it’s easier to save money on bullet journal supplies.
5 Easy Ways to Save Money on Bullet Journal Supplies
Save Money with Acorns
Almost everyone has a smartphone these days. And with that, the app developers are coming out with more and more apps that actually help you in your everyday life. I’m not talking about Flappy Bird. I’m talking about financial apps, health and fitness apps, productivity apps, etc.
And my latest obsession and secret weapon to saving money for stationery is an app called Acorns. Acorns is a simple, no extra-effort money saving app that invests your extra pennies (literally) into an account. First, you hook your debit card to the app. Then, whenever you make a purchase with your card, the app will automatically round up your purchase to the nearest dollar. So, if you spend $2.75 on a coffee, it will be rounded up to $3.00 and the $0.25 will go into your Acorns account.
The idea is that you won’t notice these extra pennies being gone, and they will be adding up in your account. In just a month and a half, I had over $100 in our account. And, it’s easy to request a withdrawal and have that money in your bank in just a few business days.
This isn’t an “in the moment” money-saving method. But, over time you can build a nice chunk of change that you can use to place that order on Amazon or head to your nearest craft store with. I have been using Acorns for a little over 6-months now and am super pleased with how much money I have saved.
Michael’s Price Match
Did you know that Michael’s offers a price match on multiple brick-and-mortar stores and online retailers? This includes Amazon! Whoa! That’s huge! You can check out their Coupon Policy, here. But, without having to read all the legal jargon, I will give you the basic rundown.
If you find an item cheaper at another store or online retailer and Michael’s has the exact same item in-stock at a higher price, Michael’s will price match and then take an additional 10% off! All you need is a picture, an ad, or a cut-out from the other retailer. This promotion doesn’t include wholesalers or closeout item prices.
To add to the glory, Michael’s also accepts competitor’s coupons. You can bring in a valid competitor coupon for up to 60% off a regular price item or 30% off your entire purchase and they will accept it.
Signing up for Newsletters
For the longest time, I refused to sign up for newsletters from big chain stores. Assuming most of the population would agree, we get plenty of junk mail on a daily basis. Why add more?
Well, I have had a change of heart. I now sign up for any and all newsletters from any place I’m going to shop. If I know I’ll be headed to Barnes & Noble, I head to their website and sign up for their newsletter. Why? Because almost every store offers some sort of coupon when you signup for their email list.
I shop at Michael’s very regularly. I must be a VIP customer at this point. And every time before I go to Michael’s, I check my email. They send one almost every day. And almost every day, there is a new coupon. Also, most stores now offer digital coupons that you can pull up on your phone and they can scan them directly from your phone. It’s easy, doesn’t require scissors or extra time, and it can help you save money on bullet journal supplies.
Buy Off Brand Supplies
This tip is kind of a hit or miss, but I’ll give you a pointer to help you find the true gems. If you head to Amazon and search for fine line pens, you will see a number of off-brands available for a much lower price than the bigger, more well-known brands
For instance, you can get this pack of 24 fine line color pens for under $10. For the 20 pack of Staedtler Triplus Fineliners, you’re going to pay more for fewer pens. The number one thing you can do is check reviews. I only buy off-brand supplies when there are over 300 reviews and the average rating is 4-stars or higher.
One of the best brans I’ve found is Arteza. They are an art supply company with a wide range of products, from fine line pens to brush markers. And most of their products come in at half the price of competitors, but with amazing ratings.
Another place to check for off-brand supplies is Aliexpress. Be cautious with your purchases here. They have some amazing deals on great products, but you have to be willing to search through product and seller reviews. Most of the products come out of China, and sometimes they are of less than great quality. So, first read the product review, and then scroll down a little and look at the lefthand side of the page to check out the seller’s ratings and stats. I try to only shop with sellers that have a 98% positive seller rating and have been open for at least 1-year.
Amazon Outlet Deals
A lot of people don’t know about Amazon’s Outlet deals. I found it a while back and have a had some luck finding products at a good discount. Some of the items you will find are up to 65% off retail. But, there are limited quantities of each product and they change out regularly, so you have to really hunt down the deals.
So far, I’ve found pens, sketchbooks, paint sets, and paintbrushes at a fraction of the cost. Again, this is one you have to check almost daily to catch the good deals on. But, if you get it on one, it will save you a lot of money.
Do you have a method or source you use to save money on bullet journal supplies? If so, share it in the comments below.
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katherine says
this is super interesting!!! thanks for these tips.
erinnichols91 says
You’re welcome. Thank you for reading.