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I was guilty of buying just because I had a coupon, too. Now, I look at a stamp set and try to make sure I can get multiple uses out of it. If there is only one stamp I really like in a set, I don't buy it. I am purging those stamps I didn't really have anything in mind when I bought them and buying smarter now.
I have three resource binders that I have made. Instead of pulling out all my stamp sets and punches to see everything I have.
I stamp every stamp set on a piece of paper and put them in a binder. And have a sample of Punches and Dies. That way, I can thumb through while watching tv or take it with me for sporting tournaments.
I also look at the galleries and print out my favorites and keep those in a binder. It is a great resource. Only those I really like go in there, so I get ideas from those.
And of course, I keep a binder on techniques.
This keeps me organized and I have access to everything I have in a binder.
I think you have a lot of company!
All I can suggest is try to figure out your triggers for spending and then avoid them.
When you have coupons do you feel it is wasting not to use them so you buy things you may not use? Throw out the coupons unless you really need something. Then go directly to the section where your needed product is located and then to the checkout. Don't wander around the store looking for things you don't have. It is a store after all and you will always find things you don't have.
Do you get caught up in releases and spend more than you planned ? Write down what you think you want and order them on another day. Yes they may run out of some things the night of the release, but they will stock more in a short time.
Do you look for more things to buy to bump up an order to get free shipping? Unless you only need a couple dollars more, just pay the shipping and only buy what you really want. IF the shipping on that site is too high find the product at another site with reasonable shipping charges. You waste money by getting free shipping on things you may never use.
Every time you see a great card do you rush to find the products to make it?
Wait a week or so before you buy them. You will be surprised how often you forget about them in a few days. If in a week or so if you still want them then buy them.
Lastly instead of being overwhelmed with all the choices you have, try to pretend you are on a Design team. Find a stamp , die , paper or something you have and figure out a creative way to use it rather than looking at all of your stuff and wondering WHAT to use. Design Team members receive products they must use in a creative way.
Good Luck!
This are all very excellent suggestions! It makes so much sense and stops the impulse shopping and buying things you don't find yourself using. Most of these suggestions would do wonders for me if I put them into practice. Love the ones about the coupons, the topping up for free shipping and the waiting for a week before buying supplies to make a particular card.
I've been trying to bring order to the chaos that is my scraproom (and family repository for everyone else). I have four rather large shipping boxes full of stuff I know I will never use. Much of it I bought when I first started and I'm not the same scrapper that I was 7 years ago. I even went through my paper stacks (think DCWV) and am donating the ones that don't wow me.
However, I have been shopping up a storm! My LSS may be closing and I get things almost at cost b/c I teach classes for her. I'm now trying to pick-up the things I've always wanted. It is surprising though that when I went to look at some of these items, I realized I really didn't want them.
I'm also with many of you about on-line shopping baskets. I love to fill them and leave them alone - thank goodness for the remove button!
I think you have a lot of company!
All I can suggest is try to figure out your triggers for spending and then avoid them.
When you have coupons do you feel it is wasting not to use them so you buy things you may not use? Throw out the coupons unless you really need something. Then go directly to the section where your needed product is located and then to the checkout. Don't wander around the store looking for things you don't have. It is a store after all and you will always find things you don't have.
Do you get caught up in releases and spend more than you planned ? Write down what you think you want and order them on another day. Yes they may run out of some things the night of the release, but they will stock more in a short time.
Do you look for more things to buy to bump up an order to get free shipping? Unless you only need a couple dollars more, just pay the shipping and only buy what you really want. IF the shipping on that site is too high find the product at another site with reasonable shipping charges. You waste money by getting free shipping on things you may never use.
Every time you see a great card do you rush to find the products to make it?
Wait a week or so before you buy them. You will be surprised how often you forget about them in a few days. If in a week or so if you still want them then buy them.
Lastly instead of being overwhelmed with all the choices you have, try to pretend you are on a Design team. Find a stamp , die , paper or something you have and figure out a creative way to use it rather than looking at all of your stuff and wondering WHAT to use. Design Team members receive products they must use in a creative way.
Good Luck!
Barbara Jay, this is the best advise, all well put. I've been stamping for over a decade and have adopted this attitude (just never have written it down so concisely) and only wish someone would have told me this when I first got started---especially the part about buying all the products to make a particular card. Back then I didn't know that in most cases one brownish pigment ink was as good as one brownish ink from another company. Now there are products with more subtleties, but then it was really true. I try to pass this along to the newbies that come my way. Thanks for making that easier now.
I can relate to every post. I did get a hold of myself last year and went through all of my stuff. I had a craft rummage with a friend and we did pretty well. Even though I did not sell everything, I felt better about thinning the herd. I knew it was bad when I came upon two of the same stamp sets unopened. Now I only use what I have unless I have run out of something.
I really don't feel as though I'm on a permanent splurging binge.... just to catch up after not buying anything for sooooo many years. Does that make sense? I don't have an addictive personality.
I have been pretty much on a stamping hiatus for 8-9 years. (New job just completely took over my life.) When I retired and returned to stamping last year, so much had changed! Die cut machines, an explosion of patterned paper, new types of inks and tools, and Design Teams - I think these are new since I was around before. I felt like Alice stepping through the looking glass!!
I just wanted to buy a reasonable amount of embossing folders and dies and some tools. There are simply far, far too many products on the market. I think my desire to be on a Design Team kind of fueled my catch up purchasing.... You know the whole, you gotta have some of the latest stuff so you can show that you know how to use it cycle. However.... if you have to purchase a lot in order to get noticed to be on a DT, I guess it's not worth it. I'll just do it for fun and to sell some locally.
OMG, I can so relate to that latter part of your statement about buying the latest stuff because you want to be on a company's team so you buy all the new releases, play in all their challenges, and stalk their sales. And you are right, it's not worth it. Most don't even hold open DT calls they just pick and choose from their friends when they have an opening. Gosh, I have so done this and I finally saw the light! Now, I just buy the stuff from the companies that truly appeal to me. I'm not saying I was buying stuff I didn't like but I would by the entire new release so, I could be a good little customer and get noticed. And I think we are not the only ones who have done so at one point or another. We all crave recognition. We all want some comments in our gallery and on our blog. Once, I gave up on the idea of being on a company design team, my spending cut back dramatically. Gosh I feel like I've just attended my first AA meeting.
I stopped buying any papercraft products for this year. So far, so good. I did discover loom knitting tho, and now I'm hoarding yarn instead of paper! Does it ever end?!!
It is a never ending battle
We have been indoctrinated with a "Shortage Mentality" and it has been a lucrative marketing strategy.
Limited supplies, special editions, discontinued products , stores only ordering a few of anything so we scramble to buy the stuff before it is gone even if we have no immediate need for them.
We are afraid there will a craft product drought so we squirrel away this stuff
Unfortunately just like the squirrels, we can't find or use most of the nuts we horde.
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
It is a never ending battle
We have been indoctrinated with a "Shortage Mentality" and it has been a lucrative marketing strategy.
Limited supplies, special editions, discontinued products , stores only ordering a few of anything so we scramble to buy the stuff before it is gone even if we have no immediate need for them.
We are afraid there will a craft product drought so we squirrel away this stuff
Unfortunately just like the squirrels, we can't find or use most of the nuts we horde.
Yep, I have done that shortage mentality with almost everything in my life. I used to work in the cosmetics industry and you know how they discontinue product like crazy; well, I would stock up on items being discontinued thinking I would never find anything I liked as well. Which was really stupid cause the products have gotten better and lets face it, they are only good for so long.
Well, some of the stamps I don't care for that much have been gifts. I am trying to get rid of most of the licensed character ones except Winnie-the-Pooh. I never buy designer paper, but I have a lot of scrap sizes pieces (1/2 sheets or less) that were given to me. I just don't use layers that much, so maybe I should make origami out of them? I find it frustrating that there's really no place in town to buy stamps unless you have them special ordered. However when I go someplace that has stamps, I tend to be too cheap to buy what I want or can't make up my mind. It's also frustrating to see someone else's card and really like one particular stamp, but know I likely won't be able to find one like it. I did get a duplicate SU set (gift), but I traded it for one I didn't have.
