Be a thrifty witch

[Tylluan]

Being a thrifty witch is fun. You can get some really unusual items that have real age from Charity shops, second hand shops, ebay, boot sales, jumble sales etc.

You don't have to spend a fortune on the latest tools and equipment. Also if you're working under cover (i.e. other people in your house don't know your a witch) then sourcing second hand items that you adapt isn't suspicious.

You can get some amazing crystal glass decanters to hold your own home made bath salts really cheaply. Velvet curtains from Charity shops can be made into cloaks or alter cloths. Wooden bowls, pestle and mortars can all be found much cheaper than buying new and I think you get a greater satisfaction from it.

I recently brought an owl teelight holder (an Owl is own of my totem animals) from a Charity shop for 50p! Haberdasher shops normally sell altar sized remnants you can buy cheaply too. If your not good at sewing them just bondaweb the edges with an iron.

Also other thrifty ideas, especially just before Autumn is to collect seed heads from local plants. As long as you don't trespass no one minds if you take the odd seed head here and there. I've got some wonderful Traditional English Marigolds from collecting seed heads off a wasteland site. Also the hedgerows are bursting with berries this time of year and great to make your own preserves. Thank the plants afterwards though and make sure you don't take too much off one plant, that way you make sure the birds and insects have food for winter too.


Make do and mend or buying second hand is much better for the environment and kinder on the wallet too.

[Tylluan]

Just to add...make sure you throughly clean any second hand items you get to remove any hold a previous owner may have had. You can also magically cleansing the item too using the elements. If you need help with the cleaning, just shout.

x

[FireQueen]

This is brilliant Cora.

Just as a qualifier though, there is one ritual that I know of that specifically requires a brand new basin which is then buried so just be mindful that sometimes there is in fact a need to buy a new item / supplies.

Other than that, love it, great thinking!

Brightest blessings.

[_NallaEsme_]

i love it! this is brilliant! thanks for the tip Cora

[coriander]

Great advice, Cora. I was wondering, do you have any tips for getting candles inexpensively? I never see them at second-hand stores, and buying new candles for each ritual/spell could get expensive really quickly.

[Zili]

there is always tea lights and votives usually only a few cents at any store typically candles aren't sold in thrift stores though because they'll sit in storage where there's heat that will deform the candles.

however try yard sales, lots of people have candle displays with candles that they haven't used or that they have barely used

[Ula]

If you save your empty tea light frames you can get wicks and just melt wax crayons and put them in the tea light frame. A box of crayons, good ones, is only a buck at most places. Wicks are pretty cheap.

[Tylluan]

With candles the January sales are brilliant! Shops with left over christmas candle stock don't like storing them for reasons Zili mentioned so mark the prices down considerably. Also near Christmas time you can get those really small white candles used for candle windmills. Also household candles hardwear shops sell for blackouts are alot cheaper than posher candles but are just as good.



xx

[coriander]

Awesome! Thank you so much for the ideas, guys!

[Moonstream]

the one disadvantage about being an international nomad: you often live in places where they dont have charity shops ill just have to wait till i go to france for christmas break and go to Emaus. have you guys heard of that place? you can get a pair of pants for less than 2 euros.!