How To Save Money On Beads for Jewelry-Making

Want to save money on beads for jewelry-making? Here are seven ways to do it!

Beads are the backbone of bead-weaving. And so, it goes without saying that you need beads and a whole lot of them if you’re going to be making jewelry using this technique.

Because of this little inescapable fact, you’ll need to spend some of your budget on beads. If you’re living off of limited funds, you need to restrict the amount of money you can spend buying beading supplies.

So, in Part 3 of my three-part series on how to save money when beading, I’ll share with you some simple ways to save money on beads.

Make sure to check out Part 1 and Part 2, in addition to this post.

7 Ways To Save Money On Beads for Jewelry-Making

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1. Recycle Old Pieces of Beaded Jewelry

You probably have some unfinished beading projects lying around somewhere. Pieces you started and meant to complete at a later date but it just never happened.

Go through those incomplete projects, cut them up and recycle the beads. Unless they’ve faded or cracked, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the beads. And, they’re free! You already own them so there’s no need to go out and buy more. Just make sure you have enough to make the new pattern.

This is a great way to declutter unfinished beading projects and make room in your craft area.

2. Swap with A Friend

If you’ve got a beading buddy, see if they have any beads they don’t want and swap with them. This is a simple solution to get rid of beads you never used and get some new ones without having to buy.

3. Create a Shopping List

A list helps keep you on track while bead shopping. We all know how easy it is to walk into a bead store for one item and come out with twelve.

No? Just me?

Anyway… Having a shopping list also helps you to know the quantity of beads, sizes and types you need for a project. You can even include the colors you want to ensure you get the right ones.

Buying just what you need is one way to save money on beads.

4. Buy Good Quality Beads

Cheap beads can be broken or misshapen. This means you often end up throwing away more than you actually use when you cull your beads. What a waste!

So, invest in good quality beads instead. You’ll be able to use much more of them and save money in the long run.

5. Buy Wholesale Beads

If you need a large quantity of beads, buy them in bulk. You’ll save some money when you purchase wholesale instead of from a regular retailer.

Bead shops like Fire Mountain Gems allow you to buy beads in various quantities. The more you add to your cart, the cheaper the price per unit. You can also get a selection of beads wholesale from Beadaholique.

You don’t need to be selling jewelry to consider buying in bulk. Some projects require a large quantity of specific beads or there may be a seed bead color you love that you use often. These would be great times to purchase wholesale beads.

6. Shop in Unconventional Places

Garage sales, thrift stores and even auctions can be gold mines. You just never know what you’ll find at these places and you can usually get a good bargain. If you have the opportunity to check out any of these stores or events, grab your shopping list and go.

7. Look out for Sales and Deals

Sign up for your favorite bead store’s email list. Whenever there’s a sale or great deals going on, you’ll receive notifications about them. There’s no better way to save money on new beads for jewelry-making than to grab them in a sale.

This is a good time to get newer bead shapes which tend to be pricier than classic shapes that have been around forever. But, don’t buy stuff just because it’s on sale. Make sure you get items you’ll actually use.

Check out patterns beforehand so you have ideas to use up those beads. Sometimes it’s difficult to find tutorials for new bead shapes and then you’re stuck with them. It’s even worse if they’re not popular and no-one really makes patterns for them.

If you’re going to be shopping online, be sure to sign up for a free Ebates account, now known as Rakuten, so you can get cash back for your purchases. This is a good way to save money when buying beads on Beadaholique.

So, that’s it—seven ways you can save money on beads for jewelry-making!

Remember this is the last installment in a three-part series. Click below to read the first two parts:

1. Beading on a Budget: Know When To Splurge or Save Money
2. 5 Ways to Save Money On Beading Supplies