Ah craft stores. My biggest weakness…cosmetics being a close second. What’s a DIY/craft enthusiast to do when on a budget? Well you learn to work within the system and coupon your way to big savings.

I’m going to cover what I consider the big three – JoAnn, Michaels and A.C. Moore. I know Hobby Lobby is a very popular craft store chain, but I have only very limited experience with it since we don’t have one where I live (yet…I’m hoping) and I don’t feel qualified to give you an in depth look at that particular store. I will include links to it’s coupon policy though so you can review it and print out a copy. If you’re well versed in saving at Hobby Lobby – educate me. I love ya forever!

JoAnn Fabrics

Why I Love It

Well, it’s a craft store, why wouldn’t I love it? In all seriousness though, JoAnn has great sales, killer clearance and most recently a fantastic coupon redemption policy.

In the past, you could only use one coupon per trip at JoAnn. They’ve recently changed the wording on their coupons so that now you can use one coupon per regular priced item. On a recent trip, I used eight coupons in one transaction. It. Was. Awesome.

What You Should Do To Save Big

  1. Sign up in store for their sale flyer. They usually have a sign up form at the register or customer service desk. By signing up you’ll get sale flyers complete with coupons around once or twice a month.
  2. Sign up online for their newsletter. I get coupons for in store and online purchases a couple of times a week.
  3. Get the JoAnn app for your smartphone – access to coupons (they scan them right from your phone!), the current sales and more!
  4. Sign up for text coupons. This was how I got coupons sent to my phone before the app. I’m not entirely sure they still do this. The last time I got one was September 20th, but it might be worth a try!
  5. Quarterly, JoAnn publishes a small magazine that highlights patterns and trends in sewing. It’s $2.99 and usually kept on top of the pattern cases or at the restaurant. On the back are six 50% off coupons that have really long expiration dates. (I had one laying around here that I can’t seem to find, I will add a picture as soon as I find it.) There’s also a kids crafts one that comes out near the summer. Check for both! It’s worth the $2.99 since you’ll save far more with one coupon.
  6. Stock up on competitor’s coupons. JoAnn will accept coupons from other craft stores in their craft section. Since none of the other big craft stores sells fabric, you can’t use one of their coups on fabric. (In writing this post, I discovered that Hobby Lobby does in fact sell fabric, however, I’m not sure if JoAnn will accept HobLob coups for fabric cuts. Check with your local store before attempting. – C)
  7. Price match. Joann’s will match a competitor’s current price on like items. You’ll need the current flyer for the competitor when you go in so be sure to have it handy.
  8. Follow JoAnn on Facebook. They often post links to more coupons and special deals.
  9. Check your shopping bag – they often stuff your bag full of purchases with more coupons! Keep an eye out!
  10. Grab a paper – I often get JoAnn coupons in my weekly newspaper. 

Click HERE to learn more about saving at JoAnn.

Michaels

Why I Love It

I love Michaels for a variety of reasons. They have an excellent dollar section (y’all know I love my dollar sections!), great clearance, decent sales and I love the quality of their Recollections line of card stock. It’s a scrapbooking basic at a fabulous price.

The only drawback to Michaels is that they only take one coupon per customer per day. I have seen links floating around Pinterest that claim you can use multiple coupons in one trip, but as far as I know – this is not true. I’m going by what Michael’s current corporate coupon policy states.  

What You Should Do To Save Big

  1. Sign up for coupons by mail. Just like JoAnn you can sign up at the register for coupons by mail.
  2. Sign up for their e-mails. More coupons! I get them weekly.
  3. Check your receipt. Usually I get a 40% off coupon to use the next week. 
  4. Grab a newspaper. Michaels puts out a sales flyer once a week. 
  5. Get the app. Michaels also takes coupons right from your smart phone via their app. 
  6. Sign up for coupons via text message. I get one about once a week.
  7. Follow them on Facebook – more coupons! 🙂

I think Michaels also does price matching, but I couldn’t find anything on their corporate website to verify that. Check with your local store before trying to price match.

I could not find any coupon policy or savings info on their website. I will continue looking and request information from corporate and let you know what I find in subsequent posts.

A.C. Moore

Why I Love It

A.C. Moore is a store that I like, but don’t shop there often. It’s nothing against the store, it’s just the one most out of the way for me so I don’t get there much.

They do have a really nice selection of floral and scrapbooking supplies and they often have things the other two in my area don’t. They also have a great supply of washi tape, if you like that sort of thing. 😉

What You Should Do To Save Big

  1. Join A.C. Moore Rewards – Every time they scan your card you earn points towards reward certificates (basically cash) you can use in store.
  2. Grab a paper. Just like the other two A.C. Moore puts out sales flyers most weeks that contain coupons. 


Click HERE to learn more about A.C. Moore Rewards.

Click HERE to learn more about A.C. Moore coupons and sales.

Hobby Lobby

I admit I have very limited experience with Hobby Lobby, though I know many of you love it. Click the links below to learn more about their coupon policy and ways to save.

Click HERE for information on how to save at Hobby Lobby.

A Few Notes About All Four

  • All four stores offer current coupons for printing on their websites. It’s really easy to stop on your way out the door and print. I do it all the time! 
  • Be Patient. – Part of saving is waiting. I never pay more than $5.00 for sewing patterns that normally run almost $20.00. Most of the time I pay $1.00. JoAnn’s runs pattern sales frequently enough that I can wait. (Another tip: You cannot use JoAnn coupons on patterns. It’s in the fine print.) I have a small “wants” notebook in my purse that I make a note of the pattern numbers in and then I wait for a sale. 
  • Generally coupons for any of these stores are only able to be used on regular price items. Unlike grocery stores and places like Target and Walmart, you can’t wait for that sale and then combine it with a coupon. They do sometimes release coupons for a percent off of your total purchase including regular price, sale and clearance priced items. This is usually when I cash in. I take that 20 or 30% off total purchase coupon and then buy clearance priced or sale priced items. Make sure you read the terms and conditions on the coupon carefully – there are always exclusions.
  • Keep in mind that text message alerts may or may not be free depending on your cell phone plan. 
  • Apps can be found through your iPhone or Android device and through each store’s website.
Was this helpful to you? I’d love to hear from you. Leave me a comment below. 🙂

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