The following suggestions were taken from a comment I left on the Frugal Upstate blog.  A reader had asked how to save money on scrapbooking supplies.  To read Jenn’s suggestions, see her original post (the one on which I left my comment).

1. Use 8.5×11″ scrapbooks.

8.5×11″ paper is less expensive than 12″ (and the 12″ can be cut down), and archival-quality page protectors are easy to find and buy in bulk in this size.  All of my scrapbook pages are built on solid 8.5×11″ cardstock, inserted in these sheet protectors, and put in regular binders.  (Clear-view binders let you make covers.)  This alone saves a good deal of money because it avoids the need for a lot of “specialty” supplies.  (If you want “real” photo album covers, these are generally available in standard 3-ring binder styles, too.)

2. Learn good design principles so you can get away with minimal embellishments on most of your pages.

Many of my pages use no embellishments at all.  I can still go “whole hog” on some pages when I just want to have some fun with it or try new techniques, but I can build my albums and get my photos scrapped without a large investment in embellishments.

3. Use paper.  A lot.

Just plain paper can be used to embellish things in a number of ways – fun mats, “die cuts,” (actual die cuts or shapes you cut yourself), punchies, strips of paper, etc.

4. Capitalize on non-consumables.

I invest as much of my scrapbooking funds as possible in tools I can reuse — rubber stamps, punches, etc. — rather than in consumable embellishments — stickers, fibers, etc.

5. Share the cost.

There are some things that I will never need a whole package of in a single color/pattern.  If a few friends can split the cost, it can make the purchase more reasonable.  For example, ten people can split the cost of a $2, 10-yard spool of ribbon, and each end up with a yard of ribbon.  Or host a ribbon swap, and they can each purchase a different spool of ribbon, with everyone ending up with a yard each of ten different ribbons.