Making candles can be a wonderful hobby and it also can be a very profitable business adventure. The good thing about making candles as a hobby is that the candle making supplies are really not that expensive. Granted, they do add up in time, but if you are not making hundreds of candles, this type of hobby is one of the cheapest to have fun with.
Now if you are an "advanced" candle maker and makes thousands of candles or you have a candle making business, this "cheap" hobby can soon become rather expensive because the cost of supplies to do add up. This article will explain a few things that you can do to keep your candle making supplies cost down to a minimum.
But before we start with a few money savings idea, you must realize that you can not skimp on the quality of the waxes or supplies you do buy - just to save a few dollars. Your candle quality is what is going to sell them. If you start with inferior quality supplies, the end result will show it and your customers will see it. So the first tip is don't sacrifice quality.
No matter how good our memories are we easily forget the details of things. So the first tip is to actually record some information about the candle supplies that you are buying. Get a notebook and write down what it is you bought. Include the product, brand, price and maybe even where you bought it. Now you have a record to compare with when you are shopping or going to a sale. Speaking of sales, you probably know this already, but many of the craft stores have good sales around the holidays. Watch for these sales and see how they compare to what you have been buying and then stock up on them when the deals are irresistible. Watch for coupons also. One of the major craft stores puts a flyer in the paper nearly every week and they usually have a coupon or two for a substantial amount off any product or products.
Watch for bargains at the online auctions, like eBay. These auctions are always a mix of stores trying to sell their wares and people wanting to get rid of their candle making supplies – for whatever reason. Many a great bargain and hard to find items can be found at these places.
If your business (or hobby) produces a lot of candles and consumes a lot of supplies, look for wholesalers – online. To sign up with most wholesalers will require that you truly are a legit business before they allow you to open an account and purchase anything. So just be ready to offer proof that you are a "real" business.
The only downside to wholesalers is that you usually have to purchase larger quantifies of things. This means you will be investing a larger sum of money upfront and you will a larger amount of inventory sitting around for a while, but the bottom line is that your cost of everything you purchased will be lower than you can possibly get anywhere else.
Some wholesalers also off free shipping – which helps.. So before getting too involved with one or two wholesalers, shop around the internet and compare prices and shipping costs. When you think you found a good wholesaler or two, see what is required to open an account from them.
If you know others who are candle makers, you can always split your orders with them. This helps you both out.
Some of the discount candle making products on the market are very comparable to the quality products you already use. A good way to tell is to compare the ingredients. You can research the necessary ingredients of each item on the internet. If the discount products contain all the major ingredients as the candle making supplies you already use, then give it a try. It is just like buying the store brand of something rather than the name brand. The ingredients are all the same, you just pay more for the popular name brand product.
Also, if possible just try the product out on a small basis first. Don't buy huge quantities of anything until you have purchased a few of them and have seen the quality of the product and its result. Also, like mentioned above, don't forget to write these things down in your notebook so you can remember where you got them. Remember once you write something down you don't need to remember it anymore.
Containers and holders for your candles are two things you should never spend a great deal of money on. The only exception for this is that if the candles are for a special occasion like a wedding or something. Otherwise look around for good buys on mason jars, glassware, votive holders, or any other thing that can be used to make candles. Your local thrift store and yard sales are great places for these super deals. Online auctions also sometimes offer great deals on large quantities.
Even though the individual price of candle making supplies is not that great, the costs do add up when you start using larger and larger quantities. So use the above tips to help save money. Compare prices on the quality products that are needed. Be aware of sales at your local craft stores, check out the web for great deals and visit your local yard and garage sales. When taken together you will save a bit of money and as they say "it goes right to the bottom line", i.e., profit. Carol Short is a candle making enthusiast who enjoys candle making, talking about candle making and teaching candle making. Her new ebook <b>"Secrets To Scentsational Candle Making" </b>shows you everything you need to know to make candles.
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