Penniless Witch

[tempest69]

Does anyone know of places to get inexpensive supplies???? How may of you have actually heard of a ritch witch?? You have to be ritch to shop at the sites I have seen!!!:eek:

[Adrenaline Junkie]

Ahh, I can relate to you. I'm saving for college and thus have a very small income budget right now. I get very little from my parents.

Try exploring actual stores rather than websites. I've found some good deals in the ones around me.

[Chibi-Fallon]

The junk store is your friend. ;)
The only money I get is from babysitting and right now I'm so jobless is scary. So I know how ya feel. And me and all my girls are going out on Friday because guys are dumb. :D So when I do have money I end up spending it all on that.

[Mithrea]

Being a graduate student with no job, I too feel your pain. I have saved a ton of money by buying dollar store substitutions. Instead of the pretty witchy bottles, I use old coke bottles. I also grow my own herbs because dirt and seeds are cheaper. I also make many of my own magical tools, use ordinary bowls and look for the cheapest candles possible. If you are looking for something specific, I might be able to help better. :)

[Mithrea]

Oh! and I forgot to mention pawn shops and ebay!

[evilslinkycat]

Ebay is a good start, also try flea markets and yard sales.you never know what you can find:D

[shnen]

Good Will and Salvation Army (or the equivalent to where you live) have great little finds too! :)

[SnowStar]

Being jobless/short on cash myself, I've found that making things is often the way to go. In doing so, you also form this extra "bond" between you and your tool. It comes partially from you, so in a sense it might be more efficient in focusing your energy. As for candles, you can get them for pretty cheap at craft stores (like Michael's) and if you buy in bulk. I just wish they came in packs of multi-colors. :)

[manstranger]

yeah, yard sales are great. I picked up a really really really nice chalice once at one. it was perfect. And free! It was my neighbors sale, so she just let me have it.

[Lavender]

Not sure what kind of supplies you're looking for, Tempest. But like the others said, yard sales & flea markets are a witch's best friend! :D

You can be amazed at what you can find at those places. And what you can convert into magical tools too! Making your stuff is a good thing. Like taking a walk in the woods & looking for a branch you can make a wand with. Or, using a favourite bowl for a cauldron. Or get a dish you like, fill the bottom with sand & use that for a candle holder.

For herbs, check out the spice section of your local supermarket or health food store. Especailly if they have a bulk section! :)

[Man/Wolf]

I'll testify to flea markets. A good part of my altar pieces came from flea market. good stuff, too! Brass candle holders, brass bowls with moaic inlay in bottom. cool stuff!

[Twig]

Supplied her servants with most everything they needed for thousands of years. We should try to emulate them. The Gods do not require a $300 robe nor a $150 ritual dagger to hear your pleas. Anyone who tells you differant is trying to sell something. :D

So look around you before you spend. You will be surprised at how LITTLE you have to spend.

The bulk of the meager pittance I get to spend on furtherance of my faith is spent on books. That and incence because, some powers are suckers for good incence. Hehehehehe

Peace,
Twig
:elf:

[Danustouch]

I do flea markets, junk shops, and tag sales, and come away with some amazing stuff.

I've gotten a marble bhuddha statue for six bucks,
Brass Candle holders for Two dollars each,
A beautiful antique carved wooden box for 15, which I use to keep my stones in.
A large quartz chrystal for three bucks,
A Brass Baast statue for I think, four bucks,

And numerous books on herbalism, spirituality for prices that would blow your mind.

As for dried herbs, I find that it is better to buy them whole sale. Of course, that is, if you intend to use a lot of them.

Candles can be made from scratch, Altar Cloths might be cheaper if you just buy a length of cloth from a craft store..or...you could do what I did one year..I found a bunch of really cool gauzy curtains at a tag sail, and just trimmed them down to the shape and size I needed for my altar.

For your altar pentagram, if you use one, you can use a block of flat wood that you can get at a craft store for a few bucks, and burn, or carve the pentacle into it. Craft stores also sell really cute little glass bottles, which you can paint and decorate yourself, which could hold your anointing oils, or what have you.

I also find the Dollar store to be a great way to get incense, and candles. Five for a dollar tapers, or a bag of tea light candles for 1.99 :) Dollar stores have also been a great source for me, because I find little bells which I can put on my altar, and I even found the dish that i use to hold my salt, and the one I use for my water there. It was a star shaped chrystal box, which I just split into two halves, and that is what I use for my salt and water dishes.

Generally, the cheapest way to shop for things, is to have a sharp eye, and a creative imagination. Taking something you see really cheap, and imagining a use for it.

Oh..and one more idea. Thrift shops, yard sales, etc, are great places to find athame's..and as for a wand...you might want to just walk in the forest, meditating on finding a wand. If a stick on the ground calls you to it, pick it up. Then bring it home, strip it, carve it, find some stones, and affix them to it with a type of apoxy, paint it, put ribbons, beads, etc, on it, or whatever you want to do.

I agree...you don't have to pay desighner prices for the things which you want to use on your altar. Desighn them yourself, and save a bunch of money.

One more quick note. Asian Markets, are a great place to find incense, and incense burners, for very cheap prices.

Good Luck.

[Witchy Cowgirl]

Tempest69....all the previous ideas are the same way I operate.
You will find all those suggestions will stretch your budget....not only in your spiritula life but in your everday life as well.

It will perhaps stretch your dollar enough that if you find something that really calls to you but at the same time is very expensive....you'll be able to save enough money for the purchase.

Many Blessings.

[Ball-Bhreac Ròn]

I've made and/or got my items from relatives. My wand, is a length of wood (like many people's). My cauldron, a bowl painted black with acrylic paint. My chalice, my mum gave to me when I saw it in our cupboard and said it looked nice. My athame, now, I was having problems with finding one, until I took a walk on the beach. It suddenly occured to me - why not just make one out of stone? So I found a triangular piece of flint and glued it to a piece of wood for a handle. Hey presto, a beautiful, personal athame!