Flowers are nature’s idea of eye candy. With brilliant colors, these gorgeous creations provide us with something beautiful to look at. They can mark monumental occasions, such as Valentine’s Day, a wedding, or an anniversary. They make us smile when we see them and prompt us to dive in and smother our noses in their glorious fragrance. They make the perfect gifts for any occasion and can brighten, cheer up, or melt anyone’s heart. Since fresh flowers don’t last forever, the next best things are dried flower arrangements and silk flower arrangement to keep in our homes that will bring a smile to our faces every time we see them.

These projects can be costly, especially if you’re trying to make more than one arrangement. Something you can do to cut down on cost is to purchase flowers that are about to go out of season, such as buying spring silk flowers on closeout just as the craft stores are gearing up for their summer stock. This can be a great way to save money and still get beautiful flowers. The same is true for in-season flowers. At the kick-off of each season, stores usually have special promotions for several weeks and heavily discount their new stock to promote sales. Huge silk sunflowers, for example, are usually on sale in the spring whereas dried seed pods, cattails, and gourds have the lowest prices in autumn.

If you have the time, shop around for everything. This includes the floral foam, dried flowers, and the container or vase you’ll be using. Often times, you can find unique and expensive containers at yard sales, flea markets, and discount or thrift stores. Second-hand items are a great way to save tons of money and still get a top-notch item. Some dollar stores have floral foam available, so call ahead and check their stock and you’ll save about $4 per package. Another great way to save money on floral arrangements is to buy supplies online from a wholesale dried flowers store. These stores offer the best prices you can find anywhere because they have a simple set up; a place where they store their items along with employing only a few people whose sloe purpose is to pack and ship out the orders. The cost of having a physical store is eliminated and thus the cost of the merchandise goes down.

 If you can find wholesale dried flowers, that’s your best bet because your dollar will go much farther. If your budget is $50, for example, and you find a great vase at a flea market for $5, then the rest of your budget will go to flowers only. You’ll be able to make a bigger and more-dazzling arrangement this way! Why not make some and give them away as gifts? Often times, people have a greater appreciation for a gift that was thoughtfully and creatively made even more than a gift that came from the store. So try making your own flower arrangements and you’ll be surprised at how little you spend if you follow these few tips and tricks!