My name is Martha, and for the better part of my seventy-two years, I’ve considered myself a pretty savvy woman. I raised three children on a tight budget, managed a household, and could stretch a dollar further than anyone I knew. Frugality wasn’t just a skill; it was a point of pride. But I have to be honest with you. A few years ago, after my husband, Robert, passed away and I moved into a smaller, more manageable condo, I felt like I’d lost my footing. Not just emotionally, but in the simple, everyday routines that had always defined me. And nowhere was that feeling more acute than at the checkout counter of my favorite store: Hobby Lobby.
Crafting, you see, has been my lifelong companion. When the kids were young, it was Halloween costumes and school projects. When they left the nest, it became intricate quilts and elaborate holiday wreaths. Now, in this new chapter of my life, it’s my therapy, my social hub, and my way of staying connected to my grandchildren. A hand-stitched blanket for a new baby or a custom floral arrangement for a birthday feels more meaningful than anything I could buy. It’s a piece of my heart, made tangible with fabric and thread. Hobby Lobby was my sanctuary, my treasure chest of possibilities.
But the world of shopping had started to change in ways that made me feel… well, old. Everything was about apps and codes and scanning things with your phone. My grocery store had a loyalty card I’d used for years, simple and straightforward. I assumed Hobby Lobby must have something similar. After all, they were a huge store. This is the story of how I discovered they didn’t, and how that initial panic turned into a journey of empowerment. It’s the story of how I learned to save more money than ever at my favorite store, all without a single loyalty card in my wallet.
The Day the Coupon Disappeared (Or So I Thought)
I remember the day with perfect clarity. It was a crisp Tuesday in October. I had a vision in my mind for a fall-themed wreath for my front door. I needed a specific type of burlap ribbon, some silk sunflowers, and a grapevine wreath form. In the old days, I would have clipped the famous 40% off coupon from the newspaper flyer. It was a ritual. Find the one big-ticket item for my project and use the coupon on that. Simple.
But since the move, I’d stopped my newspaper subscription. Everything was a bit scattered. “No matter,” I thought to myself, grabbing my purse. “I’ll just ask for a coupon at the register or sign up for their loyalty program.” I felt a familiar thrill walking through those automatic doors, the scent of potpourri and cinnamon greeting me like an old friend. I spent a blissful hour wandering the aisles, my cart slowly filling with beautiful, inspiring things. I found the perfect ribbon, the most realistic sunflowers, and a sturdy wreath form. I even grabbed a new set of knitting needles that were calling my name.
I pushed my cart to the checkout, feeling that pleasant hum of creative anticipation. The young woman at the register was polite as she scanned my items. The total popped up on the screen, and my heart did a little lurch. It was more than I had expected.
“Oh,” I said, trying to sound casual. “I forgot my coupon. Do you have one I could use? Or I can sign up for your rewards card right now.”
She gave me a kind but confused smile. “Ma’am, we don’t have a loyalty card program. And the 40% off coupon was discontinued a while ago.”
I stared at her. Discontinued? No loyalty card? It felt like the ground had shifted beneath my feet. It was such a small thing, a coupon, but in that moment, it felt like a door had been slammed in my face. It was another sign that the world was moving on, and I was being left behind. I felt a hot flush of embarrassment, as if I had asked a foolish question. I paid the full amount, my earlier joy completely deflated. The entire drive home, I felt a heavy sense of disappointment. It wasn’t just about the money. It was about feeling out of the loop, incompetent in a domain I once ruled.
That wreath sat on my craft table, unassembled, for two weeks. Every time I looked at it, I just felt that sting of overpaying, that feeling of being a step behind. My beloved hobby suddenly felt like a financial burden I couldn’t manage on my fixed income.
My Granddaughter, My Tech Guru
A few weeks later, my eldest granddaughter, Emily, came over for our weekly lunch. Emily is a bright young woman in her twenties, patient and kind, with a phone that seems permanently attached to her hand. She noticed the sad little pile of craft supplies on my table.
“Aren’t you going to make your famous fall wreath, Grandma?” she asked.
I sighed and the whole story came tumbling out. The confusion at the store, the missing coupon, the feeling of being so out of touch. I expected her to just laugh it off, but she listened intently, nodding her head.
“Grandma, it’s not you,” she said, pulling up a chair. “It’s just different now. The savings are still there, they’re just… hidden in plain sight. Let me show you.”
I was hesitant. I’ve never been comfortable with technology. I have a smartphone, mostly for pictures of the grandkids and emergency calls, but the thought of using it for something like shopping felt daunting. Emily, bless her heart, was the perfect teacher. She didn’t just grab my phone and do it for me. She guided me, step by step.
“Okay, first thing,” she said, “let’s go to the Hobby Lobby website.” She showed me how to open the internet browser and type it in. And there it was, right on the homepage, big as day: The Weekly Ad.
“See this?” she said, tapping the screen. “This is the new coupon. It’s not one coupon for one item anymore. It’s entire categories of items that are on sale every single week. It’s actually a much better deal, if you know how to use it.”
My eyes widened as I scrolled through it. Floral was 50% off. Craft supplies were 40% off. Fabric was 30% off. The very items I had bought at full price were now deeply discounted. It was all right there.
“So, the trick isn’t to find a coupon,” I said, the gears slowly turning in my head. “The trick is to plan your shopping for the week when your category is on sale.”
“Exactly!” Emily beamed. “You’re a strategist, Grandma. You just needed the new playbook.”
That single conversation was a turning point. It wasn’t just about the money. It was about my smart, capable granddaughter showing me that I was still capable, too. The technology wasn’t a barrier; it was a tool, and she had just handed me the key.
My First Victory and Becoming a Hobby Lobby Strategist
The following week, armed with my newfound knowledge, I felt a flutter of nervous excitement. The weekly ad showed that yarn was 30% off. I had been wanting to knit a soft, chenille blanket for my youngest grandson, Leo. I did my research from the comfort of my own living room, looking at the different types of yarn on the Hobby Lobby website. I made my list.
Walking into the store this time was different. I didn’t feel lost; I felt purposeful. I marched straight to the yarn aisles, which were festooned with bright yellow signs announcing the 30% off sale. I gathered the colors I needed, my heart feeling lighter with every skein I placed in my cart. But the real test was yet to come: the checkout.
There was no need to fumble with a coupon or ask a question. The discount was applied automatically by the cashier. As I watched the price on the screen drop, a wave of pure, unadulterated pride washed over me. I had done it. I had navigated the new system. I walked out of that store with my head held high, my bag full of yarn, and my confidence fully restored. I saved over $15 on that one trip. It may not sound like a fortune, but to me, it felt like I had won the lottery.
That small victory ignited a fire in me. I wasn’t going to be a passive consumer anymore. I was going to be an expert. Emily had given me the starting point, but now it was my turn to explore the territory. I made it my mission to understand every nook and cranny of saving money at Hobby Lobby, all without a loyalty card.
My New Tuesday Morning Ritual: Mastering the Weekly Ad
Every Tuesday morning, I now have a ritual. I pour myself a cup of coffee, sit in my favorite armchair, and open the Hobby Lobby weekly ad on my tablet (Emily helped me realize it was easier to see on the bigger screen). I don’t just glance at it; I study it. I’ve learned their patterns. Home Decor and Floral are almost always 50% off, rotating every other week. Fabric is typically 30% off. Yarn and needle art supplies follow a similar schedule. The big categories, like paper crafts, jewelry making, and art supplies, cycle through at 40% or 50% off.
My craft room now has a small whiteboard. On it, I list the projects I want to do and the supplies I need. Next to each item, I jot down which category it falls into. Then, I simply wait. If I need fabric for a new quilt, I wait for the 30% off fabric week. If I want to build a new birdhouse, I wait for the 40% off wood crafts sale. This single habit of planning around the sales has saved me hundreds of dollars. It transformed my shopping from impulsive to intentional.
The Art of the Clearance Hunt
My next discovery was the magic of the clearance aisle. It’s not just one aisle, I learned. It’s a series of endcaps and special sections scattered throughout the store. I started paying close attention and learned to spot the bright red clearance tags from a mile away. My biggest breakthrough came when I started to understand the why behind the clearance.
The best time to hunt is right after a major holiday. A week after Christmas, the entire seasonal section goes on a massive sale—first 66% off, then 80%, and finally 90% off. I’m not just buying for next Christmas. I buy solid-colored red and green ribbon that I can use for Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day. I buy plain wooden ornaments that I can repaint for an Easter project. I look for items based on their components, not their intended purpose.
I’ll never forget the time I found a whole box of slightly damaged glass ball ornaments for 90% off. I paid less than three dollars for it. I took them home, carefully broke the glass off, and saved the beautiful silver caps. A few months later, when the yarn was on sale, I knitted tiny little hats and used those silver caps to create a whole collection of adorable winter-themed decorations. It was a thrill unlike any other—creating something beautiful for pennies on the dollar.
My Rain Check Revelation
Confidence makes you bolder. One day, the specific shade of dusty rose yarn I needed for a baby blanket was completely sold out. The sale was ending that Saturday. The old me would have sighed and either picked a different color or given up. The new me marched right up to a store associate.
“Excuse me,” I said politely. “I see this yarn is on sale, but you’re out of the color I need. Is there anything you can do?”
To my complete surprise, she smiled and said, “Of course! I can write you a rain check.”
A rain check! It was a concept I remembered from my youth but assumed had gone the way of the dodo bird. She hand-wrote a small slip of paper for the item at its sale price, good for the next 30 days. I felt like I had discovered a secret password. Now, if an item on my list is out of stock during a sale week, I don’t panic. I calmly get a rain check and pick it up at my convenience, locking in the savings. It’s a simple act of asking, but it’s a powerful tool in my savings arsenal.
My Secret Weapon: The Gift Card Strategy
This last tip is the one that makes me feel like a true financial wizard. Emily, during one of our lunches, mentioned websites where people sell unwanted gift cards at a discount. At first, I was skeptical. It sounded complicated and a little risky. But she showed me a few reputable sites, like Raise and CardCash, and explained how they verify the cards.
I decided to try it with a small amount. I bought a $25 Hobby Lobby e-gift card for $22. The digital code was emailed to me almost instantly. The next time I went to the store, I had the cashier scan the barcode from my phone, and it worked perfectly. I had just saved an extra 12% on my entire purchase, on top of the weekly sales and clearance prices!
Now, it’s part of my regular strategy. If I know I have a big project coming up, I’ll buy a larger discounted gift card online a few days beforehand. It’s an extra step, but that cumulative discount really adds up over the course of a year. It feels like I’m paying with money I saved before I even walked in the store.
The Lessons That Stuck With Me
It’s been a few years since that frustrating day when I thought my couponing days were over. Today, I walk into Hobby Lobby with a sense of calm and control I never thought I’d feel again. My hobby is thriving, my budget is intact, and my craft room is my happy place. But the lessons I learned go far beyond saving money on glitter and glue.
First, I learned that it’s never too late to learn something new. The fear of technology was just that—a fear. Once I was willing to be a student, with a little help from someone I trust, that fear dissolved. My smartphone is no longer an intimidating object; it’s a tool for empowerment. It connects me to my family, and it connects me to savings.
Second, I realized that true savings isn’t about a single magic coupon. It’s about a strategy. It’s about observation, planning, and patience. It’s a more mindful way of shopping that, honestly, is far more satisfying than the quick thrill of a single 40% off coupon ever was. I feel more in control of my finances now because I’m not relying on a gimmick; I’m relying on my own knowledge.
Most importantly, this journey reconnected me with my community. I started sharing my tips with my friends from my quilting circle and my neighbors in the condo complex. I’ve sat with many of them, just as Emily sat with me, and showed them how to look up the weekly ad on their phones or tablets. I’ve become the “Hobby Lobby guru,” and it feels wonderful to be able to help others feel the same sense of pride and accomplishment that I do. We trade stories about our clearance finds and text each other when a great sale pops up.
In the end, I discovered that Hobby Lobby actually does have a loyalty program, it’s just not the one I was looking for. There’s no card to swipe or number to enter. The loyalty isn’t to them; it’s to yourself. It’s the reward you get for being a smart, engaged, and curious shopper. And that’s a reward that feels more valuable than any coupon could ever be.
