Thrifty Thursday~

I know everyone out there has their own story, and different lives that they lead. But one thing I think we can agree on is that money does not grow on trees. The cruel reality is that often our hobbies are the first thing cut when money gets tight.
Each Thursday I am going to share little tips that I have learned over the years that may help others save a little money so that you can perhaps spend it on another pretty embellishment or new tool that you have been holding off to buy 

So here we go!

This is something that I have been doing for YEARS now and if you have ever attended one of my classes....I WILL make you do, whether you like it or not 

I cut the backs (or middle) out of my cardstock or patterned paper.
As you may have noticed from some of my layouts, my style is definitely a layered one. Sometimes with the background alone having 3 or 4 layers. So my reason in the beginning to cut the middles out was not to save money, but to save trees 

Here is an image of a recent layout:

Now here is the photo of the back of my layout:

Now you can see that I have obviously cut the back out of the brown, the largest layer. But I also have a lighter green cardstock layer there, I cut a hunk out of that as well exposing the final full layer which happens to be a pattern on this layout.

So not only am I saving trees, but cutting the middles out gives you lots of cardstock to mat your photos or create journaling blocks, that way you aren't wasting another full sheet to do that.
If you haven't already, I DARE you to try it 

***Hint***
I generally go an inch in from each side, when cutting a middle out.