The Witch's Basic Supply List/A Witch's Cabinet
If you are new to Wicca/ Paganism, take this moment right now to go get some paper and a pen. Now, lets continue. These are the basic necessities, there will be more things you will need for spells.
Incense
Candles: Get white first then worry about the rest of the colors (white can be used as any color and for a long time I had only tea candles to use).
Libations Dish, Sand, Salt, Stones: Get Quartz if you get nothing else.
Water, Feathers, Wand, Pentacle, Athame, Oils, Scrying tool, An Altar.
{Keep in mind these are things that are the basics, and can be used as such.}
Witch On A Budget:
A few tips to get what you need without breaking the bank
Life doesn't always give us everything, especially money. This can make things a little harder because everything costs money. I am a single mom, so I completely understand how that feels. Occult shops can be extremely expensive, and as much as I love supporting my fellow pagans, some things I just cant do, like pay 7$ for 50 sticks of incense whereas I can get 40 sticks of the same scent for 1$. Here is a breakdown of places where you can cut down most of you spending organized by item.
Incense and Oils
These are tricky. I have charts and charts and charts of incense and oil meanings and usages, because when you are on a budget you have to learn to substitute. Buying foreign incense is not a necessity. Walmart has several types of the basic incense and oils. If you don't like Walmart, you can check out your local flea market. There is a website called Listia where you can basically get things for free by selling things and doing certain things to get these credits. You buy stuff with these credits and most of the time, the shipping is free. You can also use things like ebay, but never go above your budget and always mind the shipping. Another thing is there are ways to make them by yourself, but you would still need the herbs. Sometimes it is easier to make, others to buy.
Candles
I do make my own, as well as Altar ones for others! From personal experience, if you were to buy these online, buy them only from ebay, amazon, or the brand's online shop. Walmart has loads of candles and so do flea markets. Boutiques and small shops usually have absolutely amazing sales. Their products are normally really high, but when they go on sale the prices become incredible. Always look for sales. Be aware of your town/ city festivals. They have vendors who have really cheap, homemade candles that smell great. I am not skilled in the art but there are people who say it is cheaper to make a lot of your candle needs all at once, if you are talented in that aspect, go for it.
Stones
For beautiful stones, if you live near a lake or river, just go out there and you will find tons! You might find many in woods. If not, you will have to buy them. I let the stones pick/speak to me, and most are from the lakes, forests, pathways from every state in the U.S. I have been to. Very few are boughten, but either way be SURE you cleanse the stones before use, to take out any negative energy they may have gotten transfered on them. Some negative energy is normal, just not an over whelming amount. Dirt/ sand/ even salt works great for earth too.
Herbs
If you do not have a nice greenhouse shop with really inexpensive products, I suggest you start a garden. It is the least expensive thing to do, though it takes a little more work. You can use pits, as I do now here at the apartment, both inside and outside.
Books
These cost a little bit more. Though, my library is vast, i do tend to pick up ones from other pagans/Wiccans as gifts, find them just out in the open, and find myself getting ones to "hold onto" until the owner crosses my path and than give it to them. That happens a great deal with me, as I am a Messenger. If you have a kindle or a nook, you are a little bit better off when it comes to buying these. However, if you are a person who likes the feel of flipping a page its a little different. Check out second hand stores before hitting the bookstore. Just because they are used, doesn't mean it will take away from its knowledge. Here again you can also use ebay or amazon. Next check the bookstores like Books A Million or Barnes and Nobles. They usually have fantastic deals. (Thank Goddess because I usually splurge in the journal section, I love collecting them.) Lastly, if you see a book in Occult shops that calls to you, that you haven't seen anywhere else and your wallet permits, go ahead and get it.
Athame
This you will probably have to spend quite a bit on. SAVE UP. Don't just splurge money on this if it will keep you from paying your bills. You can get it in Occult shops or on ebay or etsy. Or other sights. Mine is not a "Traditional" one as you can see on my Altar. It was a gift from my besty and protector (of many life cycles) back home, and I use it solely for cutting my herbs...yes typically that is known as a Boline, however, I am a Gypsy Kitchen Witch so my tools have many uses.
Wand
Go walking through the woods one day, praying to find one , and you will. Invest in some sandpaper and shoe polish. If you have good wire, like the wire inside ribbons, and a good crystal, you can add that to the tip. Mine, as you can see on my Altar pics, is a branch that fell from my Maple tree that was in the yard of my house back in Wisconsin. It told me to use it for such, and 3 days later told me how to decorate it. Again I am a Gypsy kitchen Witch, and as such I use what is gifted/given to me by nature itself.
Last Thing
If you do not live near a lake, river, ocean, pond, stream, or any other living body of water, I suggest you invest in a water filtration system. It is cutting back on the amount of plastic you use and gives you cleaner water to make pure water or moon water with.
This is just the tip of saving money as a Witch. Always check your finances and make sure you can afford to pay for it and your bills before buying anything. I hope this has brought you useful information to incorporate into your life. Blessed be.
