I have 2 tips to save $$$

Auction sites, weather its ebay or something more local to you people are often getting out of the hobby (crazy fools  :) and you can get lots of gear on the cheap.

The other is craft stores, scrapbooking stores do tend to be on the expensive side but we have a place here that specialises in material for sewing/cross stitch/jewelery making etc and they have a great stash of things like brushes, acrylic paints, cutting board, knives, pliers, tweezers etc etc