- You can save hundreds per year by using third-party materials instead of Cricut-branded supplies, with no drop in quality.
- The Cricut Access subscription isn't worth it for most people, especially if you know where to find free SVG files.
- Simple maintenance habits (cleaning mats, storing blades properly, adjusting pressure settings) will double the life of your supplies.
1. Think Twice Before Subscribing to Cricut Access
Cricut Access costs $7.99/month for Standard or $13.99/month for Premium. That's $96 to $168 per year. And Cricut will push it on you hard, starting from the moment you set up your machine.
Here's the thing: you don't need it. The subscription gives you access to 200,000+ pre-made designs, fonts, and project templates. But there are massive free SVG libraries online. Sites like SVGCuts, Love SVG, Design Bundles (free section), and Creative Fabrica offer thousands of cut files at no cost. Many Etsy sellers offer SVG bundles for $3 to $10 that contain hundreds of designs.
When Access actually makes sense: If you're making projects daily and you want licensed designs (Disney, Marvel, Sesame Street), the Premium tier is the only legal way to get those cut files. The 20% shop discount on Premium also adds up if you're spending $60+ per month on Cricut.com. But for the average crafter making two to four projects a month? Skip it.
Try crafting for three months without the subscription. If you find yourself constantly wanting designs you can't find for free, subscribe then. Don't let the free trial auto-renew before you've made that decision.
2. Stop Buying Cricut-Brand Materials (Mostly)
This is the single biggest money-saving tip for Cricut owners. Cricut-branded vinyl, iron-on, and cardstock cost 30% to 50% more than third-party alternatives that perform just as well, and sometimes better.
Swap these in:
- Permanent vinyl: Use Oracal 651 instead of Cricut Premium Vinyl. It's the industry standard for outdoor vinyl, costs less, and comes in more colors. A 12″ x 5ft roll runs about $5 to $7 on Amazon.
- Removable vinyl: Oracal 631 is the go-to. Same story: cheaper, more color options, reliable performance.
- Iron-on/HTV: Siser EasyWeed is the gold standard. It weeds easier than Cricut's iron-on, lasts longer through washes, and costs $6 to $9 per roll versus $10 to $13 for Cricut.
- Transfer tape: Generic clear transfer tape from Amazon ($4 to $6 for a big roll) works identically to Cricut's $7 version.
- Cutting mats: Third-party mats from Nicapa, HTVRONT, or generic Amazon brands cost $3 to $5 each versus $9 to $13 for Cricut mats. They're a little less sticky initially, but they last about the same amount of time.
Where Cricut brand is still worth it: Infusible Ink products. Cricut's Infusible Ink sheets and blanks are proprietary, and third-party sublimation alternatives don't work the same way with the Cricut system. If you use Infusible Ink, stick with the branded stuff.
3. Your Blades Last Longer Than You Think
New Cricut users replace blades way too often because they assume a rough cut means a dull blade. Sometimes it does. But more often, the problem is pressure settings, mat stickiness, or material quality.
How to tell if your blade is actually dull: Run your finger lightly along the blade tip (carefully). If it doesn't feel sharp, swap it. If it still feels sharp but cuts are tearing, check your mat first. A blade should last through 500 to 1,000+ cuts on vinyl and paper before it genuinely needs replacing.
Make blades last longer: Ball up a piece of aluminum foil and poke the blade into it 30 to 50 times. This cleans debris from the blade and can actually sharpen it slightly. It sounds like a hack, but it genuinely works and can extend blade life by weeks.
Replacement blades from Cricut cost $4.99 to $7.99 each. Third-party blades on Amazon run $6 to $10 for a 10-pack. They're not identical, but they're good enough for vinyl and paper. For the Maker's specialty blades (rotary, knife), stick with Cricut brand since the tolerances matter more.
4. Clean Your Mats Instead of Replacing Them
Cutting mats lose their stickiness over time. Most beginners toss them and buy new ones. Don't do that. You can clean and restick mats easily.
To clean: Use baby wipes or a lint roller to remove paper fibers and vinyl residue. For stubborn debris, use warm soapy water and a plastic scraper. Let the mat air dry completely (don't use a towel, the fibers will stick). The sticky surface should come back once it's clean and dry.
To restick: Once the adhesive is truly gone, spray the mat with repositionable adhesive (Krylon Easy-Tack or similar). Apply a light, even coat, let it dry for 15 minutes, and it's ready to use. One can of spray adhesive ($8) can restick a mat 10 to 15 times.
Pro tip: Always place your mat cover sheet back on after every use. Leaving mats exposed collects dust and pet hair, which kills the adhesive faster than actual cutting does.
5. Learn the “Attach” and “Weld” Functions (They're Not the Same)
This trips up beginners constantly. In Design Space, “Attach” and “Weld” look similar but do completely different things.
Attach keeps elements in the same position relative to each other when you send them to the mat. It doesn't change the shapes. Use Attach when you have a multi-piece design and you want everything to cut in the right spot.
Weld permanently merges overlapping shapes into one single shape. It removes the cut lines where pieces overlap. Use Weld when you want connected letters in a word or when you're combining shapes into a single decal.
If you Weld when you should have Attached, you'll lose the individual cut lines between pieces. And there's no undo once you save and close the project. Get in the habit of duplicating your design layer before Welding, just in case.
6. Use the “Custom Materials” Setting Instead of Defaults
Design Space gives you a dial setting (on Explore machines) or a material dropdown that covers the basics: vinyl, cardstock, iron-on, etc. But the default pressure and speed for these generic settings aren't always right, especially with third-party materials.
Switch to “Browse All Materials” in the material selection screen. You'll find much more specific options (like “Glitter Cardstock, Heavy” or “Printable Vinyl”) that dial in the right pressure. This one change fixes most “my cuts aren't clean” problems.
And if you're still getting incomplete cuts, use the “More Pressure” option before running the cut again. It adds an extra pass at the same settings. That's almost always better than peeling everything off and starting over with a higher pressure setting, which risks cutting through the backing.
7. Find Coupon Codes Before Every Cricut.com Purchase
Cricut runs promotions constantly. There's almost always a deal available if you know where to look.
- Sign up for Cricut's email list. You'll get a 10% off coupon immediately and regular sale notifications.
- Check RetailMeNot, Honey, and CouponCabin before checkout. Cricut codes show up regularly, typically 10% to 20% off.
- Mystery Box drops. Cricut releases limited “Mystery Boxes” several times a year for $29.99 to $49.99. They contain $80 to $150 worth of materials and tools. The contents are random, but if you use a variety of materials, they're almost always a good value.
- JOANN and Michaels coupons often work on Cricut materials in-store (not always on machines, but check). Stacking a 20% off coupon on a $50 material haul saves you $10 every time.
- Holiday sales. The biggest discounts happen during Black Friday, Prime Day (July), and back-to-school (August). Machines drop $50 to $100, and material bundles go on deep discount.
8. Mirror Your Iron-On (Every. Single. Time.)
This sounds obvious, but it's the most common Cricut mistake. When cutting iron-on/HTV, you must mirror the design before cutting. Iron-on cuts face-down on the mat, so the design needs to be reversed. If you forget, your text will be backwards on the finished product, and you've just wasted material.
Design Space does remind you, but it's easy to click past the prompt when you're in a hurry. Build the habit of checking “Mirror” on every iron-on cut, even when it's a symmetrical design. Just make it automatic.
And while we're at it: always do a test cut on a small scrap before committing your full sheet of iron-on. A 1-inch test square costs you basically nothing and confirms your pressure, speed, and blade are all dialed in.
9. Don't Overlook Print Then Cut
Print Then Cut is one of Cricut's most underused features. Your printer prints the design (in full color), then the Cricut cuts around it precisely. It's perfect for custom stickers, gift tags, paper dolls, cake toppers, and anything that needs color beyond what vinyl can do.
Tips for good Print Then Cut results:
- Use a laser or inkjet printer with good resolution. Cheap printers produce blurry results.
- Print on sticker paper for instant stickers, or on cardstock for tags and toppers.
- Make sure your room has good lighting. The Cricut's sensor reads registration marks on the printed page, and dim lighting causes alignment errors.
- Clean the sensor lens with a soft cloth if cuts start drifting from the print. Dust buildup is the most common cause of misalignment.
- The maximum Print Then Cut area is 9.25″ x 6.75″. Plan your designs within those dimensions or you'll get an error.
Print Then Cut turns your Cricut into a sticker-making machine. If you haven't tried it, you're leaving one of the best features on the table.
The bottom line
Cricut machines are great, but the company's business model is designed to keep you spending on subscriptions and branded materials long after you've bought the machine. The crafters who get the most value from their Cricut are the ones who treat it like any other tool: learn the basics, find the best supplies at the best prices, and don't pay for extras you don't need.
Use third-party materials. Clean your mats. Learn the software properly. Check for coupons every single time. These aren't glamorous tips, but they're the difference between a crafter who loves their Cricut and one who stashes it in a closet after six months because the costs got out of hand.
Cricut is a $250 to $400 machine that delivers years of use, but only if you're smart about the $20-here, $15-there spending that follows you home from every craft store trip.
