Gocco vs. Budget
July 17th, 2008 @ 5:39 pm by Mrs. Coconut
Okay, I know there have been a ton of Gocco posts in the Hive, but I hope they’re inspiring for others to check it out! Like I’ve said before, it might be difficult at first; there’s a learning curve but it’s pretty short! For those still skeptical about the hefty price of a Gocco, it can still save you money if you’re going to make more than just invites. I’m talking about Christmas cards for years to come, Valentine’s Day, and possibly baby shower invites? 
I took a while researching the Gocco and its supplies before actually buying one. I bought my Gocco for $100 (plus $45 shipping) from alittlegoodness on Etsy. They also offer them on eBay, but for some reason I felt safer buying from Etsy. For supplies, I bought from northWood Studios. They are located in Florida so shipping is much faster and they have the best customer service! I bought my envelopes and paper from Paper and More. Here is a thorough price breakdown for those that really want to know what they’re getting into:
Gocco = $145
Gocco Supplies = $144.18, this included:
- 3 packs of Hi Mesh B6 Masters (5 screens in each pack)
- 3 10-pack Flash Lamps
- LOTS of ink: (3 of Karacha/Dark Brown, 3 Matsuba/Olive Green, 2 Konjou/Deep Blue, 3 Metallic Gold, 2 White Ink, 1 Moegi/Lime Green, 1 Akane/Burgundy)
Paper = $62.94 (Again, I bought enough paper to make Save-the-Dates, Sister’s Bridal Shower Invitations, Our Invitations and Inserts)
- Sand Card Stock 80# (100 Sheets) = $14.99
- A-6 Bronze Metallic (50 Envelopes) = 2 @ $13.99 = $27.98
- Champagne 80# Metallic Text [Cut to 5 1/2 x 11] (100 Sheets) = $7.99
- Bronze 81# Metallic Text [Cut to 5 1/2 x 11] (100 Sheets) = $7.99
Other Misc. Items:
- Xyron Machine from Michael’s = $11.99
- Canon Pixma IP4500 ($100 Rebate from Apple) = $29.99
- Cutterpede from Jo Ann’s = $24.99
- Magnet Paper (3 rolls) from Michael’s = $9.99 x 3 = $29.97
- Kinkos Printing = FREE
TOTAL SPENT FOR ALL DIY PROJECTS: $449.06 (Definitely not the cheapest way, but cheaper than the letterpress invitations I was oooh and ahhing over)
Okay, now that I’ve aired my crafty dirty laundry, let me try to figure out how much my projects have cost.
Save the Dates:
- Paper ($0.1499/sheet x 30 sheets) = $4.97
- Envelopes ($0.2798/envelope x 73 envelopes) = $20.42
- Inks (Dark Brown, Olive, Gold Metallic) = $9.75
- Magnet Paper = $29.97
- Kinkos Printing = FREE
- Postage (I hand delivered some of mine) = $24.80
Total supplies on Save-the-Dates = $89.91 for 80 = $1.12/each (a little more than I wanted to spend, but it was really fun and I’ve gotten a lot of great responses from our guests!)
Sister Coconut’s Bridal Shower Invitations
- Paper = ($0.1499/sheet x 17 sheets) = $2.54
- Ink (Metallic Gold (leftover from S-t-Ds) and Burgundy) = $3.25
- Envelopes (bought at Michael’s 2 packs @ 5.99) = $11.98
- Ribbon (3 reams @ .99) = $2.97
- Postage = $16
Total Supplies on Bridal Invites = $36.74 for 40 = $0.91/each (They would have been cheaper had I ordered the envelopes in bulk, but I failed to think ahead on this one, and ended up purchasing envelopes from Michaels in packs of 20.)
I hope this introduction to the Gocco helps you crafty brides-to-be make a decision. Although, I will say that there are cheaper ways to do things, and of course less time consuming. However, being the crazy control freak I am, this was the way to go for me. It allowed me absolute creative freedom and ability to make a ton of paper products. Ultimately, I think the Gocco is for girls that are really in love with stationery. I don’t consider my Gocco part of my official wedding budget, because for me it was like buying a digital camera or a sewing machine! (Mr. Coconut put it in the budget, of course!)
Are there any purchases you’ve made for the wedding that you’ll use afterwards?!?!
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7 Responses to “Gocco vs. Budget”
Thank you for doing the breakdown and sharing all of your links. I am thinking of getting a Gocco machine!
I just got my Gocco from Japan (Etsy seller Printaddict). Too late to do my invites but just in time for the thank yous! In cruising the Gocco boards out there (Flickr Gocco and Yahoo Discussion Group), it appears that RISO has announced (again) that it is stopping production of the Gocco. They have stated that they will continue to provide supplies for another three years. So if you get one, stock up!
@furelysse: I did not Gocco the photo, I actually used Illustrator to put the text on the photo and then had them printed at Kinkos on matte photo paper.
definitely using the wedding to purchase some crafty supplies that will be in use long after. my favorite right now - self-sharpening folding paper cutter with magnetic ruler. 
I just got my gocco and am in the process of doing my moving announcements. I absolutly love it and want to gocco everything. I agree it may not be the most cost efficient way to do things but it is the funest (if thats a word).
Thanks for your breakdowns and ideas on how to use my new favorite crafting toy.
[...] [...]
Mrs. Coconut, Tallahassee
Age and Occupation: 27, Soon-to-be Lawyer (once I pass the bar!)
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, phD Computer Science
Engagement Date: March 2007
Wedding Date: November 2008
Blogging Since: May 20, 2008
Venue: 1930s Historic Building in Lakeland, FL
About Me: I never thought about weddings until I got engaged. Now, I can't stop thinking about them! Planning the wedding has really opened the floodgates to my DIY side. If there's anything I can do to avoid hiring someone else, I will do it! Mr. Coconut is my financial advisor, he tries to keep me budget-conscious! We've tried to make wedding planning a team effort!
I have a question on your save the date. Did you just make regular picture print and gocco the wording straight onto the photo? Did you experience any problem with that? I know gocco is pretty flexible with paper type, but was wondering if it works just as well on gloss/matte photo prints.