The authors of Thrifty Witchery teach us how to make magick on a budget by foraging, finding, and fabricating materials for spells. In theory, they posit that a practitioner need only provide intuition, wisdom and intention. In practice, they reverse engineer the meaning of spells using complimentary condiment packets.

Oh, and there was that one time Martha saw a dryad. Also that one time a little devil broke young Vini’s window shade. Listen to hear their full stories:

Episode Summary

Vini and Martha have both seen some strange things that nobody else has seen. Devotees of Hecate and long-time practicing witches, the pair wrote a book together despite living far apart and having little else in common. And yet, their chemistry is on fire…much like a spell quickened with hot sauce.

Learn how they—and you—can create valuable magick from impecunious means, today, on Homespun Haints.

AI-generated transcript of this episode available upon request.

About the Guests: Vini and Martha, Co-Authors of Thrifty Witchery

Martha Kirby Capo

Martha Kirby Capo
Martha Kirby Capo

Author Martha Kirby Capo reminds us of our CUUPs days. Her calm confidence is all the evidence we need that she has rightfully earned her “crone” status. A Solitary Witch currently working with Brigid, Hekate, Pan, and Cernunnos, Martha is the page manager of Patheos Pagan’s shared blog The Agora, where she writes as The Corner Crone. She also leads Moments For Meditation on KPPR Pure Pagan Radio.

Martha has been extensively anthologized through Skinner House books, Flying Cow Productions, and various Llewellyn Publications. An award-winning poet and lyricist, she has written for several online and print magazines, including The Wild Hunt and Witchology. Martha has been a presenter at Florida Pagan Gathering, Turning the Tide, and Mystic South. She is a member of Circle Sanctuary and Everglades Moon, a Local Council representing the Covenant of the Goddess in Florida.

Her second book, Quantum Magick, is forthcoming. Follow for updates and also check out her witch mentoring services on Facebook or Instagram @the_corner_crone.

Vincent Higginbotham

Vini Higginbotham
Vini Higginbotham

Vincent Higginbotham has seen shadow people since early childhood, which was also when he knew he’d be a writer someday. His first book was about how witchcraft saved his life, as his practice helped him first to survive a decade living on the streets and then later to thrive as an author.

Mostly self-taught, Vini is not initiated in any traditional form or witchcraft practice. He follows his gut in all things magic but spends plenty of time researching to be sure his intuition is informed by wisdom before setting his intentions. It is Vini’s goal to empower others the way he wishes he had been empowered in his early years. He has a dedicated practice with the goddess Hekate and lives in the Southeastern US. He knows Martha because he also writes for Patheos.com; check out all his writing at viniwrites.com.

You can find the book Vini and Martha co-authored, Thrifty Witchery: Magick for the Penny-Pinching Practitioner, at Llewellyn Books, Amazon, or your local Barnes and Noble. If you’re local to Atlanta, you can see them presenting in-person at Mystic South, July 13-16, 2023.

Martha and Vini
Martha and Vini met for the first time AFTER they wrote a whole book together!

Episode Show Notes About Practicing Magick on a Budget

Witchcraft: a private practice

In today’s age of public oversharing, Vini and Martha both stress that it’s important to keep some parts of your magickal practice private. You never know whose influence is going to change the outcome of your work. Becky immediately embraced the advice, and now won’t be sharing any more of her spells with us. But with your own copy of Thrifty Witchery, you might soon be able to get a peek through the witch window and reverse engineer your own spells.

Who is the Goddess Hecate?

Maiden, mother, or crone? Earth, Hell, or Heavens? Olympian, demi-god, or titan? Homemaker, caregiver, or hero? There’s a lot of personalities stored inside Hecate, patron of witches. Stay tuned for this week’s bonus episode about Hekate, where we burp the lid to get a whiff of the trichotomous nature of this powerful ancient deity of ghosts and liminal spaces. See you at the crossroads!

How to Practice Magick on a Tight Budget

How do you stretch your magick budget? If you read Thrifty Witchery also, let us know your favorite tip to implement on our Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/homespunhaints. Seen a ghost, devil, or dryad? Please submit your true ghost story and you could be on our next episode of Homespun Haints! Quick, do it now, and have a spooky day!

Photo by JJ Jordan on Unsplash