So let your artist out for a walk or give it an artist date in hardware stores, pharmacies, and dollar stores. Find or create supplies that will feed the need. Look for the mold-ability of different potential art things.
Combine this with learning about your art supplies. What I mean by this is: for example gesso what are the main characteristics to gesso. Learn what gesso is! Gesso is a sealant and a barrier from your base or substrate-your paint upon. Gesso gives a base color to your surface. Gesso gives your paint something to grab onto and hang on.
So let's break this down to very simple components (sorry commercial producers, we artists are trying to survive here). Glue is your sealant and binder, acrylic paint is your colorant, and talc or marble powder, or plaster is your texture or grabby bits.
So now you can shop with that in mind, apply these ideas shopping and you get: glue, paint and plaster: hardware stores and dollar stores, talc pharmacies. Don't forget a bucket and a stir stick.
For a paint surface-substrate or paint upon. You might find old books that are falling apart (tragedy but these things happen) but those can be used to create paint-up-ons and collages with glue or acrylic mediums...
In simple terms- be creative, you don't always have to buy expensively but create what you need and adapt or recycle when you can. This will be a good lesson for your inner artist to fully connect to your art from the ground up.
I will talk more about where to give it up and spend your art budget wisely or what to bring with you when you move to where art supplies is hard to find later. Keep creating it is good for your soul.