In Organic Gardening magazine November 2000, John Yeoman wrote about paper economy - using newspaper and left-over wallpaper paste...
Waterproof dustbin/old sink.... add water and wallpaper paste (dilution to light paste).... Next layer newpaper (tabloid size) in that paste some 8 or more pages thick. Leave overnight. Squeeze excess paste from the paper but keep the paper flat (say against the side of the container) and voila! The 8 paper thick sheets can then be overlapped with other sheets to make a mulch (hope for 48 hours of dry weather, or cover with plastic) and press the edges into the soil. The paper mache thing moulds itself to the ground, and according to John Yeoman, doesn't need bricks to hold it down.
John says that it will suppress couch grass, other weeds for several months, prevent slugs and snails creeping over the top (especially if a sprinking of sharp sand is applied while the mulch is still wet). Holes can be made for sowing/transplanting...