Do you wonder what you can do to save more money? If you’re not already a do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiast, now might be the time to start! You save a lot of money by doing things yourself instead of paying others.
Are you afraid you don’t have the know-how or ability necessary? I have provided resources/ideas to help you with these concerns.
Why should I try to do things myself to save money?
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If you start doing things yourself to save money, there are two perspectives: short-term and long-term. The short-term perspective is you have extra money in the budget. That’s always a plus! But the real value is in the long-term outlook.
By saving money today, you build a stronger financial future for your family. If you take that viewpoint, you will make better decisions about what to do with the money you save. Do you use it to buy something you want? Do you add it to your savings or emergency fund? Which decisions do you think will build a stronger financial future for your family?
What kinds of things can I do myself to save money?
The kinds of DIY tasks you take on can be based on your comfort level, your knowledge, and your abilities. But there are ways to increase both your knowledge and abilities. Consider the following strategies to help you.
Strategies and resources to help you with DIY tasks
- YouTube: There’s never been an easier way to find out how to do anything. I’m fairly sure there is a video on YouTube that answers almost every “How do I…?” question you can ask. Type your question in as simply as possible and check out all the results. Some videos will be much more detailed than others. That’s usually helpful. You may need to watch the video more than once before doing the task yourself. Bookmark the one(s) you like in case you need to watch again after starting the task.
- Internet Searches: You can also do a Google search for your task. Often, companies or organizations make videos related to their specialties. The one you need may be on a company website instead of on YouTube. As with YouTube, type in your question in the “How do I…?” format. There are many at-your-own-pace online courses available. They may be free or very low cost.
- Technical Schools: Does your community have a technical school? If so, check to see what courses are available. There may be fees for the courses. But it’s a one-time investment for knowledge and skills that you’ll use over and over. This is a good resource to learn woodworking, electrical skills, plumbing, and automotive maintenance and repair.
- Trade Skills with a Friend or Relative: This can work two ways. You’re good at mending clothes, so you offer to mend your friend’s torn shirt. That friend then does a task for you that they are good at doing. (You might need your son’s hair cut.) The other way is to teach someone else how to do something you’re good at. In exchange, that person teaches you how to do something they are good at.
Things you can do yourself to save money
1. Preparing Meals
Eating out or bringing home take-out meals gets expensive if you do it often. Preparing meals at home is a great savings strategy. To save the most, you need to consider these factors:
Meal planning
You’ll save more money if you plan meals ahead of time. Planning meals enables you to shop more efficiently. You don’t end up throwing away food that you don’t get around to using.
Knowing what you’re cooking for each meal makes it less likely that you’ll decide to eat out at the last minute. If you resisted dinner out just once a week (family of 4), you’d save at least $40 a week. Even a burger, fries, and a drink can be $10 a person today. Forty dollars a week x 52 weeks is $2080! Save $2080 or more per year by cooking that dinner every week! For more detailed ideas on meal planning, check out these pages.
Shopping Efficiently for Your Meal Plan
To do a better, more efficient job shopping, consider the strategies below.
- Plan your week’s meals after checking the ads from your grocery stores. For example, if there’s a sale on ground beef or chicken, you might plan more meals with those meats as the entrée. Or buy extra and plan next week’s meals with those items, too.
- Always shop with a list (and stick to the list as much as possible).
- Watch for coupons and clip them to your shopping list.
- Buy seasonal produce; it’s much less expensive.
- Find out when your store discounts meat. Some store chains have rules about not selling meat on the expiration date. So, early each morning an employee marks down all the meat that has an expiration date that day. If they don’t sell it, the store must discard it. The store can’t even donate it to a charity. You could save fifty percent or more with the discounts if you shop as soon as the store opens.
Taking Your Lunch to Work
If you spend $10 a day to buy lunch, that’s $50 a week for a 5-day week. (And I’m sure it costs more than $10 some days if not every day!) If you work fifty weeks a year, that’s $2500 a year spent!
You won’t save the entire $2500 if you take your lunch to work. You will spend some money to buy ingredients for your homemade lunches. But if you plan to use leftovers or ingredients you normally keep on hand (think soups, cold cuts, or salad fixings) you won’t use too much of the $2500. You should save at least $1500 to $1800 a year.
2. Making Simple Clothing Repairs
Every family will need clothing repairs at one time or another. A hem comes out of a pair of pants. Or new pants need to be hemmed. Your daughter tears her jeans, or your son rips his Little League pants.
Hemming a pair of pants professionally in 2024 costs from $10 to $50. Men’s or women’s dress pants cost more. If you hem three pairs of pants that normally cost $10 each, that’s a savings of $30. Add in two pairs of dress pants that would cost $35 each and that’s another $70. If you’re doing other kinds of repairs, you’ll save even more.
You’ll need a sewing machine for extensive repairs. You can usually find a good second-hand basic machine on Craig’s List or in the local paper for $25 or less.
If you need to learn to do basic repairs, you can usually get a friend or family member to teach you.
3. Automobile Maintenance
There are at least two basic vehicle maintenance tasks you can do yourself:
Change your oil and oil filter
According to VehicleScene.com, an oil change and new oil filter costs between $40 and $75 for conventional oil and between $80 and $125 for synthetic oil. Prices vary between quick-change franchises and dealerships.
The same oil changes done by you run between $20 and $60 (if you already have a filter wrench, $10). If your mileage runs around 20,000 miles per year, you’ll probably need 4 service appointments each year. With conventional oil, you’ll save from $20 to $55 per service ($80 to $220 savings annually). With synthetic oil, you’ll save $20 to $65 per service ($80 to $260 savings annually). The $10 investment in an oil filter wrench is a bargain! Most owner manuals have a section on how to change the oil and filter.
Wash and Vacuum
The local car wash is not the bargain it used to be. Prices have increased dramatically in some locales. It’s not unusual to pay $25-$35 to go through the automatic wash and then have the inside vacuumed and wiped down. Even if you only wash your car once a month, it can add up to at least $300 a year for one vehicle.
What’s the cost to DIY the car washing and vacuuming monthly? One or two bottles of car wash solution and an hour of your time—a total of about $20! Get your children involved in the process and before too long, they can do it without you!
4. Personal Grooming
Coloring your hair
Getting your hair dyed a single color at a salon costs $45 or more. You can do it at home, by yourself, or with the help of a friend, for $5 to $20 for the products needed. That’s a savings of $25 or more each time you dye your hair. Multiply that by the number of times you do this task each year. The savings are significant.
If you want your hair frosted or highlighted or need to go more than two shades lighter, go to a professional. These tasks are more difficult to do by yourself. The DIY results may not be worth the savings.
Taking care of your nails
Acrylic and gel nails have become very popular over the past 15-20 years. The price for professionally done nails ranges from $35-$65 for new nails and $25-$45 for “fills” done about every two to three weeks. Without training, it will be difficult to achieve equivalent results if you do it yourself.
However, if you decide to stick with your natural nails, you can save money on manicures by doing this yourself. At a salon, a basic manicure will cost $20-$30. You can DIY for less than $10. That’s a savings of $10-$30 each time you manicure. Potential savings—at least $520 annually if you manicure once a week. Or $260 minimum if you manicure every two weeks.
5. Household Tasks
Rug cleaning
According to www.bobvila.com, at the end of 2023, professional carpet cleaning costs between $123 to $240, with a national average of $180. There are differences based on the type of carpet material. Some companies charge by the square foot; other companies charge by the room.
If you shampoo the carpets yourself, you need a rug shampoo machine. Renting one at a local grocery store or hardware store will cost between $30 and $80 a day. Carpet shampoo will cost about $20 for a large bottle. If you do the entire house, it will take at least one day. Your costs will be $50 to $100 for one day plus shampoo. You could potentially save up to $140 if you complete the job in one day.
If you plan to go the DIY route, you may want to invest in a shampoo machine for $99-$300. You could recoup your investment in one year. The added advantage is that you have the machine for any occasional spills.
Window cleaning
According to an article on www.bobvila.com, professional window cleaners consider many variables when pricing a job.
- The types of windows (solid glass or with panes)
- How many levels to your house (one story? More than one?)
- Topography of your yard (hilly? Uneven?)
- Screens, windowsills, trim, and window tracks are usually extra.
The typical cost ranges from $149 to $296, with a national average of $213.
It seems like a no-brainer—DIY to save money. If you have ladders, squeegees, and someone to help you, you will only need to buy a cleaning solution ($20 or less). It’s a good money saver for those who live in a one-story house. But if you live in a house with multiple stories, you must also weigh the safety issues. One fall off a ladder could wipe out the savings you expected! You can save by having the professionals do the outsides and you DIY the insides.
Conclusions/Takeaways
- There are many ways to save money by doing tasks yourself.
- The long-term perspective to DIY tasks is saving the money leads to stronger financial health for your family.
- There are multiple ways to learn the knowledge and skills you need.
What DIY projects save you money? Share info in the comments below.
Related posts:
Top DIY Tools for Frugal Homeowners
