Pets, food, clothes, and owning or renting a house—all these cost money, and sometimes, the salary you earn may not be enough to cover for it all. Thankfully, there are ways you can go around this: by doing DIY projects and simply thinking ahead. You will be surprised by how much you can save by learning to do some things by yourself.
If you don’t know where to start, assess your home, lifestyle, and budget for where most of your money goes. It’s also good to note that the DIY projects you should choose should be worth the time, effort, and money you spend.
If you need more ideas, here are some easy money-saving DIY projects worth looking into.
Go for Cloth Napkins
You know what’s good for the environment and your pocket? Cloth napkins. Instead of using paper towels to clean little spills, kitchen counters, tables, and more, go for something more sustainable instead. Paper towels may be cheap, but you tend to buy a lot in a month, and the costs can add up in a year.
Meanwhile, cloth napkins are washable, and you only need to fold them to store them somewhere. If you want to save more, repurpose old cotton shirts, and turn them into napkins, instead of buying new ones.
Grow Herbs
Even if you have a small apartment or no available plot of land, you can easily grow herbs inside your home in little pots. Why pay for expensive and dried seasoning when you can pick them from your own little garden? Depending on how many herbs you plan to grow, you will need some pots, seeds, and some potting soil.
Sew Your Own Drapes
Curtains or drapes are some of those things that are way too expensive for what they do: to cover windows. They are mainly just fabric, and it is a good DIY project even newbies themselves can tackle. When you sew your own drapes, make sure to consult the internet for instructions and some tips on what fabric to buy and even where to get them for cheap.
Meal Plan and Prep
Eating out is one of the biggest culprits in why people can’t have savings in their bank account. Why eat out when you can make your own delicious, healthy, and cheap meals at home? Even if healthy eating isn’t your style, it’s something worth trying, if not for the sake of your savings.
There are plenty of ideas and ways for beginners to get into meal planning and prepping. You may need to invest in good-quality containers so you can reuse them over and over especially if you plan to pack your own lunch. Cooking up a whole week’s worth of food can be intimidating, but with realistic planning, you can make sure that your daily or weekly menu is manageable.
Also, you don’t have to meal-prep for all the days of the week. You can treat yourself to one day where you can eat out just so you can get used to the idea. Another tip is to go for recipes that can be prepared in advance and will still be edible in the next few days.
Make Your Own Beauty Products
If you’re a fan of anything beauty and homemade, then you’ll surely love making your own beauty products. There are tons of organic recipes out there that make use of fruits, vegetables, and even oatmeal. What makes a store-bought product expensive most of the time is the expensive packaging, so if you make your own beauty products, then you won’t have to worry about exorbitant costs!
In addition to being cheap, all the beauty products you will be using will be all natural and safe from animal testing. You’d be surprised by how some of these organic beauty items are better for your skin.
Get Kids Creative
Instead of getting whatever the “usual” is for kids nowadays, skip on those, and let them experience creativity with their own hands. Instead of having them look at smartphones, TVs, and tablets, introduce them to old-fashioned arts and crafts. This is a great way to encourage their imagination and hone their creativity, and all you need are cheap craft supplies that you can buy for less in bulk.
Make Your Own Cards
Cards for certain occasions are really cheap, but they can be generic too. If you want to convey your feelings of gratitude or send your felicitations more personally, then why not make your own cards?
Get some translucent vellum sheets in bulk because they are versatile stationery, and put your thoughts down in ink instead of getting those premade cards. You can choose to decorate your own cards however you like it too.
Make Your Own Flavored Drinks
Not only are soda and artificial fruit juices expensive, but they also contain a lot of unnecessary sugar and flavoring that’s not good for your health. If you want to drink more water but the thought of bland water is enough to discourage, then you need to make your own flavored drinks, and for cheap too. Get a pitcher, and use fruits like slices of oranges or cucumbers and maybe some basic seltzer to flavor your own drinks and keep hydrated.
Bottom Line
Take note that the easy DIY projects mentioned above are to help save money in some areas of your life where you unnecessarily spend money on. Saving money does not mean scrimping to the point of starving or forgoing safety, like DIY-ing crucial home repairs. Sometimes, saving money means hiring specially trained professionals who can do it right the first time. You can save money, but you also have to live well.
What are your easy DIY projects that have helped you save money? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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