Today it seems like there is a button, machine, or person to do almost any and everything for you. Don’t want to go shopping? Well you can do it online. Don’t feel like mowing the lawn? You can hire someone to do that for you! The thing is, all of this “comfortable living” comes at a price. We often spend money hiring someone to do our tasks, or paying for products, when we could easily make them ourselves.
Save money on veggies when you grow them yourself.
So today we thought we’d bring you a handful of things that you can do from time to time, that you might be paying for right now. And yes, I do mean you. These tasks are so simple, anybody can do them; and the money you’ll save Doing It Yourself, can go straight to your Mango Savings or GoalMine Savings Account.
1) Grow your own garden. Not only will you save money on produce by growing your own, but you’ll also be helping the environment. Locally grown fruits, veggies, and herbs have less of an impact on the environment since they don’t have to be shipped long distances. With a garden in your own backyard, you’ll know it’s local! A good place to start is Tree Hugger’s Gardening Guide. Check it out!
2) Make your own gifts. Alright, we know you’re not in kindergarten anymore and scribbled hand outlines no longer really qualify as presents; but making your
Making your own laundry detergent is fun and VERY cost effective!
own creative, albeit slightly more sophisticated, gift can really make someone feel special. And save you a ton of money. If you’re not all that into arts and crafts, try making a handmade “coupon” for something like free babysitting, dog-walking, or even a home-cooked gourmet meal.
3) Make your own laundry detergent. This might sound like a small thing, but consider this: If you do one load of laundry per day for a year using homemade detergent, that year will cost you about $8.15. If you do the same amount of laundry using Tide with Bleach Alternative, you’ll spend roughly $73. That’s a pretty big difference. Check out the price breakdown and instructions for making your own detergent here.
4) Change a Tire. This is one of those things that everyone should, not only know how to do themselves, but also actually do themselves. If you roll into an
You may not be a Michelangelo, but you can still paint your own room.
automotive shop to get your tire changed, they’ll charge you for the labor, and then they’ll probably laugh at you. So avoid wasting money and embarrassment. Click here for a video to learn how to change that flat.
5) Paint a room. It really isn’t very difficult, and yet everyday people all over the world are hiring professionals to do a basic paintjob on a room in their home. Well, that’s great for the professionals, but if you don’t want to spend a ton of money, you can do it yourself without too much to-do. Here’s a great video and here is a site devoted entirely to the ins and outs of house painting.
6) Sew a button. Rather than take your clothes to a tailor or just buying a new shirt or pair of pants when a button pops off, fix it yourself! Sewing on a button is as easy as… well, sewing on a button. Check it out.
Don't take your garment to a tailor when you can easily sew on your own button.
7) Remove a stain. Once again, doing this yourself is far cheaper than taking a garment to the drycleaners, or just buying a new one. So for those stubborn stains that you just can’t seem to get rid of, click here to find out how.
8) Change your oil. For this one, you’ll need to invest in some basic tools and a couple of jack stands (which generally run under $20.) Even though you’ll have to spend some money to get the tools, in the long run, changing your own oil will save. Consider this: you’re supposed to change your oil every 3,000 miles or so. I just goy my oil changed last week and it cost me over $30! I’ll have to return in about three months to spend another $35. But if I were changing my own oil, the cost of the tools would have already paid for themselves. Click here for a step-by-step video on changing your oil.
If you’re a die-hard Do It Yourself-er, click here for more DIY ideas. This site has everything from recipes and crafts to home improvement tips.
Can you think of anything else that you can do yourself to save cash? Share your ideas below!
Photos Courtesy of: Caroline, Kasia, Morgan, Rob Tiggelman, Fictures, GeishaBoy500, Samarajiva, Jolene Van Laar
Sources: TreeHugger.com, TheSimpleDollar.com, EHow.com, Video.Google.com, House-Painting-Info.com, YouTube.com, EHow.com (Motor Oil), Care2.com, Instructables.com
