9 DIY ideas that will save you money

If you find yourself with more time on your hands than spare money, it may be worth learning how to DIY some of your daily essentials to help boost your savings.

Making things that you usually spend your disposable income on for less money than if you had purchased them will not only help your bottom line but give you a great sense of accomplishment.

While taking on DIY projects is an investment of your time it will free up your cash to put towards longer term savings goals. Here are nine things to start making or doing yourself:  

Cleaning products

Not only will making your own cleaning products save you a whole lot of money in the long run, it’s also a great way to eliminate harmful chemicals from your household and replace them with something a little more natural. There are recipes online to make everything from toilet cleaner to wool wash and most of them use everyday household products such as bicarbonate soda and vinegar as their base. The best part is that you can customise your products using essential oils for different scents, depending on what you like.  

Beauty masks

Before there were reasonably accessible day spas and Sephora stores across the world, women would use natural remedies to keep their skin fresh, blemish free and young. There’s no reason that hundreds of years of natural wisdom should go to waste now, especially when making your own home face masks is just as effective and way cheaper than what’s available in stores. Common kitchen ingredients such as yoghurt, honey and avocados double as beauty basics that will help keep your skin soft and clear.

Haircuts

This is a risky DIY project but for those of us who have relatively easy haircuts to maintain, and a loved one who’s willing to help out, a home haircut could help save hundreds of dollars a year, if not more. This DIY project is particularly good for people who have a fringe that needs constant maintenance or a shaved hairstyle that can be kept clean with a pair of clippers at home.

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Lunches

The temptation to buy a delicious takeaway meal for lunch can be very real for many workers who look forward to it as the highlight of their day. Even though we know that a DIY lunch will save us money, and most likely help our waistline, it might just never seem worth it. The answer to this dilemma is simple: spend time planning lunches that you actually want to eat. If you put in the effort to make meals that you like at home, rather than slapping together something at the last minute that you aren’t interested in eating, you will find that taking your own lunch to work isn’t such a bad thing after all.

Gifts

If you have a skill that can be turned into a gift then you should count yourself lucky and make good use of it. Whether it’s sewing, woodwork, photography or whatever else, making a personalised gift for a loved one is a great way to show you care. While you may end up saving some money as a result, the gift will still take up your time and effort which is a great way of showing the thought and love that went into it.  

Vegetables

A DIY veggie patch is a great way to reduce your weekly grocery bill and minimise your impact on the environment. By getting back to nature and growing in-season vegetables you’re reducing your ecological foot print by cutting out the travel emissions of your food coming to you and the packaging involved. If starting a full blown veggie patch seems a bit beyond you then you can always pick up a variety of herbs from your local nursery and start there.

Coffee

If you made your coffee at home or work every morning, how much would you save? Depending on your level of coffee addiction the answer will vary but for most people, investing in a coffee machine set up could lead to serious savings over time. While it is often the ritual of going out for a coffee in the morning that keeps us going back to the habit, replacing this with a short walk could help with undoing this purchasing routine.

Fertilizer

Once you’ve established your DIY garden and are making DIY coffee at home, you will have unknowingly started your own coffee grounds fertilizer factory. The left over grounds from your machine are great for use in compost or in the garden as they help to improve drainage, water retention and attract microorganisms like earthworms to your veggie patch.

Soda

If you have a soda water or soft drink habit, chances are you’re spending a good chunk of money a month paying for it. Much like coffee, switching to a DIY soda maker that you can keep in the office or at home will be an investment that will pay itself off quicker than you may think. 

Related links

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• Savings account calculator

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