Fixing Things Yourself Is Always a Good Idea
We’ve all heard about the cost-of-living crisis in the country right now. The prices of everyday essentials like milk, eggs, and bread have gone up by approximately 5% since just last year. To help you through this, here are a few classic DIY skills that you should consider re-learning to save some much needed cash.
Basic Carpentry
Broken table leg? No need to call a contractor. All you need is a saw, a few nails, and some wood glue. Learning how to fix and build things around the house can save you from ever-increasing furniture and labour costs.
Home Canning
If Meemaw did it in the 50s, so can you. Canning fresh fruits and vegetables at home helps them stay fresh and edible for longer, preventing food waste and reducing your dependence on expensive canned imports.
Basic Plumbing Repairs
At a time when fixing a leaky faucet can cost up to $150, learning how to take care of your own plumbing can go a long way in cutting costs. Whether you rent or own, it's time for you to pick up a wrench and get your hands dirty.
Sewing and Mending Clothes
Temu, Shein, and other Chinese retailers have given us a never-ending supply of cheap clothes, but they are only going to burn a bigger hole in your pocket long term. To truly save, you need to learn to fix and mend the clothes you already have rather than buying new every other week.
Gardening for Food
The USDA has said that fresh vegetable prices might go up by about 2.5% in 2025. While growing your own vegetables is a time-consuming process, it’ll help you significantly cut down your grocery bills while also giving you the joy of eating something you’ve grown yourself.
Sharpening Tools
Do you throw out a knife every time it gets dull? Or do you pay $20 to have it sharpened at the hardware store? Either way, you should probably consider getting your own sharpening tools. Yes, it’s an investment but in the long-run, it proves to be more economical.
Knitting and Crocheting
Do you miss Grandma’s Christmas sweaters? Well, you can always ask her to teach you how to make one. Knitwear available in stores today usually falls apart after only a few wears. Rather than shelling money to Chinese retailers, buy some good wool and knit something that can last as long as you live.
Basic Electrical Fixes
Have a broken light bulb or switch? Fixing it is easier than it sounds. All you’ll need is a trip to the hardware store and maybe an hour of your time. Basic electrical fixes are easy and inexpensive to do yourself and help cut down a major home owning cost.
Furniture Refinishing
With just a little varnish, grandpa’s old desk will look as good as new and will save you hundreds of dollars! With today’s astronomically high furniture costs, refinishing old, loved pieces can help you prolong their life and make them look nice and neat.
Making Homemade Cleaners
Household cleaning supplies can seem like a small expense, but they add up over time. It can cost up to $100 a month—that is $1200 a year— to buy dish soap and cleaning liquid. Home-made cleaners can be made from everyday items like vinegar and baking soda without much added expense.
Fixing Small Engines
Lawnmowers, chainsaws, and snowblowers all have small engines that can and do malfunction. Repairing these can burn a huge hole in your pocket. Replacing them is even more expensive. Learning how to fix these yourself only requires a few tools and a couple of hours from your day.
Raising Your Own Chickens
In an economy where a single whole chicken can cost up to $10 and a dozen eggs can cost up to $6, raising your own backyard chickens can seem like a steal deal. While yes, it’ll take time and effort, you’ll always have a steady supply of high-quality protein.
Composting
Why spend $20 on fertilizers for your garden when your lunch waste can give you the same thing for free? Composting not only helps cut down on your waste, but it's an all-around helpful process that saves money and improves the environment.
Fixing Appliances
You don’t need to pay someone $150 to tighten a few screws in your washing machine. With a little time, patience, and practice, you can do it yourself! Learning to fix and maintain everyday household appliances can go a long way in boosting your savings.
Painting and Patching
There is always that one wall that’s a little faded that you want to fix but it costs too much to have a painter over for a day to fix one wall. Well, buy a can of paint and a roller and finish that wall up yourself.
Candle Making
Candles are a good source of light, heat, and scents, but store-bought candles can cost anywhere between $10-$30 a pop. A pound of beeswax, on the other hand,d on average costs $5 and can make four to six candles at a time. Right now, candle making truly is an incredibly useful hobby.
Dehydrating Foods
Like canning, dehydrating also helps foods stay fresh and usable for longer. While it has a larger up-front cost, it can significantly reduce your weekly grocery bills over time and help you use fresh produce for longer.
Making Firewood and Kindlings
Last winter, the average price of heating a home was anywhere between $600 and $3000. This year, these prices are only going up because of the tariffs on petrol and natural gas. Making firewood from trees on your property or from forests can help you save a small fortune this winter.
Basic Welding
Say you have a broken fence on your property. The average cost of fixing it would be around $400. If you decide to weld it yourself, it’ll cost about $200. All things considered, if you are safe and know what you’re doing, making minor welding repairs can be a huge help in your property maintenance expenses.
Homemade Pasta Making
All you need to make fresh pasta is some flour and a few eggs. Store-bought pasta on the other hand costs a ton and is full of preservatives. If pasta is a regular hit on your menu, putting in fifteen minutes to make it from scratch helps you cut down your grocery expenses.
Rainwater Collection
Collecting and storing rainwater (especially if you live in places like Hawaii, Washington, or Mississippi) is an easy way to cut down on your monthly utility bills. You can then use this water in your vegetable garden, or to wash clothes and dishes.
Basic Bicycle Repairs
With gas and electricity prices on the rise, biking everywhere might just be what we have to do. Taking the time out to learn how to maintain and repair your bike is an easy way to save both gas and repair prices for your daily commute.
