How to Save Money on DIY Home Improvement Projects
DIY home improvement can really be a lot of fun. Choosing new paint colors, reupholstering furniture, installing new blinds, or changing out a light fixture can give you a great sense of satisfaction. However, if you can do the cheap stuff first and do it right, you will get a lot more pleasure out of your home
improvement choice.
Over-Plan Before You Start
Put in the time to figure out what the problem really is. For example, let’s say your kitchen is just too small and you need more storage space. Take the time to prove this to yourself. Inventory
your cabinets. How much is in your cupboards that you actually use, and how much is there
because you don’t know where else to put it?
If you use Grandma’s marble rolling pin, by all means, make room to keep it. However, if your
aunt’s favorite dishes are clogging up your cabinet but you never use them, or if you have 10
coffee cups from a fundraiser and use only 2, it’s time to make some decisions. Kitchen
renovations are disruptive and expensive. If you need one, make a budget. If you can make
your current storage work by getting rid of what you don’t use, you can save money and blood
pressure points.
Get Good Tools
Unfortunately, tools can be quite expensive. It should be noted that professionals often get
better results because they use the best hand tools they can find.
Bargain supplies can yield great results. If you’re putting together a garden planter with pallet
wood, you may love the results. Doing this with just a cheap screwdriver and a claw hammer will
take a long time and a lot of effort. With a drill and a cat’s paw, you can save time and labor.
Keep Tools Clean, Organized, and Sharp
Set up a storage spot for your tools. If you can hang tools or lay them in a drawer on a rubber
mat to keep them from moving around, do so. Never leave a job until everything has been
cleaned up, put away or put on the charger.
Anyone interested in woodworking may be surprised at the price of a good wood chisel or a
quality saw. However, kept sharp and protected from dings, a wood chisel will last you a
lifetime. A cheap saw, particularly a table saw or jigsaw, can be quite dangerous.
Get Out Your Calendar
Talk to your housemates about your DIY schedule. If you work all week and renovate all
weekend, you will quickly come to hate your life and everyone in it. Plan to do DIY projects on a
particular weekend, discuss budgets and determine the best time to tackle the project.
Remember that emergencies come up. Be ready to push back DIY projects, particularly those
that are cosmetic. Additionally, if a DIY project will take both adults in the house and there are
children in the mix, hire a sitter or send the kids out with family or friends. DIY can be quite
dangerous with children around.
If you get offers for help, take them up on it! A friend who wants to learn to patch their walls may
show up and help you paint. A family member who loves your children may be just the person to
bring into the mix if you’re working off a ladder or doing anything with electricity.
Look for Bargains, Points and Discounts
Do your best to save up for your DIY project once you determine what needs to be done. Then
make your supply purchase with a credit card that gives you
● miles for an upcoming trip
● points to a retail establishment you use regularly
● cashback
Pay off the card when the bill comes in with the money you saved up for your DIY project. In this
way, you get something for nothing. You also get a great ding on your credit report by paying off the balance in full.
DIY projects can be started when you have time, but life will be better and easier if you can
finish them quickly. To that end, buy your supplies before you need them. Get good tools that
will last and take very good care of them so you can increase your skills.
