Baby Steps -- and a Few Giant Leaps -- Towards Saving
Intro: Baby Steps -- and a Few Giant Leaps -- Towards Saving
Lots of subjects have been covered in this money saving contest, including my favorite dumpster diving, saving old stuff for parts, or just consuming less. Here are a few of the things I do which I haven't seen (and I apologize for the repetitions if you already have described some of my tips and secrets).
Not all are DIY -- some involve products to buy which will save you money in the long run -- but I've only included those if they really save you a lot, and might even change your life like the next step changed mine....
STEP 1: Selzer!
I'd thought of building some sort of seltzer making set-up, and found a few descriptions of how to do it, but they all seemed too involved, (and dangerous) to be practical for me. Then I found the soda club, and it did, literally, change my life. In a way it is DIY because I now make the selzer... I don't need to carry the weight or pay for the water. I use tap water (transported via the force of gravity) and just pay for the bubbles -- about 20 cts per liter. Not only do I save a whole lot, but I don't have to carry the water and I never run out! Safe, easy, cheap. What more can you ask for?
STEP 2: Renovation
Reuse. When I tore down the bathroom walls I saved the old tiles and used them as a backsplash in the kitchen. I also saved the accessories (toilet paper holder, etc) and put them into the new wall.
Give away. When I tore out the kitchen cabinets, even though they weren't so great I found somebody who would take them for free. I found a scrap metal guy who picked up the huge old bathtub. Not only were these people glad to have the stuff, I saved hundreds of dollars the contractor would have charged to cart them away...
Find free stuff. There's the aforementioned dumpster diving, online resources such as Craigslist, but if you make friends with your architect and contractor (or if your friends and family happen to be architects and contractors), ask them for stuff they're tearing out of their other projects. I got a free stove, dishwasher and a butcherblock countertop (in addition to smaller things like door hinges, handles, mirror, light fixtures, doorbell, etc).
And of course, do as much as you can yourself... but beware of false savings! It would have cost me more to rent the floor sanding equipment and supplies than it cost to pay someone else to do the job (better and faster, too). That might be because I would also have had to rent a car to get the equipment. Still, figure in all your costs before you decide to do everything yourself.
STEP 3: Hope
Put your power warts onto a power strip and turn them off when you don't need them!
STEP 4: Car Tires
STEP 5: Bike Riding
STEP 6: Excercise
STEP 7: Weddings
Don't do it! You can still get married (the so-called marriage tax isn't true, being married does save you money), but elope instead of hosting a bunch of people you don't even know.
I used to edit wedding videos -- what some people spend on weddings could buy them a house! I know first hand because I was living off of them...
You might think now it's what you've always dreamed of, but in less than a year you'll be shelving all those pictures, the video, and you'll never think of that extravaganza again (unless you're still paying off the debt). It's not worth it.
(Update: you eloped but you can still celebrate with a DYI wedding cake!)
STEP 8: Washing
I also make my own cleaning products. It's quick, easy, cheap and green!
I'll be testing my own high borax mix for h.e. washers and I'll publish that when it's ready....
Update: don't try the high borax mix! In high concentration, borax will form crystals -- you don't want those clogging up your washing machine pipes.
STEP 9: Drying
There are some good instructables for building a clothesline, but they are all addressed to those lucky enough to have a yard... For apartment dwellers (albeit those lucky enough to have laundry in their apartment or building), the commercial solution pictured here no longer exists, but I found this similar one:
drying rack
This can go anywhere, you don't necessarily need a laundry room... a very large closet, a hallway, the bathroom, even your bedroom. I wouldn't put it in the kitchen though, unless you never cook.
I'm sure this could also be a DIY project... after all, it's only a few pulleys, a couple bars, cable and a crank... But that last item was why I opted for the commercial solution. You could theoretically replace the crank with a cleat and pull your bars up and down, but the crank makes it much, much easier. When you're doing laundry every two or three days, it makes a difference. A bar full of wet clothes is pretty heavy. Plus by the time you've bought all the separate items, I'm not sure you'll have saved that much money...
As you can see I do still have a dryer, but it uses gas (more efficient and cheaper to run), and it's useful for sheets and towels. Hang the rest!
STEP 10: Cleaning
Make rags -- cut up your old Tshirts and moisten them with warm water... that's all you'll need for dusting (trust me, I live right next to a highway so I know all about dust...).
Don't buy softener -- plain white vinegar works just as well (and it won't smell)
Forget the $10 carpet cleaner (even though I'll admit the foam is kind of fun) -- spray your carpet with water, sprinkle it with Borax (20 Mule Team is in any supermarket with the laundry supplies), wait for it to dry and vacuum. Not only will you get the dirt, you'll also kill the fleas...
Click here for some good and very cheap cleaning supply recipes.
STEP 11: Learn to Cut Hair
Just two pieces of advice:
The fist time you cut someone's hair, choose a subject who is older than 14 (younger than that they tend to move and jump around too much), not too vain, and preferably broke. That way you'll be forgiven for any mistakes.
If you don't want to cut your own hair, don't enlist someone who appears to be nervous. I was once left with half a haircut after my improvised hairdresser panicked and refused to finish the job...
STEP 12: Don't Sponsor Hallmark
Here's an instructable for making this pop-up dove, or you can find many other free (or very cheap) templates to download from my website.
STEP 13: Don't Sponsor Big Pharmaceutical Companies
STEP 14: And Also Make Your Own Toys
Check out these ideas for turning empty bottles into toys.
If you like paper craft, you can download my popup kitchen to make a very cheap and portable toy. Or go all the way and make a whole pop-up paper house, sturdy enough for real play. It also comes apart and folds flat for storage (this one isn't free, but it is a whole lot cheaper than any other fully furnished doll house you can find).
Here's another cheap toy idea: I used to play this game surreptitiously during class on notebooks or scrap paper, so I was horrified when I saw "Battleship" for sale as an expensive toy with hundreds of small plastic pieces -- all you need is a pencil and some paper, but drawing the grid can be tedious so I made this PDF file which can be downloaded and printed.
STEP 15: Let There Be Light
Here are links to two lights I've designed:
Can reading lamp
Mahogany bed light
You will find many more designs and ideas all over instructables and the web.
STEP 16: The Next Generation
A few years ago, when the boy in this picture was only 5 years old, he became very angry at me. He went around the apartment, turning on every single light.
"What are you doing?" I asked, trying not to sound as annoyed as I was.
"I am wasting energy!" he said, furiously. He knew that it was the best way to get back at me -- and he never guessed how much his answer had pleased me.
42 Comments
PhantomOfHeat 9 years ago
To prevent the smell Leave the door partially open at all times when not in use so there will be an air exchange helping dry it out and prevent mold.
If you will not be using the washer for sometime like going out of town for two weeks I would recommend doing a load with bleach (vinegar might work) then when the load is done set it to spin and drain. That will push more water out. Remove the load and wipe the inside out throw the towel in with the wet clothing and dry. Do not forget to leave the washer door open till your next load.
fresnelman90 12 years ago
I am currently a lighting technology student, and i am a huge supporter of where LED lighting is heading, and the only thing that has kept me away is the $20 price tag. Theoretically, the energy efficiency coupled with the long life of the LED source should recoup the cost, but i have learned to be skeptical of theories on paper. How does this real world application stand up to theory?
belsey 12 years ago
BubamaraMama 12 years ago
*Lessons: Military hair is great. If you totally screw up, you can just shave it or switch to a jar-head Marine look, haha. Lie and say you lost a bet if you must go to the shave. Also, start with someone with straight hair. Waves are little more intimidating.
Now I'm in marriage #2, and have 3 little boys (4 and under!) and a hard working husband. Still poor. Still cutting hair at home!
*Lessons: Little boys aren't that hard.
I started with scissors at 15 months, until they were old enough (around 2 y.o.) to not mind the clippers. It helps when they've seen the clippers used on Dad, and let them feel it on their skin of the hand or something first. A lot like preparing for the dentist!
They will be wiggly, but it's still workable. Let them do something REALLY AWESOME while you cut their hair, esp. the first few times. My first time cutting a child's hair, I put a chair in front of my dresser (with mirror) and let him dig through some non-valuable jewelry (WOW!!) while I snipped away. Major success. Or, in front of a sink in the bathroom with a soap crayon in hand. Now they are older, I can let them watch a movie while I clip and snip away (I am a low-tv parent, so this is a treat).
Again, if you really screw up, just clipper it really short or shave it if you have to, and tell them they are playing Army. =D Keep a positive attitude, it rubs off.
*Cheap and easy Ladies' hair: let it grow!! Nothing is faster or cheaper than long hair! My hair is classic length (bottom of bum) and it takes me about TEN SECONDS for my usual hairdo. Really!! Much faster to twist it into a bun and secure with a hair stick than do all that drying, curling/straightening, fussing, applying product, etc. that most ladies are wasting time and money with. Not to mention the salon costs and time!!
Go to the Long Hair Community forum for instructions on how to trim your long hair yourself and instructions on different hair styles if you need ideas.
Spaceman Spiff 14 years ago
Dudely 12 years ago
lady4feet 13 years ago
slava varenya 13 years ago
blrichardson 14 years ago
Tankgirl9176 14 years ago
aseaheru 13 years ago
its still loded with chemicals that dont work or are unsafe
tincanz 14 years ago
blrichardson 14 years ago
lisascout 14 years ago
Solderguy 14 years ago
belsey 14 years ago
blrichardson 14 years ago
blrichardson 14 years ago
blrichardson 14 years ago
edfel01 14 years ago