Most people are looking for ways to save money this year to make forward progress on important financial goals such as paying off debt or saving for emergencies. If you’re like a lot of people, you’ve already cut back in spending areas, such as entertainment, that tend to push you over your monthly spending goals.
As a spending oriented society we’ve grown quite used to having things done for us (myself included). There are many things your mom, dad, grandma or grandpa used to do themselves (do it yourself jobs) which didn’t cost them anything more than a little extra time. But companies today have learned to capitalize on the quick pace of life many of us tend to lead.
So, here’s my shot at some do it yourself jobs that can quite commonly be performed without requiring advanced training or unique skills. I think you’ll find you can save a little more money. If you have been paying them you may question why you ever paid to get these things done to begin with!
- Mowing your yard: There are a tremendous amount of yard maintenance companies raking in the cash as soon as the weather starts warming. From fertilizing, trimming the hedges to mowing, these are tasks that most folks can do themselves. Use it as an opportunity to get some fresh air! Monthly Savings: $$-$$$
- Creating your own landscaping design: I’ve always done our own landscaping around the house when we’ve decided to upgrade with more trees or shrubs. Landscaping can be quite costly. But just about anyone can quickly learn to plant a tree or shrubs and certainly flowers. Job Savings: $$$-$$$$
- Washing and ironing your clothes: There is a dry cleaning service on every busy street corner it seems these days. While some clothing requires professional cleaning the majority can be machine washed and ironed. Just read the tag carefully and plan an extra load of laundry per week. Monthly Savings: $$
- Changing the oil in your car: For most automobiles, there really is no secret or special skill required in changing the oil. Yet, there are quick car care companies across the nation with cars lined up outside on Saturday morning. I think it might just be faster to do this at home too! Yearly Savings: $$$
- Washing your car: I will admit having your car washed can be a convenient service, but there is something about being outside in the spring or summertime on a Saturday afternoon washing the car that can be fun. This particular job can be quite costly, especially if you’re getting all the bells and whistles wash. Monthly Savings: $$
Cleaning your house: Years ago a house cleaner was only seen in the wealthiest of neighborhoods. But nowadays, you can find companies serviceing house cleaning needs everywhere. Make it a family event. Schedule one day a week in which the family pitches in and works together to get the house sparkling clean! Monthly Savings: $$$- Painting rooms in your house: If you haven’t asked for an estimate, painting a room in your house can be quite expensive. Doing it yourself can save you hundreds of dollars (maybe more). Painting can be done by almost anyone and can actually be a good way to relax on a weekend afternoon. Just turn on some tunes and get to work! Job Savings: $$$-$$$$
- Performing your own home maintenance and repairs: I think I could write an entire post on this one area. There are plenty of jobs around the house that require little learning to perform them. As a homeowner, I’ve shored this gap up with my Home Depot 1-2-3 book that tells me everything I need to know about doing basic maintenance jobs around the house. I never knew I could repair toilets! Job Savings: $$$-$$$$
Doing your own taxes: Here we are in tax season. How complicated is your situation? Should you do your own taxes? I’ve found performing your own taxes with software such as Turbo Tax is easy. I don’t have to schedule an appointment with a tax professional and the software guides me through the process. Savings: $$$- Performing your own pet grooming: Many families have their favorite pet and take it be groomed by their vet, or other service. While a trip to the spa might be nice for your furry friend, pet grooming can be quite expensive. Monthly Savings: $$-$$$
What are some other common money saving do it yourself jobs you’d like to share with readers? Let us know in the comments!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
When its summer I like to wash my car sometimes, great way to get outside in the nice weather and do something with the day and clean the car too.
What I would advise a reader to do is find a dollar value of time calculator online and figure out how much free time is actually worth. On this list, ironing my own dress shirts is not an effective use of my time/money. I found a local person who can wash and press for a very cost effective amount. Also, with respect to house cleaning, if I could find someone I would trust with a key, I would have someone in in a heartbeat. If only to do the bathrooms, dust, sweep/vacuum/mop floors.
During my average to 2.5 hours of downtime each night, I would rather not clean or dust.
Craig, I agree. In the spring or summer, I’d much rather have the time outside to get the fresh air and of course it saves some money.
Dirac, That’s an interesting thought. I guess it’s all in how much you value your time, right? I suppose someone with less free time may put a higher value on time than others. But, if people are trying to make serious budget cuts to get out of debt or increase savings, the do-it-yourself approach for ironing clothes may be much more valuable (even if it’s not very enjoyable).
Thanks for your thoughts.
I do most of the items on this list, because I started out always having to do them, financially speaking. Since I live in an apartment, I can’t wash my car in the driveway, but I can go through the touchless wash and do it myself. Last night cost about $3, instead of more for an automated wash, or even more to pay someone to do it.
I can do my own laundry (and I don’t iron very often) in-between other tasks. Start a load, work on project, take break from project when buzzer sounds and switch clothes to dryer, return to work, take break and fold/put away clothes.
It’s a whole lot easier to do these activities myself since I never started paying someone to do it. It would be hard to cut have to take up yard work again if I’d gotten out of the habit, I suppose.
However, I’ve saved a fortune!
I am like Matthew. I started out doing all of those things on my own because we simply didn’t have the money to pay anyone else. Now these tasks are ingrained into my psyche (I am a tightwad) so I continue doing most of them myself.
I am fortunate enough to be semi-retired now so there are a couple of exceptions: we occasionally hire a housekeeper to get to the things we can’t or don’t want to do. We also hire out some home repairs that will keep me off the roof or tall ladders.
Yes, I do all the items on the list. Except washing my own car… I let the rain take care of that. :>)
These can be great ways to pick up some extra cash if you can find someone who’ll pay you to do them too.
-Marshall Jones Jr.
Matthew, thanks for sharing your experience. That’s a good point in that you’re already in the habit of doing these things and changing could be challenging. However, if one needs to save money, you’re a great example of how these things can be done; it’s not out of reach.
Joe, I think we can definitely have the exceptions, especially when it’s within our budget limitations.
bondChristian, Wow! Great idea for coming up with a way to make some extra money too. Should I have titled this “Save or Make Money…?”
As for housecleaning, I hire my kids! At ages 13, 10 and 7, they take care of vacuuming, loading and unloading the dishwasher, keeping the bathrooms (fairly) clean, emptying trash and litter box, cleaning out the fridge, mowing, etc. For this and more, they are paid an allowance (more like a wage). It leaves me with the cooking and dad does the laundry and whatever big jobs the kids can’t do (like getting the bathroom truly clean). I think we otherwise do the rest of the stuff on your list. We don’t do car stuff and home repairs have to be minor, or its beyond us.
Great ideas but note that some communities don’t allow washing cars. I know, it is hard to believe but homeowners’ associations have the rule that no one is to do mechanical work and/or wash their own car. We lived in a condo whose HO association forbid and there are many (at least in California) that don’t allow in regular single-family homes. I guess it is “unsightly”. Where we live now, one has to obtain a permit from the HO association to have more than one yard sale a year, there can be no changes to windows that are visible to the streets, satellite dishes have to be placed so they are not visible, etc. Also in areas where there are drought conditions, cities ban car washing since the water just runs down the gutter. At car washes, they recycle the water somehow. Just a heads up – you might want to check with local rules with the powers that be first.