One of the pillars of frugal living is a philosophy of DIY (do it yourself). Frugal people are independent and possibly stubborn. The frugal people that I know are hard-working and are willing to try and fix something themselves, rather than to pay someone to come and do the job. DIY projects range from sewing on a misplaced button – to putting down your own wood floors – and everything in between. My husband and I come from a long line of DIYers. I bet your family is the same way. If you ask your grandmother, she’ll probably tell you many stories of the old days and how they used things up. A frugal person never wants to waste anything. They’ll save scraps of fabric and scraps of wood. The philosophy is, “I might need this someday”. And, they’re often right. Little scraps of fabric are perfect for quilts or doll clothes. Scraps of wood can be made into a bird house or toy for the grandkids. DIYers are not afraid of tackling a new problem. Many people around them (usually spouses) may warn them that they can’t do it, or that it’s too dangerous. I just might be one of those spouses. My husband has taught himself so many things: putting down oak floors, sanding them, staining them, and finishing them. He’s built and finished concrete driveways and completely finished an unfinished basement. I don’t take on such difficult physical projects, but have tried many things around the house, too. I’ve planted gardens, made slipcovers, sewn clothing for the family, and sewn on plenty of buttons. Painting all the walls of our various homes would always fall on my shoulders, until my back pain made it impossible. Over the years, we’ve saved thousands of dollars by doing things ourselves. If we didn’t know how to do something, we asked people questions, watched youtube, taken classes, and read books. With the internet, it’s so easy to find tutorials for almost any project. Because of this philosophy, our family was able to enjoy many things that we otherwise ,couldn’t afford. Doing things yourself will help you discover your creative side. Families can grow stronger when they put their heads together and work out a problem. Even though it would be easier to just write a check and pay a professional, there is great satisfaction in doing it yourself. If you have ideas for projects, but can’t afford them, make a plan for DIY. Of course, there are some things that might not save you money to do it yourself. That’s why it’s important to plan and research everything involved. Find out all the costs involved before you begin a project. But, if the money saved is worth it, go ahead. What are some of your favorite things to do? What projects have you tackled? I hope you enjoy doing it yourself and saving money, too! @2019, copyright Lisa Ehrman
