MoneyMindedMoms: DIY Doesn’t Always Save - 5 Tips for Smart DIY Projects

Not all Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects will save you money. If you don’t watch your supply list or plan ahead, you could end up spending more cash as you spend your time trying to save. Here are 5 tips for making sure your craft happiness doesn’t hurt your budget.

1. Do the math. Before you set out to create your own “whatever-it-is,” calculate the costs of supplies you’ll need to make it and compare to the cost of a purchase.

2. Recycle and reuse. Instead of purchasing new supplies, check your current inventory for reusable supplies. You can find some amazing accessories from repurposed clothing, greeting cards and other standard home items. Also be sure to save scraps in an easy to find location for a later date.

3. Don’t let the sales fool you. The “if I buy more now” way of thinking can sneak up and get you just because there’s a great 2 for 1 sale. Unless you’re positive it’s a supply you will use again, don’t buy it. You could find yourself with more supplies than you need, spending more money than you want and taking up storage space with supplies you’ll end up wasting.

4. Just because it’s on-hand doesn’t mean it’s free. Just because a supply is on-hand now (purchased months ago), doesn’t mean it didn’t cost you anything. Make sure to include these items when calculating your DIY costs.

5. Time is always money. You may find that you can make something in 3 hours at half the cost of buying it completely assembled. Make sure you are figuring the cost of your time when figuring your savings. Do you think the 3 hours you spent 3 hours were used wisely?

Bonus tip: Plan ahead! Make sure you know exactly (or pretty close) how much you need for each of your supplies. Practice with cheaper material if your project is something new to you. The last thing you want is to spend money on a project, make a silly mistake and have to make more purchases.

DIY projects can be a great way to save if you approach them with all the information in hand. Watch for sales on supplies and plan your project time well. Not only will you find that you can create beautiful items for your home or to give us gifts but you’ll also feel satisfied in having created something with success.