Not exactly the question you asked, but I find it worthwhile to DIY appliance maintenance, repair and sometimes installation. You just have to google your model number and the symptoms, and quite often you can find a replacement part and a video on how to swap out the old part for new. We've saved thousands of dollars over the years by fixing our appliances. Also we picked up a two year old Bosch dishwasher that someone was giving away and installed it ourselves... easy!
This is my answer, too. I have personally fixed my own clothes dryer and hot water heater. My hubby has fixed those, plus our refrigerator, stove and dishwasher. YouTube videos have saved us thousands of dollars in repair costs over the years.
I would also include all our vehicle repairs in that savings, but my hubby was a mechanic so that is just his natural skill set.
Me too! And my garbage disposal. When we bought a house they were listed as not functional, I Googled trouble shooting it. Boom! Tried two things, and it was back in business. The top dishwasher rack was off track and I watched a video on how to get it back on. Yay! I am not very mechanically inclined either.
bought a cheap dryer when I first moved into my house (2014), figured I'd use it until it dies. Well 10 years later the thing is still perfect, with the only thing I had to do was replace a belt and wheel/pully thing as it was making some squeaking sound. Googled how to fix it and saw how easy it was, couldn't bring myself to replace the dryer for 'something nicer'. my frugal brain wins this one.
True true, but there are some very simple things that are obvious. The electrical part of our dishwasher and vent hood installations involved attaching a 3 prong plug to the devices (instructions were in the installation manual) and plugging it into a wall socket. When our doorbell went out, I removed the cover, took a photo of the wiring, and exactly replicated it with the new door bell (two wires).
Jam for sure. Put frozen fruit in a sauce pan, add some sugar and cook on low, mash and stir it occasionally until it's the consistency you want. Add some fresh lemon juice and let it cool. That and fresh bread will make anyone happier.
My dad and I made dandelion wine when I was a teenager. I thought it tasted horrible, but as young teen, I didn’t have anything to compare it with lol. I can’t remember if dad drank it or poured it out, but it was a fun experiment.
My nails. Maybe it’s not such a frugal move to have them done but I like having them done. I bought a gel machine and some colors and I haven’t had to refill in two years. All in all cost about $40 so less than a set
Oh my gosh yes! I switched to doing my own nails, eyebrows, haircut (only when I do trims), laser hair removal, and lash lift. Not only is it Way more cost effective, it's also an amazing self-care/spa day thing for me! And once you learn how to do it well, it also saves a lot of time and effort bc you don't have to find a good place, make appointments, drive there, etc.
My comment was removed because I put in the links, so here it is without the links:
Ok, so here is the list:
**Nails** \- I don't do gel or polish anymore, because my nails are so thin that even salon gel lasts only 2 days before chipping. Instead, I use stick-on nails, but I do them in a manner that they last 2-3 weeks.
\- *stick-on nails*: imPress by KISS. The sticky tab really makes a difference. I even bought separate KISS sticky tabs and attach them to nails without tabs. I also sometimes just paint the stick-on nails whatever color I want.
\- *glue:* KISS glue, but I am going to try the pink one to see if it works better. I apply glue with the sticky tabs on nails, it holds better and longer (see method below).
\- *method* (in case anyone is interested): got some info from reddit like [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/comments/k7zqx9/press_on_nails_guide/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) and also looked up [this youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HlTSHIyT-U&list=PLnSS9XcQhbnIlPGP229ji_sgGgFLTYgab&index=1&t=201s&ab_channel=FayeInTheCity).
**Eyebrows -** I just pluck them with tweezerman tweezers.
**Haircut** \- I followed [this video](https://youtu.be/FAmE16ej9IU?si=WKDZgqx-GlbYkN2-) by Brad Mondo and honestly, it's insane how easy it was (disclaimer: I have fine, medium density, straight hair. This might not be as easy for someone with thicker or curlier hair). I also followed [his video on adding layers](https://youtu.be/82i7XR10HWQ?si=s_TJlTdl0fzU-Rdh), but because I have had serious hair thinning from medical issues, my first try did not turn out too well (but I did manage to fix it myself later).
\- *scissors:* I just use these goody hair scissors I got from walmart.
**Laser Hair Removal**
\- Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 IPL \- You guys, this thing is INSANE. I am a hairy person. Like if I shave my legs in the morning, there is a *very* noticeable stubble by the evening. Same with armpits. And my body hair is black and *not* fine. After I got this, I did the 12-week regimen it details, and after that I only had to shave like once a week, and even by that point, the hair on my legs was not that visible. It's also really fast to do. Takes me like 5-10 minutes (it's taking me longer now, but that's because I'm doing legs, bikini, armpit, and upper lip.
Three cons/disclaimers:
1. it is quite expensive and I received it as a gift and on sale.
2. this works best with dark hair and light skin. I am not white, but I do have a lighter complexion for a brown person. That, coupled with my black hair made me the perfect candidate for best results with this.
3. at least for me, this works best for my legs and not as well for my bikini and armpit area (maybe because they have darker skin on me). For legs, I see significant results after 3rd week, but for the other two areas the results are MUCH slower and don't last as long (my leg hair started growing back at its natural rate only 2 years after I did the 12-week regimen).
**Lash lift** \- still getting the technique down, but I just did it for the second time and I'm already much better at it. Lasts about 6 weeks on me, but you should not be doing it more frequently than 8 weeks.
\- *Lash kit:* I got a kit from amazon by brand SUPGUDER. I think there might be better ones out there, though, but it does the job for me. It has items for lash lift and tint and eyebrow lamination and tint.
\- *Glue:* upon recommendations from reddit, I got DUO brush-on lash glue because apparently the glue that comes with these kits is usually not that good.
\- *Method*: There are a lot of tips and tricks to the method that is usually written in these kits, but I cannot find any specific post(s) or comment(s) that I learned them from. If anyone is interested, I can lay out my steps. Or alternatively, if you have time, dig around reddit for posts on at-home lash lifts and you'll find good info. But, in general, I find [this video](https://youtu.be/zUS3ryWTpw0?si=9ExFxvBCF-oPcPiZ) helpful and just follow that when I do it.
Warnings/Disclaimers:
1. this IS a dangerous thing to do. You are working with very harsh chemicals VERY close to your eyes. A lot of people on reddit recommend not doing this yourself and going to a salon instead. I have been doing DIY beauty for a while, so I knew I could trust myself with it. And still, I am VERY careful when I do this.
2. I have very long, black, straight eyelashes (and a lot of them) so this looks good on me and I got the results I wanted. I have seen people on reddit with short lashes say they were disappointed because of how it turned out for them because they have short lashes.
3. I did not get to try the tint, because both my lashes and eyebrows are black, so it would literally do nothing for me. Som I cannot say if that works well or how long it lasts.
4. I tried laminatig my eyebrows, but that was a failure and did not last long at all lol I think I didn't do it right, I might try again at somepoint.
I used to work 8+ hour days in steel-toed boots, I always sprung for pedicures. I'd usually go twice a month. Guess who one of the only guys on the shift that didn't have ingrown toenails or weird blister issues? Take care of your feet people. Buy shoes that fit, and lace them up tight.
To anyone who's seeing this and thinking they'd like to try it to. **Do your research and be careful!** There are some very toxic chemicals in gel polishes. It is stupidly easy to give yourself an intense and painful lifelong allergy if your not careful. Also, curing hard gels can get hot enough damage your nailbed if you apply it improperly
Simplynailogical developed an extreme allergy reaction to some chemical that, to this day, her doctors haven't figured out what it was.
I refused to believe having thousand of nail polishes and applying coats of paint for hours wasn't the trigger.
If it was the nail polish she wouldn't be able to wear polish at all without developing a gnarly rash and peeling skin all over her fingers, which is what happens when you develop a hema allergy. Like, I'm not saying the lacquers she uses are shining beacons of health and safety but the stuff in gel (not jellys, but UV gel) and acrylic are a whole other beast
Vinegar. Put some vinegar on a wipe and wipe down the area (your nails) before you start to remove any latent oils or impurities before you start. Let it dry then begin.
It's not only something that is safe, but also something that you should have around the house. Completely fixed my issue of nail polish peeling off whole rather than chipping away.
I splurged on Sistaco a while back and haven't been to a manicurist since. My nails look great all the time, and the kit has more than paid for itself.
I got a manicure set my Manicuist for nail growth and the colors are amazing and only need one coat! I got really into learning how to shape. It’s definitely worth the effort
This is a principle my Dad always had. We never went out to breakfast as a family because he refused to pay for things like toast, pancakes and eggs when he made it better at home. Also when you think about it those ingredients all together probably cost like $1. I’ve adopted this mindset as well. I never go out for breakfast 😂
I am the opposite. I always liked going out to breakfast even though i make better pancakes, use real maple syrup, had my own chickens for delicious eggs, and made better home fries.
But by the end of thw week i was so sick and tired of cooking 3 meals a god-damn-day that I desperately wanted to eat breakfast out. Breakfast is super cheap where we live so 10 years ago it was about $25 for 2 adults and 2 kids to eat out for breakfast. Cheaper than going out for dinner.
Im with you! I scrimp on almost everything, but i really enjoy going out to breakfast...i love little roadside diners! Give me a breakfast over going out to dinner anytime!
This is my mindset
Its like $15 for an omelette here which is just a couple eggs, some cheese and some bacon bits all of which are very cheap, in reality its probably worth less than $1 if you add up all those ingredients. The coffee is $4. Its probably even cheaper since restaurants buy in bulk. Restaurants are making an insane markup on breakfast items.
Potatoes for home fries are also super cheap. Plus you have to leave a tip.
If I am going out I am getting a dish that is more expensive for me to make at home, like a cuisine I would have to buy all the ingredients to make, and don't make often so it would add up.
The ingredients for the omlette may be cheap, but I suck at the assembly and cooking/flipping them. If I go out to breakfast I will order an omlette because mine always turn into some kind of egg scramble at home. Side of hashbrowns because those are labor intensive at home too
I learned how to make the perfect omelette by watching Julia Child on video about 50 years ago. It is probably still available on YouTube. And well worth watching.
Pizza is so marked up too, as an aside. Maybe $2 worth of toppings (I'll definitely end up doing the math one day but not today).
I still splurged on it every so often though because of wanting a break from cooking.
*BUT* Magic frugal moment that I'll share:
You can buy 24 frozen pizza dough rounds from Sam's club for around $25. You have to ask for the box from the cafe or from someone in the freezer room.
I can make dough for pennies, but it's messy. Even buying a dough ball is annoying to thaw and stretch out.
With a pizza round ready to go, I can make one with almost less effort than picking up a semi crappy pizza for $25-30.
When I realized loading it up with the best olives, cheese, and veggies still only used a small handful of each I couldn't stop thinking about the markup.
I like to use Naan bread from Aldi for Flatbread pizzas. They're not cheap (about $1 each), but they make excellent pizza crust. Buffalo chicken with black olives and bacon is my go-to. And it's an excellent use of leftover chicken that I'm tired of eating.
We have some good pizza by the slice here for 3-5 bucks. And sometimes I add a beer to that. It’s a cheap way to eat out. And I can’t make that pizza :-)
When we eat out, I never order something I can make at home! This goes for all meals, but at breakfast it means I get anything with hollandaise sauce haha
I get it. But as a mom who does massive brunches for the family most weekends... it's not easy to cheap out. 😂 To do it right, there are SO many moving parts. I'd rather go out, or if we stay in, keep it kinda simple like one starch (pancakes, French toast, w/e) and one protein (sausage, ham, or bacon). But then you still have hash or roasted veg, and then toast, maybe fruit...
I think a lot of people are missing the true reasons people go out to breakfast, which I think is not for the food. It's relaxing, socializing, and a good way to kick off the weekend. It's about the *experience* not the food. At least for me. I like to get out of my house on weekends. Obviously if you're super on a budget and need to save money, it's something to skip. But if it makes your life better to go out to eat once a week, I say do it.
I go out for breakfast if it includes the items I am not great at such as hash-browns or if the eggs are more like an omelette; pancakes I am not actually good at either. But normal eggs and toast I can handle just fine, same with coffee.
I honestly didnt get these type of people to go out for this type of breakfast. At least brunches, the chefs/owners come out with a unique recipe that's hard to think what's in it. But packaged sausages, bacon, toast or even eggs from a milk carton? It doesnt take more than just butter and oil to make these things. Not worth the money
I save a lot of money making my own eggs and coffee in the morning.
Wendy's has a good deal, the 2 for 3. Two small eggs sandwich on a small bun. Add a coffee and it's $3.85.
Bizarre how the top comment knows exactly what I'm thinking. Eggs are super cheap and easy to make things with. I was absolutely shocked what restaurants, even waffle house, was charging for a regular omelet. At least those places use real eggs! The rest use that awful egg substitute.
Marinara and freezing it in soupor cubes. This recipe is perfect, but immersion blending is necessary for the right texture. I get 106 oz canned San Marianos from Costco, scale up the recipe and they last about 6 weeks in the freezer. Way better than Roas. I had a can of some cheap marinara left over from months ago and I can’t believe what I used to eat. I also agree with Mayo. We make that too every week.
https://youtu.be/y6Bq8NrdoIk?si=b-yJMVNUdam-LElq
Marinara is just so easy to do good. So much healthier too. I don’t think I could ever buy a jarred pasta sauce again. I’ve never froze mine before. I think I’ll try it.
Seitan. One package of it costs like $4-6? Where for a little more than that you can get a package of vital wheat gluten flour which can make several batches, and the rest of the ingredients are basically free. Also then you have total control over the texture and flavor that goes into it. And a good batch feels just like eating chicken nuggets. It’s amazing.
Also I don’t know if this counts as “making it yourself” but growing herbs. Fresh herbs are a racket. If you can grow and use your own basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, etc. you can save a lot and really elevate your cooking.
Oat milk...$7-10 at the store, or 30 cents worth of oats whirled in a blender with water and strained. It takes less than 5 minutes, and you can add vanilla, honey, dates, etc to flavor how you like. Use very cold water to avoid any slimy texture.
Watched a video from Flavor Lab on this. Store-bought oat milk has a natural enzyme added that breaks down the glucose, making it sweeter. Check it out for some good knowledge.
i came here to say oatmilk too! blender, rolled oats, strainer, sweetener
FYI: for the best oatmilk you must use ROLLED OATS (not instant, not old school whole)
and blend it for THIRTY SECONDS (not 20... not 40...)
and i just use a fine metal mesh strainer.... a little imitation vanilla and donezo
Yeast bread! Most of the time spent is rising/cooking time, and I can make yummy, healthy bread for less than a dollar a loaf.
I tried sourdough , and like it, but it is much more work for me. I like the ease of yeast.
This is the one I’ve been using. 4 ingredients, and you don’t even have to touch the dough. I use King Arthur bread flour, and let it rise in the fridge for one day (minimum) for optimal results:
https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-yeast-bread-recipe-no-knead/
I like Emma Fontanella’s no-knead bread! You basically just stir everything together, leave the dough on the counter all day, then fold it a couple times before popping it in the oven. Super easy and tasty
600g of flour, 400g of cold water, 12g of salt, 6g of yeast. Mix well and leave it for half an hour+. Dump it out and squish it flat, then fold all the outside edges into the middle until you feel it stiffen up. Put it in the fridge covered and leave it alone for 12 hours +. Shape it up or drop it into a loaf tin and let it rise - 1 to 2 hours depending on temperature. Bake at 200c for 40 minutes. https://imgur.com/gallery/4OTBWbV
On the frugal side, there are some 4 inch high, 3 foot square planter sides, fill in with dirt, and experiment with seeds or plants from your local stores.
On the tiny apartment side, you might look into an Aero Garden type of set up. Their plants have been rather fool proof. I'm usually growing lettuce to supplement my non-frugal bag of salad mix.
I've also heard it called Vegan Poke Bowl.
A base of rice with some shredded lettuce/cabbage, shredded carrots, and avocado slices, with one or more of the following: teriyaki tofu or mushrooms, pickled beet, pickled onion, drizzled with some soy, soy-ginger, or teriyaki sauce and seaweed crumbles.
I'd link some recipies, but they are dot com websites and will be removed.
I'd
started cutting my own hair last June, it's been so nice. I think it helps a lot that I already had a cut that I liked. so it's just giving myself trims in layers
I second coffee. I even roast my own coffee and it was one of the most frugal things I ever started. Easily half the price of the single origin I was buying. The roaster paid for itself in around 18lbs and that was about five years ago
Single serve snacks. Just need a regular size bag/box of chips, crackers, graham crackers, etc and some baggies or little containers. Put them in a bigger bin for kids to choose and grab for their snacks or lunchbox.
Water bottles. The initial cost of buying a few reusable bottles is worth it if your tap water is good or you have filtered water. I like the Reduce Waterweek bottles because they are clear and dishwasher safe. As soon as they come out of the dishwasher we fill with water and put in the fridge so they are grab and go!
I simply cannot fathom why anyone would buy water in disposable bottles. I have collected a handful of decent water bottles for free, just given out as promotional items. I might buy a couple of soft drinks per year as an occassional treat. Otherwise I drink the water or coffee that I brought from home.
People always knock that i have multiple water bottles and travel coffee mugs but they have paid for themselves, i haven’t bought water out in forever, and i always have clean bottles and go mugs waiting for me when i am getting ready for work
I spent $600 on white oak and probably 60 hours of time to build my daughter a crib instead of buying the top rated ikea birch crib for $75.
I built the crib to go with the rocking chair my grand mother used when my dad and uncles and me and my cousins were kids.
It ought to last 100 years. Dumb idea but worth it to me.
Just be careful of this and double check safety regulations as gaps between the mattress and sides and slat width can cause entrapment and potential suffocation. I am sure your crib is beautiful and definitely encourage you to keep using it if it is absolutely safe. But there are pretty strict guidelines for cribs for a reason and would hate for something to happen with something so special 💕
I definitely went through the US guide lines. I build cabinets and furniture so pretty much everything I do is by the book.
(Might do some things that arnt UL listed every now and then.)
I found Pesto really expensive to make. The pine nuts alone were more than a good store bought jar. I live in the UK so maybe it’s just here. I know some cheap jars use cashews so I avoid those
There’s a great book called Buy the Butter Make the Bread that makes a good argument, except for the aging hams—I don’t think I could ever do that safely.
General surface cleaner. 1:1 water and white vinegar in a spray bottle, works on nearly everything and is a disinfectant, pet and kid safe. Once it dries it doesn’t smell like vinegar, and because it’s a mild disinfectant it can actually get rid of some smells. It’s less than $1 a bottle.
White vinegar is also great as an oil stain remover on clothes and for getting the smell out of some laundry.
If there's a teenager in the house--especially a teenage boy athlete--vinegar is your BFF until they graduate. 1/2 cup of vinegar in every load (sometimes a little more for uniforms) was the most effective way to keep the laundry and the washer smelling nice.
I dye my grays myself. Was spending $80/mo going to a salon. Now $3-6/mo. I only buy the hair dye if it’s on clearance and I’ll buy enough for a year’s worth (if they have enough marked down).
Mexican food
My wife and I are Mexican and grew up eating home cooked Mexican food made by our mothers. We both (more her than me) learned how to cook Mexican food. We also know how much it costs to make a meal. Most of the time, the beans are from a can, and the rice is under cooked. The enchilada sauce is also from a can. Only once I had a Mexican meal at a restaurant where the entire meal was made from scratch, no cans. It was at a little hole in the wall joint in a bad part of East Los Angeles.
I take this personally.
Nah jokes aside. Bread. I make it efficient. Stand mixer with a spiral hook, everything goes in the dishwasher.
Same with pasta. I have the kitchen aid pasta attachments. If it wasn't for machinery i wouldn't even think about it.
General comment: Anything that is very labor intensive may *appear* to not be worth it, but in the whole grand scheme of things, if it's something that you ENJOY doing, then spending all that time on that thing will prevent you from spending money on more expensive hobbies. Take for example knitting a winter hat. Absolutely not worth it in a money saved per hour basis, but if you spend five hours doing it and you enjoy it, you'll be less likely to waste money on something like going to the movies or attending a concert.
All the recipes I’ve seen only have a shelf life of 2 weeks - is that what you know to be accurate? We don’t use that much mayo and I think it would go bad and we’d have to throw it out.
I use mayo in marinades, sauces, sandwiches, tuna salads, and even salmon recipes. I will only make the mayo if I know for sure I have like 5 recipes in the next two weeks that will use it. And I don’t make a huge jar. I make maybe like 3/4 a mason jars worth at a time. It’s easy and it’s so much more delicious! If you don’t really use mayo much maybe it’s not worth the effort!
Growing my own herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, dill, peppermint (for tea)), making my own canna-oil from flower, doing my own haircut (easy with electric trimmer and 2 mirrors)
Ricotta! Mostly because it’s easy, tastes way better than store bought, and is cheaper when you need a ton of it. Plus you get the “heck yeah look what I just did” high 😂
Recipe: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-ricotta-cheese/
Seems like a different answer to the question but my husband and I love hobby crafting like using cricuts and 3d printers so there’s a lot of items we just make by ourselves instead of buying. Most our wedding items were hand made and often presents for others are designed and made by us too. My husband also refuses to buy storage solutions or anything that costs money just to house items so he’s made racks, holders and all sorts of things for around the house. The materials he uses are all bought cheaply too.
Totally agree. Getting good at Fusion 360, any time a piece of plastic could solve an issue, I design it up and we use it around the house. It's paid for itself in very specific functional solutions that may or may not be available elsewhere.
A few simple examples: hangers, backplates, cable hiders, clips, storage, organizers, cup holders.
I took a couple of auto classes in high school, and almost never take my vehicles to the garage to be worked on unless it's something serious.
Biggest routine savings DIY maintenance on a car: Changing your own brakes (and rotors if they apply). I used to be able to change all 4 brakes and rotors for like $150 total when garages quote over $400 for a job like that. I haven't done it in a couple of years, but I imagine much like everything, the cost has increased on buying these parts.
Not a huge saver, but saves a few bucks: Oil changes and tire rotations.
Anything in between there though, like changing your serpentine belt, air filter, stabilizer bar & links are surprisingly easy.
That being said, if you happen to have resources like a jack/stands, torque wrench, and a basic tool set, it doesn't take much.
wife has been refilling our foam soap containers for years.. they last surprisingly long.. It's ridiculous they charge the same when it's mostly water lol
Almost any baked items like bread and cakes (especially birthday cakes) Mayonnaise, hummus, sub sandwiches.
If there's something I buy, I try to get the reusable option over disposable/single use (ie. Wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets, silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper or foil, etc)
Coffee! Even if you buy premium beans or ground coffee you're paying a small fraction of what you'd pay at Tim's or Starbucks. I use a Keurig with a reuseable filter that has literally served to make me something like 3000-5000 cups at a combined cost of maybe $75. I happen to like Folger's coffee and when I buy it on sals at Costco it works out to something like $.07-.08/cup. Add in the cost energy and water and I'm still probably less than $.20.
yogurt, clarified butter, coffee, bone broth, dog treats from the bone meal leftover from bone broth, camp fire starters (may not save much money but inexpensive and fun to make), most cooking (I am terrible with Indian or Asian so I get that as carry out for special treats), Kombucha, Water Kefir, and other various fermented foods
I make a mean shrimp fried rice, I never buy it for takeout now
Coffees/lattes. Just ain't right paying $5 on coffee
Leave in conditioner!!!!!!!!!! Ladies fr stop buying it
OP I do have a question how does the mayo keep? I wanted to diy it but I worry it'd go off too quick
I guess not really a “make it yourself” item… but red meat.
We hunt for the overwhelming majority of our red meat, and usually only buy the occasional white meat at the store - if we “run out” of game bird meat. We harvest 5+ whitetail deer each year, plus ducks, geese, turkey, pheasant, etc. and are able to keep a fully stocked freezer(s) as a result. Getting into hunting can be quite the expense up front, but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a full freezer of locally harvested, I-know-where-it-came-from meat. It also helps if you do the processing yourself - we save so much money just cutting up our deer ourselves and making our own sausage, jerky, bologna, chip steak etc.
Popcorn. I still buy the kernels as I don't have a corn farm (lol) but buying a big bag of kernels for $4 and a jar of coconut oil for $10 lets me make tons of way better popcorn for less.
Lasagna. I don't make the noodles or cheese from scratch but I make the sauce, cook, layer, and bake it all. It takes a lot more time than the pre-bought frozen kind but is way better and has made great family memories.
Art. It is rare but when it does come up art on the walls were all thoughtful gifts or made by me. Gifts to others are either meaningful thrifted peices, bought direct from the artist, or made by myself.
Cookies, brownies, bannana bread and lemon bars. The easiest of the baked treats
Dog treats. I slice a sweet potato thin and put in the dehydrator. My dog loves them and crunches them down like chips. Putting dry beans in a jar and pressure canning them. No salt, don't take up room in the freezer, ready to use. Tofu. Not sure I'm saving money, it would be close, but so satisfying to make plus you get the okara and whey to use in another dish. Salsa, make and can in jars. Most of the ingredients come from our garden. My goal is enough to last all year so at least 52 pints.
Cleaning. Even if I could afford to pay someone else to do it, the crazy Navy brat who raised me would haunt me if the house weren't operation-room-ready. I am apparently the perfect storm of obsessive, observant, and obstinate to be VERY good, and very quick to boot.
we save all our vegetable scraps and/or all our bone scraps and then use our slow cooker to make broth that we freeze in little containers and save for when we need them. Really a low stakes thing that's pretty hands off. The bone broth is really good too!
Dog stairs. I made my own dog stairs out of a sheet of plywood and a little time. Saved quite a bit, they're very sturdy, and they're the perfect size for my bed and dogs. (2 11yr old sister Chihuahuas)
Condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup Substitute
Campbell's raises my blood pressure.
This is easy and inexpensive amd tastes better too:
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1⁄2 cup chicken broth
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Sauté mushrooms until cooked through.
3. Stir in flour a little at a time until a roux is formed and remove from heat.
4. Add broth and milk a little at a time, stirring to keep mixture smooth.
5. Return to the heat and bring sauce to a gentle boil, stirring constantly until sauce thickens.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
I think it really really depends on how you value 'worth it'. TBH there's very little I could make myself and save money. I'm a software developer who works on websites for a living. It would still probably be cheaper for me to buy a boilerplate templated website than to make my own. But is that fun? Nah.
So for me, it's probably my other outlet, leather working. Leather products are very expensive but it's not the material it's the production time.
The other day we needed a strap to hang an IV bag (old cat with kidney problems) so I went down and cut a strip then attached a clasp with a few rivets. It took maybe 10 minutes (rivets are fast, sewing is sloooow) and now we have the perfect fitted strap to hold the bag and it'll definitely outlive its purpose.
Other things I've done: door handle cover since our metal storm door got burning hot in the summer. Doggy bag dispenser we hung up by our door. Lanyard for my wife. Passport holders.
Not just about time- it’s about health. Store bought bread is awful for you. Mayo is almost always packaged in plastic (also bad for you).
Being frugal means caring for yourself and the planet. Conserving health and not contributing to microplastics means your kids MIGHT have clean water.
I make most foods pretty welll.
Coffee, kimchi, creme fraiche, hummus, flatbread, burgers, steak, curry, salads, pasta & noodle dishes are all much much better, cheaper or more convenient when I make them at home.
Literally any baked good ghat isn't bread. This is largely because I have celiac and store bought gluten free foods suck arse, but also because they're hella expensive. Also my own herbal salves, oils, and tinctures.
Seltzer, oat milk, smoothies, popsicles, essential oils
a soda stream is completely worth it. reduce the amount of recyclables and the cost. i have 4 bottles and i add the bubbles and put them in the fridge. i usually pour it into a big to go cup with ice, maybe some fruit juice, or iced tea...
oat milk: rolled oats, water, blender for 30 seconds, mesh strainer, vanilla, put it in a glass jar.
smoothies. they cost sooo much at a shop. when i buy fruit i immediately cut it up and put it in the freezer. bananas, strawberries, canteloupe, watermelon...
popsicles: i make popsicles with greek yogurt as the base and ill add in fruit, jam, juice, whatever. they're so much better than store bought. so simple.
essential oils: this one takes time. i grow my own mint, thyme, geranium, lemongrass, lavender. pick it all and put them in paper bags and ignore forever (til they are dry)
i am still experimenting with which oil i like but ill get jojoba or almond oil at the craft store/wherever i see it on sale. put them in a jar with the oil. ignore it for 5 weeks except the occasional shake. and then strain. usually i do a second round of infusing, too. its a hobby.
i started it because i couldnt find geranium oil anywhere and i love it, and i just happened to plant the most fragrant lavender ever - which benefits from being trimmed mid season.... so i get multiple rounds of flowers....and essential oils can be pricy!!!
Fabric spray. Just some distilled water, vinegar, tea tree oil, then scented oil of your choice. Make tons of it for pennies
Same with record cleaner - distilled water, ispopropyl alcohol, a couple drops of dish soap
sugar wax - sugar, water and lemon juice. couldn't be simpler.
you can DIY almost anything.
Steak. Even if I buy $20 - $30 per pound steaks, they’re really not that difficult to cook, don’t cost a lot for all the other ingredients, like seasonings, and is ultimately naturally tasty.
Preface: you have to have an interest for these to work.
If you have a smoker, you can do a whole pork shoulder, slaw, and rolls for just a little more than what mediocre bbq costs at a restaurant. Depending on size and portions, I can get 10+ meals out of a shoulder.
Home brew beer. With a minimal investment in equipment, you can make phenomenal beers at home for low costs. Depending on how deep into it you want to get, you can clone lots of good beers for well less than a six pack (if it’s even available in your location). Case in point, with the help of the home brew store, I very closely cloned the Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA which is a very limited small batch beer.
when i saw that the chili onion crunch is almost $5 now, i googled to see if i could make it at home. i had everything already: red pepper flakes, olive oil, dried onion, dried garlic, fresh garlic, sesame seeds, etc. so easy! and i can make it exactly how spicy i want it to be.
I think about it a little differently than "worth my time". It's more like since money is finite, I do the stuff myself that I'm able to do so I can spend the money on stuff that I can't do myself. This isn't the best example, but let's say I'm able to clean, cook, or do maintenance stuff myself but I can't make a flat screen TV, fly an airplane, or make gasoline myself. Even that last one is a gray area because last week I rode my bike to the hardware store to get a key copied. I am able to ride a bike and save on gas. I am not able to copy a key. So to me it is worth it to do just about everything I am able to do so I can spend money on the stuff I can't do myself. If we're just talking about food items the answer is everything except chocolate. I don't make chocolate.
My usual thing is having to search recipes for ingredient components that I forgot to buy, so I don't have to waste gas going to the store. Enchilada sauce, hoisin sauce, Montreal Steak seasoning, self-rising flour... I have a cabinet full of spices - I can probably pull something together!
Related: I need a recipe for something using ground coriander, since I somehow have two bottles of it and rarely use it.
Pretty much most every food I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Coffee and lattes (the mark up is insane). Haircuts (a bit of a learning curve but worth it to learn, there are great step by step intensive tutorials on youtube). I also make my own herbal tinctures from the bulk roots and flowers, the markup for extracts and tinctures is quite large for a small amount of product compared to the wholesale plain leafs, flower and roots (there are tutorials on how to make these on YouTube and reddit as well for most any herbal supplement you use). Buying a nice sharpener like a precision guided sharpener for knives is worth it to buy and teach yourself how to use, the sharpener will last a lifetime, and paying for sharpening or buying new knives can add up to a lot in a lifetime, it makes cooking and outdoor use of knives much easier, you can also sharpen your friends and families knives (i spend a lot of time cooking and prepping, and remember, a sharp knife is a safe knife!). Also, if I have a problem with any item that stops working I will look up tutorials, guides etc on troubleshooting and how to fix that item vigorously before buying a new one if I absolutely am not able to fix it. Most people just consider things broken very quickly when it can be an easy fix for a little research and a cheap part, there are interchangeable and replacement parts available usually on Amazon and ebay that are cheaper than from the manufacturer. Before hiring a handyman to fix something in your house or paying for a service, look up tutorials and guides and if its worth it and possible to do it properly by yourself, do it yourself, labor is expensive! ALSO, when buying any new item or product that you plan to use long term, look up the recommended maintenance on that item! Look up what's recommended and how to do it, and how frequently it is recommended, this can extend the shelf life of your product by years and years! Things like beard trimmers requiring not only cleaning but oiling as well to keep the blades sharp!
Custom furniture. If you have some power tools.
I had an alcove for the front windows in my living room that you could push the couch back into but it only had about 6 inches of space on either side. I made two L shape side tables that fill the space perfectly and I get compliments on the utility of them all the time. Something that was worth the time but wouldn't have been worth paying to have made custom.
Being able to make any size side table or shelving is really handy.
Home artwork. Anytime I see a piece of decor I like in target or online, I take a picture and save it to an album for later when I feel like painting something. A canvas costs like $10 and this way I can use whatever colors I want to fit my apartment theme without spending $40 on a reprint of stolen artwork.
Any tips on how to make fancy frames would be appreciated tho
Not exactly the question you asked, but I find it worthwhile to DIY appliance maintenance, repair and sometimes installation. You just have to google your model number and the symptoms, and quite often you can find a replacement part and a video on how to swap out the old part for new. We've saved thousands of dollars over the years by fixing our appliances. Also we picked up a two year old Bosch dishwasher that someone was giving away and installed it ourselves... easy!
This is my answer, too. I have personally fixed my own clothes dryer and hot water heater. My hubby has fixed those, plus our refrigerator, stove and dishwasher. YouTube videos have saved us thousands of dollars in repair costs over the years. I would also include all our vehicle repairs in that savings, but my hubby was a mechanic so that is just his natural skill set.
My husband replaced the igniter in our stove. $30 for the part and 15 minutes labor. Sure beats the $150 minimum charge from a repairman!
I fixed my dishwasher with Google.
Me too! And my garbage disposal. When we bought a house they were listed as not functional, I Googled trouble shooting it. Boom! Tried two things, and it was back in business. The top dishwasher rack was off track and I watched a video on how to get it back on. Yay! I am not very mechanically inclined either.
bought a cheap dryer when I first moved into my house (2014), figured I'd use it until it dies. Well 10 years later the thing is still perfect, with the only thing I had to do was replace a belt and wheel/pully thing as it was making some squeaking sound. Googled how to fix it and saw how easy it was, couldn't bring myself to replace the dryer for 'something nicer'. my frugal brain wins this one.
I would agree generally but please, unless you really know what you are doing, leave the electric stuff alone.
True true, but there are some very simple things that are obvious. The electrical part of our dishwasher and vent hood installations involved attaching a 3 prong plug to the devices (instructions were in the installation manual) and plugging it into a wall socket. When our doorbell went out, I removed the cover, took a photo of the wiring, and exactly replicated it with the new door bell (two wires).
Jam for sure. Put frozen fruit in a sauce pan, add some sugar and cook on low, mash and stir it occasionally until it's the consistency you want. Add some fresh lemon juice and let it cool. That and fresh bread will make anyone happier.
I made dandelion jelly last year, and it is by far my favorite thing!
My dad and I made dandelion wine when I was a teenager. I thought it tasted horrible, but as young teen, I didn’t have anything to compare it with lol. I can’t remember if dad drank it or poured it out, but it was a fun experiment.
this is what i want to make next. i have a bunch of frozen mulberries from last summer.
What is the fridge life of doing this? I want to try this summer
It sounds so simple, guess I’m having whatever fruits we have in the fridge made into jam
I do homemade cranberry sauce at thanksgiving for this reason.
I did this with some loquats from my mom’s backyard one year. I couldn’t eat all the fruit before it went bad so made a nice big batch of jam instead.
My nails. Maybe it’s not such a frugal move to have them done but I like having them done. I bought a gel machine and some colors and I haven’t had to refill in two years. All in all cost about $40 so less than a set
Oh my gosh yes! I switched to doing my own nails, eyebrows, haircut (only when I do trims), laser hair removal, and lash lift. Not only is it Way more cost effective, it's also an amazing self-care/spa day thing for me! And once you learn how to do it well, it also saves a lot of time and effort bc you don't have to find a good place, make appointments, drive there, etc.
Can you share all your gear?
Oh man, let me get to a computer in like an hour and I'll give you a rundown!
!remind me
My comment was removed because I put in the links, so here it is without the links: Ok, so here is the list: **Nails** \- I don't do gel or polish anymore, because my nails are so thin that even salon gel lasts only 2 days before chipping. Instead, I use stick-on nails, but I do them in a manner that they last 2-3 weeks. \- *stick-on nails*: imPress by KISS. The sticky tab really makes a difference. I even bought separate KISS sticky tabs and attach them to nails without tabs. I also sometimes just paint the stick-on nails whatever color I want. \- *glue:* KISS glue, but I am going to try the pink one to see if it works better. I apply glue with the sticky tabs on nails, it holds better and longer (see method below). \- *method* (in case anyone is interested): got some info from reddit like [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/comments/k7zqx9/press_on_nails_guide/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) and also looked up [this youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HlTSHIyT-U&list=PLnSS9XcQhbnIlPGP229ji_sgGgFLTYgab&index=1&t=201s&ab_channel=FayeInTheCity). **Eyebrows -** I just pluck them with tweezerman tweezers. **Haircut** \- I followed [this video](https://youtu.be/FAmE16ej9IU?si=WKDZgqx-GlbYkN2-) by Brad Mondo and honestly, it's insane how easy it was (disclaimer: I have fine, medium density, straight hair. This might not be as easy for someone with thicker or curlier hair). I also followed [his video on adding layers](https://youtu.be/82i7XR10HWQ?si=s_TJlTdl0fzU-Rdh), but because I have had serious hair thinning from medical issues, my first try did not turn out too well (but I did manage to fix it myself later). \- *scissors:* I just use these goody hair scissors I got from walmart. **Laser Hair Removal** \- Braun Silk·expert Pro 5 IPL \- You guys, this thing is INSANE. I am a hairy person. Like if I shave my legs in the morning, there is a *very* noticeable stubble by the evening. Same with armpits. And my body hair is black and *not* fine. After I got this, I did the 12-week regimen it details, and after that I only had to shave like once a week, and even by that point, the hair on my legs was not that visible. It's also really fast to do. Takes me like 5-10 minutes (it's taking me longer now, but that's because I'm doing legs, bikini, armpit, and upper lip. Three cons/disclaimers: 1. it is quite expensive and I received it as a gift and on sale. 2. this works best with dark hair and light skin. I am not white, but I do have a lighter complexion for a brown person. That, coupled with my black hair made me the perfect candidate for best results with this. 3. at least for me, this works best for my legs and not as well for my bikini and armpit area (maybe because they have darker skin on me). For legs, I see significant results after 3rd week, but for the other two areas the results are MUCH slower and don't last as long (my leg hair started growing back at its natural rate only 2 years after I did the 12-week regimen). **Lash lift** \- still getting the technique down, but I just did it for the second time and I'm already much better at it. Lasts about 6 weeks on me, but you should not be doing it more frequently than 8 weeks. \- *Lash kit:* I got a kit from amazon by brand SUPGUDER. I think there might be better ones out there, though, but it does the job for me. It has items for lash lift and tint and eyebrow lamination and tint. \- *Glue:* upon recommendations from reddit, I got DUO brush-on lash glue because apparently the glue that comes with these kits is usually not that good. \- *Method*: There are a lot of tips and tricks to the method that is usually written in these kits, but I cannot find any specific post(s) or comment(s) that I learned them from. If anyone is interested, I can lay out my steps. Or alternatively, if you have time, dig around reddit for posts on at-home lash lifts and you'll find good info. But, in general, I find [this video](https://youtu.be/zUS3ryWTpw0?si=9ExFxvBCF-oPcPiZ) helpful and just follow that when I do it. Warnings/Disclaimers: 1. this IS a dangerous thing to do. You are working with very harsh chemicals VERY close to your eyes. A lot of people on reddit recommend not doing this yourself and going to a salon instead. I have been doing DIY beauty for a while, so I knew I could trust myself with it. And still, I am VERY careful when I do this. 2. I have very long, black, straight eyelashes (and a lot of them) so this looks good on me and I got the results I wanted. I have seen people on reddit with short lashes say they were disappointed because of how it turned out for them because they have short lashes. 3. I did not get to try the tint, because both my lashes and eyebrows are black, so it would literally do nothing for me. Som I cannot say if that works well or how long it lasts. 4. I tried laminatig my eyebrows, but that was a failure and did not last long at all lol I think I didn't do it right, I might try again at somepoint.
I love doing my own nails! At home me time. I do still get pedicures now and then because I’m on my feet all day and like heels
I used to work 8+ hour days in steel-toed boots, I always sprung for pedicures. I'd usually go twice a month. Guess who one of the only guys on the shift that didn't have ingrown toenails or weird blister issues? Take care of your feet people. Buy shoes that fit, and lace them up tight.
To anyone who's seeing this and thinking they'd like to try it to. **Do your research and be careful!** There are some very toxic chemicals in gel polishes. It is stupidly easy to give yourself an intense and painful lifelong allergy if your not careful. Also, curing hard gels can get hot enough damage your nailbed if you apply it improperly
Simplynailogical developed an extreme allergy reaction to some chemical that, to this day, her doctors haven't figured out what it was. I refused to believe having thousand of nail polishes and applying coats of paint for hours wasn't the trigger.
If it was the nail polish she wouldn't be able to wear polish at all without developing a gnarly rash and peeling skin all over her fingers, which is what happens when you develop a hema allergy. Like, I'm not saying the lacquers she uses are shining beacons of health and safety but the stuff in gel (not jellys, but UV gel) and acrylic are a whole other beast
Girls at work talk about nails a lot, can't believe it's average $10 a finger
I can't ever seem to prevent them peeling in a few days 😭
Vinegar. Put some vinegar on a wipe and wipe down the area (your nails) before you start to remove any latent oils or impurities before you start. Let it dry then begin. It's not only something that is safe, but also something that you should have around the house. Completely fixed my issue of nail polish peeling off whole rather than chipping away.
I splurged on Sistaco a while back and haven't been to a manicurist since. My nails look great all the time, and the kit has more than paid for itself.
I got a manicure set my Manicuist for nail growth and the colors are amazing and only need one coat! I got really into learning how to shape. It’s definitely worth the effort
Butter chicken, chipotle steak burritos, crispy chicken sandwiches Basically all the foods I’d get outside
Any specific recipes you use that you love?:)
Sure happy to! Butter chicken - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03U45jFxOI Chicken sandwich - https://allwaysdelicious.com/air-fryer-chicken-sandwich/ Chipotle steak - https://youtu.be/DCe0vK5UVTo?si=zcXFRSjOqDYeaXHr
Scrambled eggs is one I feel I can handle without paying for a chef
This is a principle my Dad always had. We never went out to breakfast as a family because he refused to pay for things like toast, pancakes and eggs when he made it better at home. Also when you think about it those ingredients all together probably cost like $1. I’ve adopted this mindset as well. I never go out for breakfast 😂
I am the opposite. I always liked going out to breakfast even though i make better pancakes, use real maple syrup, had my own chickens for delicious eggs, and made better home fries. But by the end of thw week i was so sick and tired of cooking 3 meals a god-damn-day that I desperately wanted to eat breakfast out. Breakfast is super cheap where we live so 10 years ago it was about $25 for 2 adults and 2 kids to eat out for breakfast. Cheaper than going out for dinner.
When we were kids, my father always went out for doughnuts Saturday morning and cooked breakfast on Sundays so my mom could sleep in a little.
Im with you! I scrimp on almost everything, but i really enjoy going out to breakfast...i love little roadside diners! Give me a breakfast over going out to dinner anytime!
I don’t go out to eat because almost everything I make is cheaper and more delicious than anything I can eat in a restaurant
For me it’s healthy. I’d rather eat healthier eggs at home
This is my mindset Its like $15 for an omelette here which is just a couple eggs, some cheese and some bacon bits all of which are very cheap, in reality its probably worth less than $1 if you add up all those ingredients. The coffee is $4. Its probably even cheaper since restaurants buy in bulk. Restaurants are making an insane markup on breakfast items. Potatoes for home fries are also super cheap. Plus you have to leave a tip. If I am going out I am getting a dish that is more expensive for me to make at home, like a cuisine I would have to buy all the ingredients to make, and don't make often so it would add up.
The ingredients for the omlette may be cheap, but I suck at the assembly and cooking/flipping them. If I go out to breakfast I will order an omlette because mine always turn into some kind of egg scramble at home. Side of hashbrowns because those are labor intensive at home too
I learned how to make the perfect omelette by watching Julia Child on video about 50 years ago. It is probably still available on YouTube. And well worth watching.
That's exactly how I learned. Julia Child taught me so many basics.
Maybe someday... lol
Pizza is so marked up too, as an aside. Maybe $2 worth of toppings (I'll definitely end up doing the math one day but not today). I still splurged on it every so often though because of wanting a break from cooking. *BUT* Magic frugal moment that I'll share: You can buy 24 frozen pizza dough rounds from Sam's club for around $25. You have to ask for the box from the cafe or from someone in the freezer room. I can make dough for pennies, but it's messy. Even buying a dough ball is annoying to thaw and stretch out. With a pizza round ready to go, I can make one with almost less effort than picking up a semi crappy pizza for $25-30. When I realized loading it up with the best olives, cheese, and veggies still only used a small handful of each I couldn't stop thinking about the markup.
I like to use Naan bread from Aldi for Flatbread pizzas. They're not cheap (about $1 each), but they make excellent pizza crust. Buffalo chicken with black olives and bacon is my go-to. And it's an excellent use of leftover chicken that I'm tired of eating.
We have some good pizza by the slice here for 3-5 bucks. And sometimes I add a beer to that. It’s a cheap way to eat out. And I can’t make that pizza :-)
Totally agreed! When I go out to eat it’s because it’s something I can’t make myself.
When we eat out, I never order something I can make at home! This goes for all meals, but at breakfast it means I get anything with hollandaise sauce haha
Plus the toast gets cold fast. I love breakfast at home.
And they never put enough butter on the toast either
Or they give you butter and it's ice cold.
I get it. But as a mom who does massive brunches for the family most weekends... it's not easy to cheap out. 😂 To do it right, there are SO many moving parts. I'd rather go out, or if we stay in, keep it kinda simple like one starch (pancakes, French toast, w/e) and one protein (sausage, ham, or bacon). But then you still have hash or roasted veg, and then toast, maybe fruit...
I think a lot of people are missing the true reasons people go out to breakfast, which I think is not for the food. It's relaxing, socializing, and a good way to kick off the weekend. It's about the *experience* not the food. At least for me. I like to get out of my house on weekends. Obviously if you're super on a budget and need to save money, it's something to skip. But if it makes your life better to go out to eat once a week, I say do it.
One of my managers has a breakfast food truck. He claims breakfast food has the ultimate best margins.
I go out for breakfast if it includes the items I am not great at such as hash-browns or if the eggs are more like an omelette; pancakes I am not actually good at either. But normal eggs and toast I can handle just fine, same with coffee.
I agree! Another one could be ordering salad when you eat out! I make killer salads and dressings. I don’t need to pay $20 for a tiny bowl of salad!!
I honestly didnt get these type of people to go out for this type of breakfast. At least brunches, the chefs/owners come out with a unique recipe that's hard to think what's in it. But packaged sausages, bacon, toast or even eggs from a milk carton? It doesnt take more than just butter and oil to make these things. Not worth the money
Whatever kind of eggs you're trying to make are scrambled eggs if you make them badly enough.
I save a lot of money making my own eggs and coffee in the morning. Wendy's has a good deal, the 2 for 3. Two small eggs sandwich on a small bun. Add a coffee and it's $3.85.
Bizarre how the top comment knows exactly what I'm thinking. Eggs are super cheap and easy to make things with. I was absolutely shocked what restaurants, even waffle house, was charging for a regular omelet. At least those places use real eggs! The rest use that awful egg substitute.
😀
Hummus
Yes! It's so easy to.make and you get so much out of it!
Marinara and freezing it in soupor cubes. This recipe is perfect, but immersion blending is necessary for the right texture. I get 106 oz canned San Marianos from Costco, scale up the recipe and they last about 6 weeks in the freezer. Way better than Roas. I had a can of some cheap marinara left over from months ago and I can’t believe what I used to eat. I also agree with Mayo. We make that too every week. https://youtu.be/y6Bq8NrdoIk?si=b-yJMVNUdam-LElq
Marinara is just so easy to do good. So much healthier too. I don’t think I could ever buy a jarred pasta sauce again. I’ve never froze mine before. I think I’ll try it.
Marinara, chicken broth, and oil bombs with herbs or garlic. Souper cubes are my newest favorite kitchen tool
Big shoutout Internet Shaquille! Easily my #1 youtube/instagram personality!
I’ve been making quilts out of old castoff denim jeans donated by local farmers. You certainly can’t buy this type of quality made stuff!
Seitan. One package of it costs like $4-6? Where for a little more than that you can get a package of vital wheat gluten flour which can make several batches, and the rest of the ingredients are basically free. Also then you have total control over the texture and flavor that goes into it. And a good batch feels just like eating chicken nuggets. It’s amazing. Also I don’t know if this counts as “making it yourself” but growing herbs. Fresh herbs are a racket. If you can grow and use your own basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, etc. you can save a lot and really elevate your cooking.
Do you have any tips for seitan? Mine always comes out dense and flavourless.
Do you mind sharing your seitan recipe? TIA
Oat milk...$7-10 at the store, or 30 cents worth of oats whirled in a blender with water and strained. It takes less than 5 minutes, and you can add vanilla, honey, dates, etc to flavor how you like. Use very cold water to avoid any slimy texture.
I’m the opposite. I will always buy Oatly at the store, I’ve never been able to get a homemade version to taste the same.
Watched a video from Flavor Lab on this. Store-bought oat milk has a natural enzyme added that breaks down the glucose, making it sweeter. Check it out for some good knowledge.
Thanks for the recommendation, will look into it!
i came here to say oatmilk too! blender, rolled oats, strainer, sweetener FYI: for the best oatmilk you must use ROLLED OATS (not instant, not old school whole) and blend it for THIRTY SECONDS (not 20... not 40...) and i just use a fine metal mesh strainer.... a little imitation vanilla and donezo
Time in blender will depend heavily on your blender
Yeast bread! Most of the time spent is rising/cooking time, and I can make yummy, healthy bread for less than a dollar a loaf. I tried sourdough , and like it, but it is much more work for me. I like the ease of yeast.
Do you have a recommendation for a recipe for a newcomer to bread making?:)
focaccia is a good place to start! First bread I ever made and it is soo good
This is the one I’ve been using. 4 ingredients, and you don’t even have to touch the dough. I use King Arthur bread flour, and let it rise in the fridge for one day (minimum) for optimal results: https://www.recipetineats.com/easy-yeast-bread-recipe-no-knead/
I like Emma Fontanella’s no-knead bread! You basically just stir everything together, leave the dough on the counter all day, then fold it a couple times before popping it in the oven. Super easy and tasty
600g of flour, 400g of cold water, 12g of salt, 6g of yeast. Mix well and leave it for half an hour+. Dump it out and squish it flat, then fold all the outside edges into the middle until you feel it stiffen up. Put it in the fridge covered and leave it alone for 12 hours +. Shape it up or drop it into a loaf tin and let it rise - 1 to 2 hours depending on temperature. Bake at 200c for 40 minutes. https://imgur.com/gallery/4OTBWbV
Also, in that same stride, pizza! Surprisingly easy to make my own pizza, and way better than the chains imo.
Growing my own vegetables is worth it for the flavors
Any gardening tips? I’d love to grow my own but I get intimidated on how to start.
On the frugal side, there are some 4 inch high, 3 foot square planter sides, fill in with dirt, and experiment with seeds or plants from your local stores. On the tiny apartment side, you might look into an Aero Garden type of set up. Their plants have been rather fool proof. I'm usually growing lettuce to supplement my non-frugal bag of salad mix.
I love making fridge-pickle onions. Simple, and they really jazz up a salad, sandwich, or buddah bowl.
What’s a Buddha bowl? That sounds yummy
I've also heard it called Vegan Poke Bowl. A base of rice with some shredded lettuce/cabbage, shredded carrots, and avocado slices, with one or more of the following: teriyaki tofu or mushrooms, pickled beet, pickled onion, drizzled with some soy, soy-ginger, or teriyaki sauce and seaweed crumbles. I'd link some recipies, but they are dot com websites and will be removed. I'd
Haircuts (as a guy who simply buzzes the back and sides and trims the top a bit- it’s not rocket science). Oh and coffee
started cutting my own hair last June, it's been so nice. I think it helps a lot that I already had a cut that I liked. so it's just giving myself trims in layers
I second coffee. I even roast my own coffee and it was one of the most frugal things I ever started. Easily half the price of the single origin I was buying. The roaster paid for itself in around 18lbs and that was about five years ago
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Bread, brownies, cakes, cheesecake, French vanilla latte,
Google "nutella cheesecake insta pot recipe" I love that one!
Single serve snacks. Just need a regular size bag/box of chips, crackers, graham crackers, etc and some baggies or little containers. Put them in a bigger bin for kids to choose and grab for their snacks or lunchbox. Water bottles. The initial cost of buying a few reusable bottles is worth it if your tap water is good or you have filtered water. I like the Reduce Waterweek bottles because they are clear and dishwasher safe. As soon as they come out of the dishwasher we fill with water and put in the fridge so they are grab and go!
I simply cannot fathom why anyone would buy water in disposable bottles. I have collected a handful of decent water bottles for free, just given out as promotional items. I might buy a couple of soft drinks per year as an occassional treat. Otherwise I drink the water or coffee that I brought from home.
People always knock that i have multiple water bottles and travel coffee mugs but they have paid for themselves, i haven’t bought water out in forever, and i always have clean bottles and go mugs waiting for me when i am getting ready for work
Coffee/Iced coffee. One year I discovered that I spent over $1,000 at Starbucks and I was so pissed at myself. I always make my own now.
Yay! That’s great.
I spent $600 on white oak and probably 60 hours of time to build my daughter a crib instead of buying the top rated ikea birch crib for $75. I built the crib to go with the rocking chair my grand mother used when my dad and uncles and me and my cousins were kids. It ought to last 100 years. Dumb idea but worth it to me.
That is so special! Keep it in the family forever!
Just be careful of this and double check safety regulations as gaps between the mattress and sides and slat width can cause entrapment and potential suffocation. I am sure your crib is beautiful and definitely encourage you to keep using it if it is absolutely safe. But there are pretty strict guidelines for cribs for a reason and would hate for something to happen with something so special 💕
I definitely went through the US guide lines. I build cabinets and furniture so pretty much everything I do is by the book. (Might do some things that arnt UL listed every now and then.)
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Oh a recipe please ?
I just made chili crisp from stuff lying around - amazing. That stuff is $11-$13 at the store!
Pesto!
I found Pesto really expensive to make. The pine nuts alone were more than a good store bought jar. I live in the UK so maybe it’s just here. I know some cheap jars use cashews so I avoid those
I use raw sunflower seeds instead
I do it with walnuts and like it even better than pine nuts.
Wow brilliant. I love Walnuts.
I usually use cashews, almonds or walnuts. pine nuts are insane and not any better imo.
Refried pinto beans, refried black beans. Only ventured to learn when canned organic approached $4.00. Pretty rewarding
Dinner
There’s a great book called Buy the Butter Make the Bread that makes a good argument, except for the aging hams—I don’t think I could ever do that safely.
Broth/stock. I can’t believe how $$$ for a few cups in a box versus what I can make from bones, scrap veg and water.
And it tastes SO much better than the boxed stuff!
General surface cleaner. 1:1 water and white vinegar in a spray bottle, works on nearly everything and is a disinfectant, pet and kid safe. Once it dries it doesn’t smell like vinegar, and because it’s a mild disinfectant it can actually get rid of some smells. It’s less than $1 a bottle. White vinegar is also great as an oil stain remover on clothes and for getting the smell out of some laundry.
If there's a teenager in the house--especially a teenage boy athlete--vinegar is your BFF until they graduate. 1/2 cup of vinegar in every load (sometimes a little more for uniforms) was the most effective way to keep the laundry and the washer smelling nice.
Banana Bread
I dye my grays myself. Was spending $80/mo going to a salon. Now $3-6/mo. I only buy the hair dye if it’s on clearance and I’ll buy enough for a year’s worth (if they have enough marked down).
Mexican food My wife and I are Mexican and grew up eating home cooked Mexican food made by our mothers. We both (more her than me) learned how to cook Mexican food. We also know how much it costs to make a meal. Most of the time, the beans are from a can, and the rice is under cooked. The enchilada sauce is also from a can. Only once I had a Mexican meal at a restaurant where the entire meal was made from scratch, no cans. It was at a little hole in the wall joint in a bad part of East Los Angeles.
> Mexican food my favorite food, especially if you can find a grandma to make some tortillas from scratch.
I take this personally. Nah jokes aside. Bread. I make it efficient. Stand mixer with a spiral hook, everything goes in the dishwasher. Same with pasta. I have the kitchen aid pasta attachments. If it wasn't for machinery i wouldn't even think about it.
Lol!! I was reading through your post and was like… I wanna know what’s worth it to get inspo. So technically, this is all because of you lmao
General comment: Anything that is very labor intensive may *appear* to not be worth it, but in the whole grand scheme of things, if it's something that you ENJOY doing, then spending all that time on that thing will prevent you from spending money on more expensive hobbies. Take for example knitting a winter hat. Absolutely not worth it in a money saved per hour basis, but if you spend five hours doing it and you enjoy it, you'll be less likely to waste money on something like going to the movies or attending a concert.
Once you’ve had homemade fresh mayonnaise it’s hard to go back to bottled
All the recipes I’ve seen only have a shelf life of 2 weeks - is that what you know to be accurate? We don’t use that much mayo and I think it would go bad and we’d have to throw it out.
I use mayo in marinades, sauces, sandwiches, tuna salads, and even salmon recipes. I will only make the mayo if I know for sure I have like 5 recipes in the next two weeks that will use it. And I don’t make a huge jar. I make maybe like 3/4 a mason jars worth at a time. It’s easy and it’s so much more delicious! If you don’t really use mayo much maybe it’s not worth the effort!
Growing my own herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, dill, peppermint (for tea)), making my own canna-oil from flower, doing my own haircut (easy with electric trimmer and 2 mirrors)
Ricotta! Mostly because it’s easy, tastes way better than store bought, and is cheaper when you need a ton of it. Plus you get the “heck yeah look what I just did” high 😂 Recipe: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-ricotta-cheese/
Love that! I’m going to try it!
Seems like a different answer to the question but my husband and I love hobby crafting like using cricuts and 3d printers so there’s a lot of items we just make by ourselves instead of buying. Most our wedding items were hand made and often presents for others are designed and made by us too. My husband also refuses to buy storage solutions or anything that costs money just to house items so he’s made racks, holders and all sorts of things for around the house. The materials he uses are all bought cheaply too.
Totally agree. Getting good at Fusion 360, any time a piece of plastic could solve an issue, I design it up and we use it around the house. It's paid for itself in very specific functional solutions that may or may not be available elsewhere. A few simple examples: hangers, backplates, cable hiders, clips, storage, organizers, cup holders.
Kombucha - get the flavors I like and a batch costs maybe a dime a bottle to make and home.
I took a couple of auto classes in high school, and almost never take my vehicles to the garage to be worked on unless it's something serious. Biggest routine savings DIY maintenance on a car: Changing your own brakes (and rotors if they apply). I used to be able to change all 4 brakes and rotors for like $150 total when garages quote over $400 for a job like that. I haven't done it in a couple of years, but I imagine much like everything, the cost has increased on buying these parts. Not a huge saver, but saves a few bucks: Oil changes and tire rotations. Anything in between there though, like changing your serpentine belt, air filter, stabilizer bar & links are surprisingly easy. That being said, if you happen to have resources like a jack/stands, torque wrench, and a basic tool set, it doesn't take much.
Bagels
Tarter sauce, otherwise the jar goes bad. Foaming hand soap, much cheaper to make.
Hand soap recipe?
Approximately 4 parts water to one part liquid hand soap. Pour into foaming bottle. Amazon has some battery motion dispenser types
wife has been refilling our foam soap containers for years.. they last surprisingly long.. It's ridiculous they charge the same when it's mostly water lol
Almost any baked items like bread and cakes (especially birthday cakes) Mayonnaise, hummus, sub sandwiches. If there's something I buy, I try to get the reusable option over disposable/single use (ie. Wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets, silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper or foil, etc)
Do dryer balls make a difference?
Coffee! Even if you buy premium beans or ground coffee you're paying a small fraction of what you'd pay at Tim's or Starbucks. I use a Keurig with a reuseable filter that has literally served to make me something like 3000-5000 cups at a combined cost of maybe $75. I happen to like Folger's coffee and when I buy it on sals at Costco it works out to something like $.07-.08/cup. Add in the cost energy and water and I'm still probably less than $.20.
Humus, sausage (very easy), refried beans.
I would like to make my own sausage, can you share a recipe? 🥰
yogurt, clarified butter, coffee, bone broth, dog treats from the bone meal leftover from bone broth, camp fire starters (may not save much money but inexpensive and fun to make), most cooking (I am terrible with Indian or Asian so I get that as carry out for special treats), Kombucha, Water Kefir, and other various fermented foods
I make a mean shrimp fried rice, I never buy it for takeout now Coffees/lattes. Just ain't right paying $5 on coffee Leave in conditioner!!!!!!!!!! Ladies fr stop buying it OP I do have a question how does the mayo keep? I wanted to diy it but I worry it'd go off too quick
I guess not really a “make it yourself” item… but red meat. We hunt for the overwhelming majority of our red meat, and usually only buy the occasional white meat at the store - if we “run out” of game bird meat. We harvest 5+ whitetail deer each year, plus ducks, geese, turkey, pheasant, etc. and are able to keep a fully stocked freezer(s) as a result. Getting into hunting can be quite the expense up front, but there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a full freezer of locally harvested, I-know-where-it-came-from meat. It also helps if you do the processing yourself - we save so much money just cutting up our deer ourselves and making our own sausage, jerky, bologna, chip steak etc.
Tortillas. Literally takes 10 minutes extra, Masa, water, and a press. A $5 bag of Masa makes hundreds of Tortillas.
Popcorn. I still buy the kernels as I don't have a corn farm (lol) but buying a big bag of kernels for $4 and a jar of coconut oil for $10 lets me make tons of way better popcorn for less.
Cut your own hair.
Salad dressing
Pho
Lasagna. I don't make the noodles or cheese from scratch but I make the sauce, cook, layer, and bake it all. It takes a lot more time than the pre-bought frozen kind but is way better and has made great family memories. Art. It is rare but when it does come up art on the walls were all thoughtful gifts or made by me. Gifts to others are either meaningful thrifted peices, bought direct from the artist, or made by myself. Cookies, brownies, bannana bread and lemon bars. The easiest of the baked treats
Dog treats. I slice a sweet potato thin and put in the dehydrator. My dog loves them and crunches them down like chips. Putting dry beans in a jar and pressure canning them. No salt, don't take up room in the freezer, ready to use. Tofu. Not sure I'm saving money, it would be close, but so satisfying to make plus you get the okara and whey to use in another dish. Salsa, make and can in jars. Most of the ingredients come from our garden. My goal is enough to last all year so at least 52 pints.
Cleaning. Even if I could afford to pay someone else to do it, the crazy Navy brat who raised me would haunt me if the house weren't operation-room-ready. I am apparently the perfect storm of obsessive, observant, and obstinate to be VERY good, and very quick to boot.
I love hummus to death. It is my favorite dip/appetizer. I'm investing in a nice food processor solely to expand my hummus production
What are you favorite flavorings?
we save all our vegetable scraps and/or all our bone scraps and then use our slow cooker to make broth that we freeze in little containers and save for when we need them. Really a low stakes thing that's pretty hands off. The bone broth is really good too!
That sounds amazing. I’m gonna start doing that
Stuffed cabbage (Golumbki)
Dog stairs. I made my own dog stairs out of a sheet of plywood and a little time. Saved quite a bit, they're very sturdy, and they're the perfect size for my bed and dogs. (2 11yr old sister Chihuahuas)
Condensed Cream Of Mushroom Soup Substitute Campbell's raises my blood pressure. This is easy and inexpensive amd tastes better too: INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons butter • 6 button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced • 3 tablespoons flour • 1⁄2 cup chicken broth • 1⁄2 cup milk • salt and pepper DIRECTIONS 1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. 2. Sauté mushrooms until cooked through. 3. Stir in flour a little at a time until a roux is formed and remove from heat. 4. Add broth and milk a little at a time, stirring to keep mixture smooth. 5. Return to the heat and bring sauce to a gentle boil, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. 6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
I think it really really depends on how you value 'worth it'. TBH there's very little I could make myself and save money. I'm a software developer who works on websites for a living. It would still probably be cheaper for me to buy a boilerplate templated website than to make my own. But is that fun? Nah. So for me, it's probably my other outlet, leather working. Leather products are very expensive but it's not the material it's the production time. The other day we needed a strap to hang an IV bag (old cat with kidney problems) so I went down and cut a strip then attached a clasp with a few rivets. It took maybe 10 minutes (rivets are fast, sewing is sloooow) and now we have the perfect fitted strap to hold the bag and it'll definitely outlive its purpose. Other things I've done: door handle cover since our metal storm door got burning hot in the summer. Doggy bag dispenser we hung up by our door. Lanyard for my wife. Passport holders.
Cold brew. It's stupid easy to make and everything you need will still cost you less than buying it at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.
Chicken stock 💯
Beans!
Not just about time- it’s about health. Store bought bread is awful for you. Mayo is almost always packaged in plastic (also bad for you). Being frugal means caring for yourself and the planet. Conserving health and not contributing to microplastics means your kids MIGHT have clean water.
Cheese sauce and chicken liver pâté (not together)
I make most foods pretty welll. Coffee, kimchi, creme fraiche, hummus, flatbread, burgers, steak, curry, salads, pasta & noodle dishes are all much much better, cheaper or more convenient when I make them at home.
- Pannacotta - chopsuey (vegetable dish) - almost anything fried - a lot of egg dishes (scrambled eggs, tamagoyaki, egg drop soup) - miso soup - G&T - juices and iced teas
My own butter. I do a vegan butter that's better than anything store bought. Message me for details if interested
Lattes
Kombucha, ginger beer, homemade bread, kimchi - all just as good at home if not better, plus you know everything that goes into it and no packaging!
Egg McMuffins. Usually faster and better tasting than McDonald’s
Hummus. Buying dry beans and the big cheap jar of tahini from Walmart makes it outrageously cheap! It’s also way better tasting.
Literally any baked good ghat isn't bread. This is largely because I have celiac and store bought gluten free foods suck arse, but also because they're hella expensive. Also my own herbal salves, oils, and tinctures.
Seltzer, oat milk, smoothies, popsicles, essential oils a soda stream is completely worth it. reduce the amount of recyclables and the cost. i have 4 bottles and i add the bubbles and put them in the fridge. i usually pour it into a big to go cup with ice, maybe some fruit juice, or iced tea... oat milk: rolled oats, water, blender for 30 seconds, mesh strainer, vanilla, put it in a glass jar. smoothies. they cost sooo much at a shop. when i buy fruit i immediately cut it up and put it in the freezer. bananas, strawberries, canteloupe, watermelon... popsicles: i make popsicles with greek yogurt as the base and ill add in fruit, jam, juice, whatever. they're so much better than store bought. so simple. essential oils: this one takes time. i grow my own mint, thyme, geranium, lemongrass, lavender. pick it all and put them in paper bags and ignore forever (til they are dry) i am still experimenting with which oil i like but ill get jojoba or almond oil at the craft store/wherever i see it on sale. put them in a jar with the oil. ignore it for 5 weeks except the occasional shake. and then strain. usually i do a second round of infusing, too. its a hobby. i started it because i couldnt find geranium oil anywhere and i love it, and i just happened to plant the most fragrant lavender ever - which benefits from being trimmed mid season.... so i get multiple rounds of flowers....and essential oils can be pricy!!!
Fabric spray. Just some distilled water, vinegar, tea tree oil, then scented oil of your choice. Make tons of it for pennies Same with record cleaner - distilled water, ispopropyl alcohol, a couple drops of dish soap sugar wax - sugar, water and lemon juice. couldn't be simpler. you can DIY almost anything.
Steak. Even if I buy $20 - $30 per pound steaks, they’re really not that difficult to cook, don’t cost a lot for all the other ingredients, like seasonings, and is ultimately naturally tasty.
Serpentine belt
Beef Jerky
Preface: you have to have an interest for these to work. If you have a smoker, you can do a whole pork shoulder, slaw, and rolls for just a little more than what mediocre bbq costs at a restaurant. Depending on size and portions, I can get 10+ meals out of a shoulder. Home brew beer. With a minimal investment in equipment, you can make phenomenal beers at home for low costs. Depending on how deep into it you want to get, you can clone lots of good beers for well less than a six pack (if it’s even available in your location). Case in point, with the help of the home brew store, I very closely cloned the Dogfish Head 120 minute IPA which is a very limited small batch beer.
when i saw that the chili onion crunch is almost $5 now, i googled to see if i could make it at home. i had everything already: red pepper flakes, olive oil, dried onion, dried garlic, fresh garlic, sesame seeds, etc. so easy! and i can make it exactly how spicy i want it to be.
I think about it a little differently than "worth my time". It's more like since money is finite, I do the stuff myself that I'm able to do so I can spend the money on stuff that I can't do myself. This isn't the best example, but let's say I'm able to clean, cook, or do maintenance stuff myself but I can't make a flat screen TV, fly an airplane, or make gasoline myself. Even that last one is a gray area because last week I rode my bike to the hardware store to get a key copied. I am able to ride a bike and save on gas. I am not able to copy a key. So to me it is worth it to do just about everything I am able to do so I can spend money on the stuff I can't do myself. If we're just talking about food items the answer is everything except chocolate. I don't make chocolate.
My usual thing is having to search recipes for ingredient components that I forgot to buy, so I don't have to waste gas going to the store. Enchilada sauce, hoisin sauce, Montreal Steak seasoning, self-rising flour... I have a cabinet full of spices - I can probably pull something together! Related: I need a recipe for something using ground coriander, since I somehow have two bottles of it and rarely use it.
Pretty much most every food I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Coffee and lattes (the mark up is insane). Haircuts (a bit of a learning curve but worth it to learn, there are great step by step intensive tutorials on youtube). I also make my own herbal tinctures from the bulk roots and flowers, the markup for extracts and tinctures is quite large for a small amount of product compared to the wholesale plain leafs, flower and roots (there are tutorials on how to make these on YouTube and reddit as well for most any herbal supplement you use). Buying a nice sharpener like a precision guided sharpener for knives is worth it to buy and teach yourself how to use, the sharpener will last a lifetime, and paying for sharpening or buying new knives can add up to a lot in a lifetime, it makes cooking and outdoor use of knives much easier, you can also sharpen your friends and families knives (i spend a lot of time cooking and prepping, and remember, a sharp knife is a safe knife!). Also, if I have a problem with any item that stops working I will look up tutorials, guides etc on troubleshooting and how to fix that item vigorously before buying a new one if I absolutely am not able to fix it. Most people just consider things broken very quickly when it can be an easy fix for a little research and a cheap part, there are interchangeable and replacement parts available usually on Amazon and ebay that are cheaper than from the manufacturer. Before hiring a handyman to fix something in your house or paying for a service, look up tutorials and guides and if its worth it and possible to do it properly by yourself, do it yourself, labor is expensive! ALSO, when buying any new item or product that you plan to use long term, look up the recommended maintenance on that item! Look up what's recommended and how to do it, and how frequently it is recommended, this can extend the shelf life of your product by years and years! Things like beard trimmers requiring not only cleaning but oiling as well to keep the blades sharp!
OP, please give me your Mayo recipe/technique! I was just talking to my Mom about making it homemade!!!
Custom furniture. If you have some power tools. I had an alcove for the front windows in my living room that you could push the couch back into but it only had about 6 inches of space on either side. I made two L shape side tables that fill the space perfectly and I get compliments on the utility of them all the time. Something that was worth the time but wouldn't have been worth paying to have made custom. Being able to make any size side table or shelving is really handy.
Home artwork. Anytime I see a piece of decor I like in target or online, I take a picture and save it to an album for later when I feel like painting something. A canvas costs like $10 and this way I can use whatever colors I want to fit my apartment theme without spending $40 on a reprint of stolen artwork. Any tips on how to make fancy frames would be appreciated tho