Here's a list of things I do, make, cook, repair, replace at home to save money. I’m only including those which I think are uncommon. How about you?
I’m happy to share recipes and tutorials.
Costco is generally a rip off, you can usually get most things cheaper on special at ColesWorth
Only things that are truly cheap are the bakery items and meat, and both of these you need to buy in large quantities.
Try buying a $5,500 65" 4K OLED for $3k at ColesWorth than get back to me
But don't you pretty much HAVE to DIY?
The post is not about saving money so much as DIY.
Brew beer
Im renovating my second house I've purchased and are doing to mostly by myself. Ive done
Plumbing (all new waste water installed taps and fittings etc)
Plastering in the bathroom
Removed tiles and cement fibro in the bathroom
Tiled a few in the bathroom
Cut and installed gyprock
Replaced old powerpoints and light switches with modern ones and installed a ln extra light in the kitchen etc, wired in a new oven myself and ran an extra cable for the cooktop to be wired into the safety box(professionally)
Installed and cut cornice and framing around windows and ceilings
Cut and installed new internal doors with new handles and locks
Plenty of painting
Built flat pack kitchen installed doors hinges and handles (didnt cut out the hole for the sink)
Always built my own pcs about (20+ made for myself friends and family)
Service my girlfriends car oil and filters etc will do myself
Helped my girlfriend's mum install new security light, fix a leaking bathtub and leaking shower head
Basically I will always give it a go myself (with in reason from a safety side)before paying someone
Let’s hope you’ll be able to replace your lungs yourself one day
That would be cool, modular upgrades
Bourbon.
Do you live in Sydney? If so, can you please share some sourdough starter?
Renovating the house, painting, replacing the carpet with floorboards. And planning on doing the showers too.
Do the little electrical stuff at home, wiring power, lights, etc and general renovations (plastering, painting).
Actually, that's more an excuse to buy tools.
Yes, I'm aware it's illegal yadda yadda yadda. I wouldn't wire up a new circuit box or add new circuits, but extending or moving power points or changing outlets is perfectly fine if you know what you are doing (which I do).
I refuse to get tradies in for anything but the most specialised stuff (never personally installed an air-conditioner - although I reckon I could)
Electrical, appliance repair, plumbing, painting, most woodwork etc I do myself. With appliances, if I can't repair it myself (which is rare), I'll get a new one
I can easily repair and upgrade computers. I try and repair phones, tablets and other electronics but it's not always possible. I installed an ethernet network across the whole house about 8 years ago - but it has turned out to be a bit of a waste as wireless is now so much better
I'm planning to take us completely off the electrical grid in a few years time - a combination of solar, batteries and a diesel generator. We are on a fairly big semi-rural property and use a lot of power
We make our own bread, sausages, yoghurt, ice cream etc. We grow most of our herbs plus lemons, limes, grapefruit, chillies, tomatoes (more planned)
Goals
Tax return
The hell are activated nuts?
a scam
Nuts soaked in water for a period of time. Makes it easier to digest.
That's just blanching, I don't know where the buzz word of activating came from
No, blanching is boiling water. But yeah, no proven benefits.
Passport photos. It does take me longer in comparison to going to a shop but I turn out with much nicer photos in my opinion!
Tax return!
Making love
I had a very messy but small backyard. Got a quote for decking, fake grass and veranda for $22k which I didn't have. So I bought my own power tools and materials and built everything for $6k, with the help of a mate and YouTube videos.
I also fix things around the house than call a handyman.
Other things I do to save money are cleaning, washing, and buying bulk at Costco and freezing meats.
I diy meals.
Some people also call it ‘cooking’
I MiM meals
Make it Myself
Nothing, I'm lazy :(
Need a suggestion! Wife uses microwave for everything from heating food to coking rice and vegetables. Over a span of time due to poor maintenance and lack of cleaning the paint underneath the rotating ring has peeled off and now there is a big round hell of a ring that is rusty and is growing.
Now, can I DIY paint that part so that it is fixed? What would someone suggested to do. This is the second MW affected with this problem the first one being a cheap one from Gumtree which I threw away.
Remove rust with sand paper - back to bare metal. . Then can of metal primer.
I don't eat meals out
Don't go to cafe's for coffee
Hide the credit card from the wife
build Fix and maintain all our computers
Buy meat and chicken in bulk when cheap (Love foodlands market day each week) and divide up and freeze
Stack up on 50% off item's we will use from grocery shopping
when we go to the movie (which is rarely) we take or own snacks
curb side pickups when taking the dog for a walk (picked up 2 32 inch non smart lcd Tv's across the road from us) which son has claimed for his dual screen setup for his PC
Cook all our meals
Never buy prepackaged food like bacon from coles (cost's more per kilo people paying for lazy tax)
Got a 5.5 kilowatt solar system installed (producing more power than we use)
Not really DIY, but I buy big bottles of shampoo and conditioner cheap on eBay a d funnel them into smaller bottles to use in the shower. Saves a bit of money.
Sex.
Surgery.
Burrito seasoning. Foaming handwash.
How do you do the latter?
You need an empty foaming handwash bottle, then make a mix 50/50 with regular handwash and water. It works only with transparent soaps, not the cloudy ones. You can even stretch it more adding more water but I have found 50/50 makes it more pleasant to use. You can use dishwashing for stronger action, or shampoo for more delicate. But I use plain Palmolive handwash when it is 50% off
How do you make the Laundry powder?
I shop @ Costco & Asian Groceries.