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Are you really saving time by not doing it yourself?
By Meg | April 4, 2008
I read a lot of blogs on saving money and therefore come across a lot of DIY projects, from how to darn socks to how to refill a brita filter. Regardless of what the project is, there seems to always be at least one naysayer who insists that the time they would lose doing something themselves is more valuable than the money they would spend just going out and buying something. That would be fine except they tend to be really condescending about it, too, like they just can’t believe that anyone take time to save a few bucks.
Now, I’ve known enough people making minimum wage to know that a few bucks can mean a lot when you don’t have it. However, I can also understand that thinking very well because I’ve felt very time-poor on many occasions. The good news is that you don’t have to give up a lot of your time to save money! In fact, the more I embrace the do it yourself attitude, the more time I seem to have. It hit me the other day as my husband and I went shopping for a few home decor items — shopping takes a lot of time. Heck, that’s a big reason why the simple life is actually simple!
Even where I live with stores nearby, it takes a good half hour round trip to grab something from a store a couple miles away. And it can easily take over an hour if I have to go across town or can’t find something right away. That’s assuming that I don’t get completely distracted and end up spending the afternoon as a mall zombie. In fact, I used to spend hours and hours each week shopping around for this or that.
I certainly haven’t given up shopping, but my husband and I both try to limit our shopping trips. We even spend less time grocery shopping now that we have a lot of dry goods in bulk and we only need to supplement that with the occasional bit of fresh food.
Finally, even if buying something does save you a little time, don’t forget to factor in the price of gas or impulse buys — or even just the loss of an opportunity to perhaps learn a new skill.
Tags: De-stressing, Food, Home & Garden, Productivity, Saving Money, Saving Time, Spending Money
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April 4th, 2008 at 9:04 am
I totally agree. Or make a list and the next time you go there, buy EVERYTHING you need in one trip (and keep a stock) instead of going a couple times a week
April 4th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Making a list is definitely a good idea — though one that I was late coming around to and am still trying to get into the habit of using.
I’ve started making lists on Remember the Milk and am now hooked. I just need to remember to check them when I’m at the store — which isn’t hard since I can check the lists on my phone.
Before, I convinced myself that I didn’t need lists since I would just go up and down every aisle. I actually enjoyed that part of grocery shopping, but nowadays, I usually prefer to have the time for other things. Plus, by shortening my stay in the store I’m less likely to find more things to buy.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:41 am
One way to really save money is to look at things in terms of their complexity vs. “can you make it”? My good example is an ottoman. The costs for those things is outrageous, whereas, from a complexity standpoint, they are just a box(with or without a top and bottom - some have webbing on the top), covered in foam and/or batting, with upholstery fabric stapled on and feet put on the bottom. From a furniture creation and upholstering perspetive, these are a very very easy project and definitely worth doing yourself instead of going out and paying hundreds or thousands to buy. A couch on the other hand is a whole lot more work, complexity and trouble, so it’s worth getting someone else to do the reupholstery job for you there.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Great point, Toby!