With that in mind, here are some of the most creative responses: —u/megaflerp Need some inspiration? Browse our library of Tasty recipes. —u/PotatoKingMom “Buying a good amount of produce when it’s on sale, and cooking/chopping it into serving-sized portions for the week or month. Carrots and potatoes roasted in the oven or Crock Pot takes no effort, but are still healthy. Making salads for the week with a big ole $1.99 bag of romaine hearts is just as easy.” —u/Pizzaisbae13 “Meal prep! Pre-make/package up all your food for the week. I still buy one meal a week while at work — it’s kind of a treat for Fridays.” —u/zeebow77 Need some inspiration? Check out this comprehensive guide to freezing food and these 18 meal prep recipe ideas. “Otherwise, bust out the YouTube videos, budget some money for necessary tools, and get to learning. I highly recommend learning it all in reverse order: painting, finish carpentry, drywall finishing, drywall hanging, insulation, electrical, plumbing, door/window installation, framing, foundation work. That way, you know the steps you’ll need to get the finished product looking right from prior experience so you’ll have a better understanding of the end goal of the newest skill you’re working on learning.” —u/roonerspize “Last year, I did replace the belt on my dryer by watching YouTube videos and getting my dad on Skype to help me out. Just to have someone come out and look at it was going to be $200, plus parts and labor. Very proud moment.” —u/ajames54 Need some inspiration? Here’s some advice from home repair workers. —u/lurkin4luv “I make my own espresso drinks. I have a whole coffee bar and make awesome drinks every day. I hardly ever visit Starbucks anymore.” —u/KDhulahoops Need some inspiration? Here are 22 coffee recipes to make at home. —u/Chatty_Monkey_Don “An ‘undercut’ used to be a sign of a bad/cheap barber who couldn’t blend the sides into the top. Now, it’s in style. So, I can cut my own hair in a relatively modern way without anyone thinking it looks out of fashion.” —u/JohnFoxpoint “I cut my own hair. There are lots of YouTube tutorials on how to do this without messing it up. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars a year doing this. I might not have the most trendy cut, but it works for me. And I don’t have to worry about making small talk with the hairdresser anymore.” —u/[deleted] “I dye my own hair, and that saves me a boatload.” —u/PotatoKingMom Need some inspiration? Watch some brave souls cut their own hair for the first time, and here’s a list of ways to change up your hair without actually cutting it. —u/kyuuei “Instead of buying a bunch of different cleaning solutions, I just use white vinegar and dish soap for all my everyday cleaning. Counters, sinks, showers, toilets, floors, pretty much anything except windows. It also makes a good weed killer and bug spray if you don’t want to spray a bunch of chemicals around. “The only downside is it can leave your place smelling like pickles for a little while. Some people use oils or orange peels to add a scent, but I don’t bother with that.” —u/PhoneWrecker “We make our own laundry detergent. A 5-gallon bucket lasts months and is under 10 bucks. It works great, too!” —u/oopsiepoopsie7492 Need some inspiration? Here’s are seven different household cleaner DIYs. —u/that_other_goat Need some inspiration? Learn more about cooking with spices here. —u/the-roaring-girl “I got seventeen dress shirts from salvation army for $60, all Larges and XLs. I am a muscular guy. Mediums don’t fit, larges are baggy, and even new shirts don’t fit me. So, I practiced tailoring and darting my dress shirts. I watched this 4-minute YouTube video and my first shirt came out great. Admittedly, I messed up getting a bit aggressive because I wanted to show off my abs, but I became obsessed with sewing. Now, I can make clothes.” —u/tummypains “I shorten my own pants. I don’t have a sewing machine, but I can do it by hand. As I am short and need to adjust most of my pants, I have probably saved around $600 over the years, not much but still.” —u/Samantha_M Need some inspiration? Try these beginner sewing techniques out at home. —u/Throwawaymyheart01 Need some inspiration? Here’s a list of 38 easy recipes to make from beans. —u/milana_miki “I use a reusable menstrual cup instead of pads or tampons, saves me $100 a year, and it is so much better.” —u/CheapFrogs Need some inspiration? Read a review of what it’s like switching to a menstrual cup. “Not to mention, if I wanna spend an extra 30¢ on presentation, I can pretty much write off any gifts (birthday, Xmas, housewarming) I ever need to give. Even better, a lot of the equipment I’ve gotten has allowed me to make sodas as well. “I could take a bath in beer, and it’d still cost me less than going out to a fancy bar, and I get to choose exactly what’s on offer.” —u/davou Need some inspiration? Check out this guide on how to brew beer at home. —u/Hellooutthere112233 Need some inspiration? Here are 31 gardening basics for any beginner. —u/funobtainium “I love sandwiches and cinnamon raisin toast, and managed to snag a used bread maker from a family member who was going to toss it. Buy big bags of flour and big jars of yeast. As a bonus, your house will smell great.” —u/mycathasanicelife Need some inspiration? Try one of these seven recipes that are great for beginners. —u/kyuuei Need some inspiration? Here are some other eco-friendly swaps you can try next. —u/[deleted] “I learned how to do my eyebrows and nails (pedicures, manicures), essentially basic nail care on my own. Saves around $40-$60 a month if I would go out to salons and have it done for me. YouTube is your best friend!” —u/[deleted] Need some inspiration? Check out these “lazy” nail art patterns and try them at home. —u/AmNotLost Need some inspiration? Peep this list of foods mustard-lovers have to try. —u/naught-me “PLUMBING. Have a decent snake tool for clogs. It’s also not difficult to fix any part of a toilet or install one if you have a helper.” —u/funobtainium Need some inspiration? Here’s some advice from an actual plumber, plus a list of the weirdest things plumbers have unclogged. —u/making_mischief Need some inspiration? Here are 12 unexpected ways yogurt can up your cooking game. —u/Princess_Pavo “Homemade dog food and dog treats. Lots of recipes on the web and much better for your pet, too!” —u/LorenaMack Need some inspiration? Check out these easy recipes for your dog and four recipes for DIY dog treats.
