How to Avoid Breaking Your Budget on DIY Projects
Make some purchases online., Learn which supplies you can buy for cheaper prices., Borrow tools when possible., Save scraps when possible., See if you can save money by buying supplies in bulk., Check discount stores.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make some purchases online.
You can often save money making purchases online.
Online craft stores and hardware stores may have specials or discounts.
If you found prices in a local store were out of your budget, see if you can find something cheaper online.Large websites, like Amazon, tend to carry basic supplies for cheaper than specialized stores.
Purchasing something like nuts or bolts on Amazon may be cheaper than going to a hardware store.
You also may be able to find secondhand items for very cheap on sites like Craigslist.
However, always use precaution when meeting someone online.
Meet in a public space to make purchases. -
Step 2: Learn which supplies you can buy for cheaper prices.
Some supplies are worth the extra cost, as they're likely to hold up longer.
However, very basic supplies can be bought for cheap.
Things like rope, sand paper, tape measure, and work gloves can be bought at discount prices.
Supplies that won't actually be part of the final project are better purchased at discount prices.For example, invest in high quality yarn if you're making a hat, but save some money on cheaper knitting needles. , If you're only going to use a tool for a single project, you probably don't need to spend money buying that tool.
If you, say, need a sander for a DIY project, see if you can borrow one from a friend instead of spending a large chunk of money on one., Each time you make a project, save any scraps.
Scraps of wood, metal, fabric, and other supplies can be used in a project later on.
If you've been saving scraps here and there, check your scraps for anything salvageable.
This can save you a lot of money on buying new supplies.For example, if you want to sew a new blouse, why not sew it out of leftover fabric instead of wasting money on new supplies? , If you do DIY projects a lot, look into buying in bulk.
It's often much cheaper to buy certain items in bulk than it is to buy small amounts of supplies.When you're at a craft or hardware store, look at the bulk price.
See if discounts apply if you buy a certain number of a particular item.
Remember to be realistic when buying in bulk, however.
Do not buy supplies in bulk if you're unlikely to make a project again.
If you're building, say, a tool shed, do not buy plywood in bulk unless you foresee yourself building multiple tool sheds over the years. , If there's a discount store in your area, check to see if you can find cheap items there.
Some items can easily be bought for a cheaper price at a discount store.However, don't skimp on items that are necessary to hold a project together.
Something like cheap plywood may not be a great idea, for example. -
Step 3: Borrow tools when possible.
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Step 4: Save scraps when possible.
-
Step 5: See if you can save money by buying supplies in bulk.
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Step 6: Check discount stores.
Detailed Guide
You can often save money making purchases online.
Online craft stores and hardware stores may have specials or discounts.
If you found prices in a local store were out of your budget, see if you can find something cheaper online.Large websites, like Amazon, tend to carry basic supplies for cheaper than specialized stores.
Purchasing something like nuts or bolts on Amazon may be cheaper than going to a hardware store.
You also may be able to find secondhand items for very cheap on sites like Craigslist.
However, always use precaution when meeting someone online.
Meet in a public space to make purchases.
Some supplies are worth the extra cost, as they're likely to hold up longer.
However, very basic supplies can be bought for cheap.
Things like rope, sand paper, tape measure, and work gloves can be bought at discount prices.
Supplies that won't actually be part of the final project are better purchased at discount prices.For example, invest in high quality yarn if you're making a hat, but save some money on cheaper knitting needles. , If you're only going to use a tool for a single project, you probably don't need to spend money buying that tool.
If you, say, need a sander for a DIY project, see if you can borrow one from a friend instead of spending a large chunk of money on one., Each time you make a project, save any scraps.
Scraps of wood, metal, fabric, and other supplies can be used in a project later on.
If you've been saving scraps here and there, check your scraps for anything salvageable.
This can save you a lot of money on buying new supplies.For example, if you want to sew a new blouse, why not sew it out of leftover fabric instead of wasting money on new supplies? , If you do DIY projects a lot, look into buying in bulk.
It's often much cheaper to buy certain items in bulk than it is to buy small amounts of supplies.When you're at a craft or hardware store, look at the bulk price.
See if discounts apply if you buy a certain number of a particular item.
Remember to be realistic when buying in bulk, however.
Do not buy supplies in bulk if you're unlikely to make a project again.
If you're building, say, a tool shed, do not buy plywood in bulk unless you foresee yourself building multiple tool sheds over the years. , If there's a discount store in your area, check to see if you can find cheap items there.
Some items can easily be bought for a cheaper price at a discount store.However, don't skimp on items that are necessary to hold a project together.
Something like cheap plywood may not be a great idea, for example.
About the Author
Kevin Lopez
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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