Because we have chosen to live on one income so that I can stay home with the kids it has been my desire to use my time at home in a way that we don't have to spend as much money. Meaning that I will spend more time on something (because time I have and I don't always have money) in order to save some money. Some of those things I do for other reasons too such as baking and cooking from scratch -it saves money but it is also better for us. Gardening is another way. It takes a lot of time but it saves money and beyond that we get food that is way better for us and tastes better too PLUS I love doing it!
Another way that time can be money is when we use our time to fix and repair things we already have instead of buying new. We have been working to do that lately quite a bit and I thought I would tell you about a few of them:
#1. This ceremic pot that I had broke. It wasn't in millions of pieces so I decided it probably could be mended.
A little washing and a little glue left it in quite a bit better shape. It isn't at all perfect but I can put the good side facing out and it will work. I probably saved about $5 on this project. That isn't much but over time things like that will add up.
#2. Some ugly old baskets. I like baskets and use them freguently with my floral design and just around the house. These baskets were well past their prime and not good for much of anything. The "white" one had been decorating for my daisy bathroom at one time and then used as a crayon holder and it was in bad shape!
With a little cleaning and a little spray paint they are looking much better and much more usable again! The saving here was very little as these are goodwill sort of baskets but I would much prefer fixing up something I have so that it can be used again rather than filling up the landfill and going out and buying something else.
#3. A collapsable clothes hamper. A lot of seams on it had come apart and part of the frame had popped out. This project I turned over to Jonathan. It took him around 1/2 hour (with some help from me) to get it sewn back together again.
It isn't perfect but it works! We didn't save a ton of money here either as I noticed that these were on sale this week at Walgreens for 2/ $3.50 but again I would much prefer to fix up what we have than going and getting something new. Also it was a good learning experience for Jonathan and he thought it was fun. So it was a win win situation and we saved $1.75 in the bargain and it took about the same time to fix it as it would have taken to drive to the store and back to get one.
Here are a few other ways that I like to spend a little time in order to save some money:
- Cutting hair at home (actually this saves both time AND money!). My family might not have the greatest haircuts on earth but they work!
- Making homemade presents. This usually takes quite a bit more time but it is worth it for me both because I save money and I like the concept of making instead of buying.
- Mending clothes.
- Doing much of our own building and fixing up around the house.
- Treating stains in clothing.
- Making my own things to decorate with.
This list just barely scratched the surface. I would love to hear some of your favorite ways to use your time instead of money! Please share.....
For more frugal ideas visit
Life as MOM.
You've got some great tips (I like to refurbish things with spray paint, too!) but the thing that impresses me most is that you have a kid who can sew. My 27-year-oldest son can't even sew on a button. My fault, entirely--I want to reserve a little dependence on mom, LOL, even if he is grown and gone. I'm terrible, I know.
ReplyDeleteYou're teaching him well and I bet he did a great job!
We have really made use of a used bookstore nearby. Instead of buying books now, we gather books from around the house and go trade them. Since we're all readers, this saves us a bundle. It also means no library fees when I forget to take the books back. : )
ReplyDeleteWe do the things you listed too. I also garden, and I spend time canning fruit when it's on sale to have enough for the year (our fruit trees are small still).
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! We do many of them too, but lately I've been trying to use old clothes in other ways (other than rags) thanks to your inspiration...and you know what there totally was something else the other day I said to my husband that I saved money every time I do that but I can't remember what it is! :)
ReplyDeleteI wish I could cut hair. Well I do my girls' hair but its just trimmed and its curly so it doesn't show...I tried hard to do my husband's but I asked him if he would go get it fixed it was that bad. He does mine though!
My husband is making me a canned food shorage shelf that you load from the back and she shelves are on an angle, making it from old refrigerator shelves - cost was almost free. He also took a not working dishwasher from a friend (free) and is going to fix it and install it in another ladies home - and he will give away the dishwasher, but will get paid a full day for the dishwasher install. smart guy. I save soap by putting it in a small mesh bag and tie it (free from a wedding) great for soap scraps and hotel soaps!
ReplyDeleteWow good for you. Thanks for sharing some encouragement. It is worth our time to make what we have work.
ReplyDelete