Your Favorite DIY’s–frugal? entertaining? both?

Do it yourself and simple/frugal go hand in hand.

I’ve found that every 10 hours I cut off my work week has changed my outlook on time and money

Sourdough starter

drastically. When I worked 70 hours a week, I would not have even contemplated making homemade bread, designing my own makeshift closet, making a thermal cooker or learning to do pottery, for example.  I counted my minutes out like a miser counts his pennies.  No way was I going to spend my precious time watching yeast do its thing!  And if I could spend $20 to buy back a few hours of my time from chores, cooking, financial planning or working–the money would fly. Likewise, reducing the time spent working freed up time to do money-saving activities. . .

The simple act of cutting back to 50-60 hours a week felt like some kind of revolution for me. Suddenly, I had the patience to call and argue about a mistake on a bill, or plant potted herbs and lettuce on my balcony.  Some of these activities, I even found I enjoyed–once spending the time no longer meant sacrificing my sleep or my health.

DIY–saving money while having fun.

My recent foray into unemployment has lead me to contemplate DIY projects in an entirely different manner.  I find that I do things myself for a variety of reasons:

• To save money (baking bread and most cooking fall under this category for me)
  

  Homemade bread--a favorite DIY.

• Higher quality (any food item, home grown vegetables and fruits and potentially homemade clothing)
• Entertainment, a sense of mastery and fun! (pottery-making, for example)
• Satisfaction–that I don’t have to rely on a specific manufacturer, grocery store etc for what I want or need: (shampoo alternatives, homemade deodorant and my makeshift closet fall under this category)

DIY and ‘What do you do all day?’

People have the most amusing ideas about being bored without their jobs and paid entertainment. I’ve been unemployed for coming up on a year (not on purpose, but hey!).  I’ve never been bored mainly because given a little spare time to work with my mind rattles off all kinds of oddball ideas. . .what if I could make my own soap?  What if I built an insulating window-covering?  What if I grew my own sourdough starter? Some save more money than others, but the creating and learning process certainly keeps me entertained.

in progress--tomato seedlings

What are your favorite DIY activities and why?

I certainly don’t think that money is the only purpose for engaging in a DIY project.  I’m curious to know what your favorite DIY projects/activities are.  Do you chose activities for enjoyment or because they save money?  Is there a new DIY activity that you’re particularly proud of or one that you hope to take on sometime soon?