D.I.Y. (do it yourself) projects can be a great way to save money, and lot of fun, too. People take pride in things they make themselves, as well they should. And it can feel great to know that your time and effort saved you some money in the process.
We had a great time setting up Miss O’s play area, I take great pride in my strawberry tower, and I still can’t get over all the huge change that came from our D.I.Y. kitchen makeover.
But going the D.I.Y. route isn’t always the best path to take. Here are 4 things you should think twice about trying to D.I.Y.
Projects that require specialty tools. Tools are expensive and if you’re never going to use it again, it’s probably not worth it. Specialty tools also have special instructions and using them without knowing how can cause more damage.
Projects that you have to buy a lot of materials for. I once considered making a fancy birthday cake for Miss O after I was put off by the high price of custom cakes. I bought everything I needed and made a plan… then I realized I spent more on the supplies than the professional wanted for a fully baked and decorated cake! Totally not worth it.
Anything above your level of expertise. There’s a reason professionals go to school to learn their trade. Not everything is doable for a regular joe. Attempting a fix that is not within your set of skills is going to end up costing you more in the end.
Jobs that are dangerous. Anything that’s going to put you in danger is a bad idea. It might save you money to do your own tree trimming, but if you get hurt while doing it, it won’t only cost you more, it could put your family’s financial security at risk. Just don’t do it.
