Okay. The internet is full of DIY projects and products such as make your own laundry soap, shampoo and pallet furniture.

My goal is that those that have tried or regular make their own items to post their success and failures in order to spread the money saving around.

Tips, recipes and general savings advice welcome.

I should be ashamed to admit that I coupon shop, but the fact that I often leave a store with $50 -$100 of goods for $3 or $4 makes me not so embarrassed (plus it makes me like a superhero to the soccer moms in line behind me).

BTW - use a calculator to check your price/oz on bulk items vs smaller ones. The industry is on to bargain shoppers and often you will find that the big jug costs more per unit of measurement than buying an equivalent amount of smaller jugs.

If you don't grow them yourself, buy your veggies from a farmer's market - they're sometimes cheaper, grown in your region instead of imported, and doing so helps support local small businesses (Walmart has enough money).

More to follow....

You can make about five gallons of beer for abut ten bucks!!!!

As soon as I have my stuffed moved in the new house the next thing I will be doing is digging in the dirt to plant veggies. A little late but hope to get something.

Do you guys have wooden pallets that people through out.
You can make heaps with them from outdoor furniture to standard gardens. Have a look on pinterest. Great ideas for next to nothing.

There is a place that recycles wooden pallets near my home and they will give me as many as I want. Reckon I could build me a woman?

Mate, you can do anything Hummm not sure if she can be flexible. Lol
Love your sense of humour.
Can you make me a man too and post it to me?

I will!

Seriously though, I will pick up some pallets from them and post my "creations"....next week...I'll be leaving for Texas in the early am and won't be back for a few days.

AND as an added bonus, I'll include my "1001 ways to Ramen"!

Used to do lot this stuff back in my married days when my boys were younger.
grow garden and freeze or can.veggies
You can usually find canning jars cheap at yard sale and then all ya do is buy new lids
sewing machine: made curtains for their rooms and quilts on their beds and mended clothes and as pants got too short I would make them into shorts for zmer

Ooops that was supposed to say summer
buy meat on sale and we had big.deep freezer and a vacum sealer
also.we bought 1/4 side beef or pig to stock it up each year
had sister in law made all kinds of cleaning products even her own baby wipes

Cool. Try pinterest for new ideas too
Always can do with ideas for our homes
Looking forward to seeing them
Drive safely enjoy your trip
Catch when you get back
Lol don't miss us

At end season clearance is when I would often find things like gardening supplies or flower bulbs for next year
Holiday decor
Day after halloween I would buy candy for christmas stockings
I used to get ads for stores every week and then go.thru my cupboards and fridge and make detailed menu and shopping list for week

Great t ideas Tmommy
Here we can go to the council and buy cheap plants for the gardens and when they are replacing display gardens they give them to anyone.

I am and avid gardener but also a lazy one. Garden does not have to be torture, costly , or hugely time consuming.

Top Ten Hints List

(1) Start with a graph paper and a measuring tape for planning almost every project. It can save you a bundle on expensive mistakes. And allows you to develop a project over years that will look planned and not break the bank. Having a plan will save you buying impulse stuff that looks pretty but will be a money pit. Blooming plants are and excellent example. They always cost more. If you have a garden wish list it can be a great way to get things you need as gifts. Garden/patio showers are a popular trend in remarriages or retirement parties.

(2) Don't have a ten gallon plan with a one gallon back. Improper lifting can take the fun out of gardening fast. Bigger is NOT always better. Buying smaller bags may cost a little more but is way cheaper than an ER visit. You can always put Styrofoam in a larger pot to save on weight. Buying the biggest power stuff is rarely necessary when you can rent them.

( 3) Having things setting around in a light weight shed or laying out is and invitation to petty but expensive theft. Keep your garage door closed or your gardens tuff behind doors. A five gallon bucket is great for toting around expensive hand tools. If you want a shed opt for one that has only loft level windows. Sheds can attract homeless. Keep them locked and well lit. Have a strict NO LOANER POLICY posted. Any thing you loan you rarely get back in good condition. If they hurt themselves with your tools you have lost a friend or started a neighborhood feud. Resist the temptation to sell used garden stuff to neighbors or friends unless you want them to be your enemy.

(4) Water is either your friend or your enemy in a garden. And especially on a deck where it can ruin thousands of dollars of surface and structural timber. Drainage is very important and the cost of water can negate your savings if you have leaks or fines from violating when to water in drought zones. Watering near your foundation can create HUGE costs. Putting in a water drip system is a first step project and way easier than retro fitting. Much less work that dragging hoses around. When you buy a hose go for all season 50 footer and not the gimmicky ones. Drain and store them indoors in winter any way.

(5) Don't mess with Mother nature. All areas have growth zones. If you buy things not designed to live in your zone it will be way harder than if you buy varieties of plants you see growing locally in places where they don't have a private pro nursing it along. Some variety of plants are double blooming and pest resistant so they cost less in the long run.

(6) Don't play with garden chemicals before you have thoroughly read the instructions and before you have adequate protection. It is REALLY easy to poison yourself, pets, or wildlife and a chemical burn is VERY serious and painful. When in doubt; don't. Buy only the smallest amount and do not store over the winter. Fertilizers are serious chemicals. breathing garden chemicals can be life threatening. Steam sprayer will kill weeds. Pulling finger size weeds just after a rain before they flower is always better than dousing everything with expensive chemicals once they are up to your knees. There are many organic ways to avoid chemicals all together.

(7) Buy the size plant you need and will fit the space you have when they are MATURE. Many varieties of trees and shrubs are container size or remain under a certain height that mean you do NOT have to chop out and over size plant or pay professionals to trim. Don't buy vining anything and if you do put it in a container away from fences and houses where it can grow where it should not be and cause serious damage. If you are in a temporary residence you can take some container gardens and have a head start on future home landscaping. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS IS moving plants across state lines. It is often forbidden and you can end up with huge fines.

(8) Container gardening is almost always preferable for the disabled or people over 50. You may think crawling around on your knees playing in the dirt is fun but it can be a costly mistake when your health says different. Buying concrete prefabs, having them professionally delivered with dirt and toping them with flag stones is a beautiful handi-accessible garden and can be a big resale perk for your home.

(8) Think about the guests in your garden. If you have pets or small children digging and trampling can be a big problem. Some times vertical gardens or raised beds can help as do containers that can be easily moved if you entertain grandkids. Check if your plant choices are toxic. If you live where wildlife is near by you may want to avoid certain variety of plants that attract deer, raccoons, or moles. They look cute but don't kid yourself they can do a lot of damage and if they bite you will have a painful series of rabies shots to endure. Keep rotting anything off the ground as it can attract ants and termites.

(9) Gardening is definitely a seasonal hobby. And usually just before the beginning or the end of the season is when you get the best bargains. Especially if you get on catalog lists and or buy on line. Bulbs are great buys by mail and can be a real plus to look forward to over the winter season. Forcing bulbs is a fun way to have exotic plants for holiday parties. Have a garden piggy bank to take advantage of clearance sales to fill in your wish list can be a real bonanza. As can making a $50 or !00 purchase and putting your virtual cart on hold so that they offer you free shipping or other freebies. . Usually the garden shop gives up retail space to Christmas. Thrift stores discounters, and even Habitat for Humanity Restore can save you big bucks on gardening projects.

(10) Gardening is a very social hobby. Almost every community has garden clubs that can be a great way to make friends and learn valuable tips; even swap starter plants or buy plants very affordably. Keep in mind if a gardener gives you a plant, do your best to take care of it, and write a thank you. Most of us will be glad to share but resent if we make the effort to give you something we may have nurtured for years so that it is healthy enough to share and you don't appreciate it. If you have a pot of dirt ready it will give your new plant a better chance of surviving if it is not left wanting or has to be transplanted.

Have FUN!!!See you in the garden.

Top Ten Tips for furniture buying

(1) Furniture is often one of those major expensive purchases that you can really save by learning a few basics. On line is good but some of your better references are readily available at Thrift stores and public libraries. Look at styles and get and idea what you like because sales staff are really good at getting you to buy what they have rather than what you want. Go to your credit union or piggy bank whenever possible because in store financing is ALWAYS very expensive.

(2) PLAN A piece of graph paper of your homes layout with exact measuring is very much your friend. It is a good way to plan what you want and avoid hand me downs you do not want and come with big guilt price tags. Also helps avoid removing doors, scraping ceilings, or trying to negotiate stairs can be a nightmare with the wrong piece. Delivery people will not force a piece and they are not going to risk losing a job by damaging your house UNLESS you piss them off or try to help and get them hurt. Having a plan before the "help" of friends gets there means things go where you want it.

(3) Take your tape measure and if need be stack boxes in the space to see if you are really going to be able to live with the size you want to buy. Word to the wise smaller, stackable. or multifunction pieces are usually going to be the pieces you love the most. Open stock is a good thing to go with if you are buying in stages but that does not mean it will be around forever. True black and true white are safer bets. Standard Deck colors can also be a good choice.

(4) FABRIC MATTERS. If you have children, pets, or seniors look up the major slipcover companies and see what styles you have options to protect your furniture with first. Slipcovers can be a good way to blend in a hideous hand me down. Seat cushion and arm styles can be problem avoided by a simple choice. Re-Upholstery is and art form and is expensive. Picking higher grade fabrics and foams may add a little expense but it saves you throwing your furniture out because it gets "ratty" too fast. Leave the kids/friends/parents at home when you are buying furniture and give yourself time to set. recline, or lay flat on a major furniture purchase for at least 30 minutes or more. If they don't want to allow you to fully extend a piece to reclining position buy your furniture else where. The loud thunk of a furniture opening or closing may be a minus if you have light sleepers in the home. It is no accident that they make mattress covers out of light pretty fabrics that will discourage you from trying them out. Take a sheet on a scouting expedition so you will be more likely to lay on an mattress with your feet up when the store is not busy. Remember you will be spending a lot of your life on your bed if you have to scrimp on other things at least get a good mattress.

(5) WOOD Matters. More and more furniture is prefab laminated fake wood or made of mixed wood.

Depending on the piece that can be ok others forget it. Decide how much traffic and weight is going to be on the wood.

There is a reason you still see a lot of Rock Maple, Cherry, Mahogany , and Oak hardwood antiques and look alike finishes because it holds up. Make sure you get the real deal. And be ready to pay for it.

Pine and Ash and even plywood are fine for light weight temporary furniture but don't be snookered by looking at finished demo pieces and order unfinished unless you really want to take the time work to do it yourself.

Which can save you big bucks if you are willing to buy the products to do it and have the ventilated and heated place to do it out of the wind. Not a lot of fun sanding debris or paw prints out of a project. Use the best NEW products you can afford to finish furniture. Don't even attempt to work over carpet with a drop cloth. Take a how to class and try a smaller project before you bite off a big one.

A hand finished piece is only going to be a really great family heirloom if you do it right. HOWEVER it is a huge feeling of accomplishment and sentiment that goes with a well done project.

(6) Better quality PATIO, CAMPING, or Storage FURNITURE can actually be a Good OPTION for interior furniture if you want to stay on a cash budget. The new snappy plastic paint and tape colors can really make them pop as accent pieces. When you can afford better interior furniture it is easy to move it outdoors and still give additional service. This is particularly true in kids rooms and dining rooms where a nice table cloth can make almost any table look upscale. Garden benches make great toy boxes. Plastic drawers or recycled prefab shelves can make the walk in closet hold a lot of stuff and be a later luxery if it is part of your "Master plan".

(7) It may be worth RENTing A TRUCK or van to hit auctions, thrift shops, neighborhood moving, or estate sales. Sometimes it is easier and cheaper to do your own delivery. Take only the CASH you can afford to spend.

(8) Do NOT BUY BROKEN stuff. Rarely can you fix it. Scratched or dents san generally be sanded and painted over. Matching hardware can be tricky make sure the holes are standard distance and depth or you could end up spending more on new hardware than the purchase. Getting custom cut and beveled glass is also expensive but in some pieces it can really add a wow factor. Get estimates before you buy.
SOMETIOMES Good plastic or laminate with wallpaper can be a great look.

(9 ) BUYER BEWARE. Really examine all furniture for critters, blood spots, and stains. Outdoor markets are nortorious for passing off bad stuff. The smell may have been aired out for a while with "fresheners " but they do come back. If a used furniture store is burning candles for ambiance you might want to rethink a purchase. If you have a truck rent it an extra day or two and leave your bargains in it with out "human hosts" and then give everything a tenting and at least bed bug spray.

(10) When in doubt buy less furniture than more. A new place can be easily overwhelmed by too big or too much furniture. If you pick multiple purpose end and coffee tables that can help but too much is just going to be expensive to get rid of and a waste of your money. Walls of bookcases may sound like a great idea but they tend to fill up with stuff you don't need and electronics, or collections you probably can't afford. Getting new furniture is a treat. Spread the joy out over time not the financing charges.

Happy furnishinging.