Do-It-Yourself

12 Homemade Cleaning Product Recipes for Every Area of Your House

February 25, 2019 By Jennifer Derrick 38 Comments

With the prices of everything skyrocketing, making your own cleaning products can be an easy way to save money if you do not want to hire a cleaning services company. In addition to saving money, most homemade cleaners are non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and safe for use around pets and children. They take very little time to make, so they don’t add to the workload. Friends and family members frequently ask for my homemade cleaning products recipes, so I’m sharing 12 of my favorites. I’ve tried all of these and found them to be at least as effective, if not more so than commercially prepared products.

Getting Started

Before you get started mixing things up, you’ll need a couple of spray bottles to hold your homemade cleaning products. You can get inexpensive bottles in the travel section of stores like Wal-Mart or Target, or you can use glass spray bottles like these on Amazon, which are reusable and come with labels.

You can also reuse spray bottles from commercial cleaners as long as you thoroughly clean them out to prevent unwanted chemical reactions. Be sure to label your bottles to prevent accidents.

You’ll also need some old rags, sponges, or cloths for scrubbing purposes. I use an old fashioned sponge for the heavy scouring work and microfiber cloths for cleaning surfaces like countertops. Microfiber cloths can be rinsed/washed and reused over and over, making them an inexpensive choice if you don’t like rags or old washcloths.

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12 Homemade Cleaning Products Recipes

Now that you’ve got your basic supplies, on to the recipes!

1. Window/Glass cleaner: Mix equal parts water and distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle. You can use a rag to wipe the glass, but a sheet of newspaper does even better.

2. Floor cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar into one gallon of water. Mop the floors as usual.

3. Countertops: Mix equal parts distilled white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe down countertops with a sponge or cloth. For stubborn stains, scrub with baking soda.

4. Tubs/sinks: Straight baking soda works well for scouring away soap scum and mildew. Sprinkle it into the tub and add just enough water to make a paste. Then scour away. Spray the chrome with the countertop mixture (above) of vinegar and water then wipe down to make it shine. If you have heavy mold or mildew, straight vinegar sprayed directly on the affected area works well for loosening it.

5. Toilets: Sprinkle straight baking soda into the toilet and swish around with a brush. Let it stand for a few minutes, swish a final time, and flush.

6. Fabric softener: Pour 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser or add manually during the rinse cycle. This softens clothes, removes excess detergent and does not leave a smell behind.

7. Carpet deodorizer: Sprinkle straight baking soda on the carpet, using more in heavily trafficked areas or where pets stay. Vacuum after 20-30 minutes.

8. Powdered laundry detergent: Mix 5 cups soap flakes and 7 cups of Borax and shake well to mix the flakes and Borax. Store in plastic container or old laundry detergent box. Use 1/2 cup per load.

9. Exterior house wash: If you have vinyl siding, this cleanser will get rid of mold and mildew. Mix one quart of bleach per gallon of water in a hand sprayer. Add 1/4 cup of dishwashing liquid (hand washing liquid such as Dawn or Ivory, not dishwasher liquid). The dishwashing soap just makes the mixture “sticky” so it will adhere to the wall long enough for the bleach to do the work. Spray on the walls and then rinse with a garden hose or light pressure wash.

10. Drain Cleaner: Pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain. Follow with 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar and plug the drain until the fizzing stops. Pour one gallon of boiling water down the drain to flush out the clog. Prevent clogs by pouring a pot of boiling water down the drain once per week.

11. Dishwasher Rinse Aid: Pour distilled white vinegar into the rinse agent compartment and wash as usual.

12. Furniture Polish: Mix 1/4 cup olive oil or mineral oil with 4 tablespoons distilled white vinegar and 20-30 drops of lemon essential oil. Pour into a spray bottle and shake well before using.

Homemade Cleaning Product Concerns

One of the concerns I often hear about the recipes that use vinegar is that the vinegar will leave a smell behind. Let me assure you that once it dries or runs through the rinse cycle in the washer, it no longer smells. One of the benefits of homemade cleansers is that most leave no scent whatsoever behind, so your home does not smell like a hospital. If you want to add some scent, you can experiment with essential oils such as peppermint or lemon. You can find these at health food stores, or places like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.

Another concern is that these cleansers don’t kill bacteria. Research has shown that vinegar does kill certain household pathogens, so if you want to disinfect without using harmful antibacterial chemicals, vinegar is a great choice. Tea tree oil is another great disinfectant and can be mixed with water and used on countertops and in sinks, tubs, and toilets to disinfect.

Helpful Tips and Warnings

As with any sort of cleanser, test your creations on inconspicuous areas to make sure there’s no discoloration, scratching, or other adverse effects. And two final words of warning: First, never use vinegar on natural stone such as granite or marble because it will scratch and pit the stone. Second, never mix bleach with vinegar because it will give off a toxic gas.

Using homemade cleansers is just as effective and much less expensive than using commercial cleansers. Once you’ve mastered the basics, don’t hesitate to experiment with the concentrations and added scents you use to find what works best for you. Just remember to always test anything new before using it widely.

Do you make your own household cleaners? Share your tips in the comments below!

Save Money on House Repairs With This DIY Air Conditioning Repair

April 27, 2017 By Amanda Blankenship Leave a Comment

Warmer weather is on its way which means people will start to turn on their air conditioning systems. After having the AC turned off all winter, however, some individuals will turn their cooling system on to find that it needs to be repaired.

Air conditioning repairs can get pricey, especially if you don’t have a reliable handyman. Some AC companies will attempt to sell you an entirely new unit even if you don’t need one. Before you call your local heating and air company, why not try a DIY air conditioning repair?

DIY Air Conditioning Repairs

DIY (or do-it-yourself) projects can seem a bit daunting. The internet has made it easy to create, fix, repair just about anything, including your AC. If you are comfortable working with electricity and can spend about $50 on parts there’s a good chance you can fix your air conditioning yourself. Whether you have low cooling or no cooling at all you can probably perform your very own DIY air conditioning repair. Here’s how:

Check the Furnace

Before trying any DIY air conditioning repair you should first make sure that the furnace isn’t the problem. To check your furnace set the temperature on your AC low. If you hear the furnace (or fan) kick on you can proceed with attempting to fix your AC yourself. If the furnace does not kick on you will likely need a professional to fix your problem.

Start With the Easy Stuff

Once you’ve checked that the furnace is still working, move on to the easy stuff (the air conditioning repairs you can do yourself). First, be sure you shut off the power before starting any work on your air conditioning unit. Once you’ve powered down you can clean the condenser coils. (If you’re unsure of where these are or what they look like there are great Youtube videos explaining it.)

After cleaning the condenser coils and before you start your repairs, check the fuses. A blown fuse could be the bulk of your issue (if there is one) and it is also a sign of a larger component, such as a relay or capacitor gone bad. Don’t simply replace the fuse without making the other proper replacements.

Make Replacements

If you see a blown fuse (and even if you don’t) the contactor and the start/run capacitors are the parts of an AC unit that fail the most often. Since these parts need replaced every once in a while you’ll need a little information.

Find the nameplate on the condensing unit and snap a photo (or write down) of the make, model and serial number of the unit. You can get the parts at your local hardware store, AC/heating dealer or online (if you can wait for delivery). Thankfully these parts are fairly inexpensive, making your DIY air conditioning repair about $225 (on average) less than calling in a handyman.

Once you’ve got the parts you can check out some step-by-step written instructions on how to replace the parts for your specific model or find a video on Youtube.

Test Out Your Repairs

Complete the repairs as instructed (most forums and sites suggest the entire process will take a couple hours from cleaning the condenser on). Then test out your repairs by turning the power back on and trying out the AC. Give it about 10 minutes or so to fully kick on (since the power was off).

If your DIY air conditioning repair failed, don’t worry you still may be able to get away fairly cheap by checking the condenser fan motor ($150 or so). However, don’t assume that this is the next logical step.

If All Else Fails…

If you don’t think that your condenser fan motor needs repaired and your DIY fixes didn’t do the job it is probably time to call the heating and air company. Although it can be costly, having a working air conditioning system in the summer is a must for many people (especially in the South where there are weather restrictions from the heat). If you’re worried about the overall cost, be sure to compare prices around town or attempt to find a private party to do the work for less and, if all else fails, you can probably ask about financing options through the AC company.

Having appliance trouble is no fun but if you can manage a DIY air conditioning repair you can save a ton of money. For more ways to save money, check out these articles:

Photo: Department of Energy

Financial Lessons We Can Learn From the Duggars

February 2, 2016 By Alexa Mason 1 Comment

When you hear the name “Duggar” there are usually strong opinions and feelings that come to the surface. The family, which starred in the reality television show “19 Kids and Counting,” has been in the spotlight for a variety of reasons (not all of them good). However, whatever your feelings about the family and their children may be, there may be some valuable lessons you can learn from Duggar family.

Buy Used

The Duggars often recite the line, “Buy used and save the difference.” This is a good note to take from the family. Thrift stores, secondhand stores, garage sales and even free hand-me-downs are all ways to save money. Even Facebook and other social media can help with saving money in this way. Many areas have “Facebook Yard Sales” where people post items for sale. You can get anything from clothing to furniture and appliances used “and save the difference.”

Pay Cash

When you can, you should pay cash. This doesn’t mean you have to take physical cash out of the bank. It simply means that you should only pay for items that you have the money for in your checking account and not on credit cards. Even though the credit card point accrual may be tempting, it usually isn’t worth the debt that will likely ensue.

Avoid Debt

This was kind of touched on in the last point, but avoiding debt at all costs should be a priority if you are looking to be financially free. Even though they have 19 children, the Duggars can claim to be “debt free.” How? Well, when they bought their house, they paid for it in full. They also stick to their “buy used and save the difference” mantra as well as paying cash for all of their purchases which definitely cuts down on debt.

DIY

When you can do it yourself, you should. The Duggars are huge do-it-yourselfers. They have been able to cut down on costs in their home as well as avoid debt by figuring out how to build things for themselves. They also take on different projects around the house. Every once and a while, they will hire someone else to do the work, but it will be so that they can look on and learn how to do it themselves for the next time. Of course, if they have to hire someone, they pay in cash.

Help Others

When you help others, other are more likely to help you when you need it. On the show “19 Kids and Counting,” the Duggars could usually be seen helping a fellow large family, the Bates. By helping the Bates, the Duggars knew they always had someone to rely on if they ever needed help. This way of thinking and doing keeps the Duggars from having to pay for workers.

Tell the Kids No

Don’t be afraid to tell your kids no. If it isn’t in the budget and there is no wiggle room, you just have to say no. Michelle Duggar, the mother of the 19 kids, said there was a time she had to tell her daughter that she could not buy her a pink blanket simply because they didn’t have a lot of money coming in and it just wasn’t in the budget.

Delayed Gratification

Plenty of successful people say that delayed gratification is a huge part of securing a stable financial future. Sometimes, you may really want something, but you have to wait for it. For instance, the Duggars were living in a small, cramped home and wanted to move into their large, spacious home. However, they knew they wanted to have it paid in full before they could move in. The house took quite a few years to finish, but it was worth the gratification of the home and the financial security having it paid in full provided.

Photo: Wikipedia

Stay on Top of Your Home Improvements to Save Money and Time

June 23, 2014 By Guest Writer Leave a Comment

Tracking home improvement projects can be a risky adventure if you are not managing the details of the project process and the budgets throughout the improvement process. These details include the items necessary for the project, the labor if any for the project, and time and when certain items need to be procured. Managing budgets as the project goes through its process is necessary to insure that enough funds are available to complete the project. The last thing anyone wants is a half completed project in a home which occurs more often than you might think.

Home improvement projects generally have five phases. Each phase can guide you to the next phase and help you better prioritize your home’s and your family’s needs. By following a project management methodology for your home improvement projects, you are more likely to have awareness of the specifics about your project or projects and to follow the details needed to complete the project. Here are the five phases.

Managing Your Project Ideas and Concepts

When determining what you need and want done to your home in the form of projects, it is time to get them all in a wish list. Some projects might be fix it projects like updating a roof or replacing a hot water heater. While other projects are design or renovation projects that either require cosmetic updates or complete demolition and construction of a room or location in your home. When it comes to our homes, many of these projects feel like a priority but discussing what needs to be completed and the desire of the projects will help identify project priorities.

Maintenance or fix projects oftentimes become a first priority in that it affects a way of life. A broken hot water heater results in cold showers. Or a non-working heating and air conditioning unit can result in very cold winters and very hot summers. These projects are not the end of the world, but may find themselves in your priority list due to your lifestyle.

When it comes to decorating, design or updating your projects, determining your style or theme of what you want your home or a particular room to be like is important. You style will lead you in considering the materials and finishes you want to incorporate into the design of your projects. This is important as some materials may be more expensive than others but there may be a comparable material on the market that will still fit your needs but may fit into your budget more effectively.

In determining style, you will need to also gain a clear understanding of your spatial layout in your home or room. Having an understanding of your existing room or area sizes or understanding your room sizes for future additions is important to spatial layout. You can love all the products you want, but if they do not fit in your room than you will find it difficult to incorporate them in your design. Make sure your measurements are accurate for the space and the items that will be incorporated into the space.

Once the wish list process is underway, the number of projects that all the parties want in a home start increasing and the need to prioritize when each project will be started and then completed is a conversation for everyone involved. This can also help with managing expectations over a period of time. Managing projects over one year or over multiple years still becomes important to make sure visibility is transparent and the projects are moving smoothly. By managing multiple projects over time, all the parties involved can agree on when a specific project will be completed and when. Keep in mind weather conditions can help you design your project schedules. Conducting landscaping projects in winter where it snows might not be a wise use of time or dollars.

Following the Money

Once you have identified your projects, it is time to gather the data about the costs of these projects. Simple research can be done to find estimates of projects both from a parts and materials component and also a labor component. This research can be gathered online, while out shopping, talking to friends and even interviewing contractors or product manufacturers. Gathering this data about your projects will help you identify what budget requirements are needed for these projects and how to prioritize them against one another but also against the other items in your life like vacations, cars, education and more. This process also gives you an opportunity to start understanding the basic details of project expenses. This phase is your first opportunity to understand the finances and the time it takes to complete a project.

DIY or Contractor Hired

Understanding your capabilities and whether or not you have the time and the experience to conduct your projects or you need to hire them out will help you also identify the budget requirements for your projects. Hiring contractors to perform the work will result in a labor costs that you may not have been aware of and need to now budget. Labor costs can vary depending on the project and the crew that will come in and finalize your project.

This process may also include hiring a designer. If you struggle with understanding how to make a home truly yours or are looking to create a specific look, then hiring an interior designer can help you move the process along and also help you find exactly what you want as these individuals have connections with a lot of vendors and suppliers that could help with the design and feel of the room. An interior designer’s fees will need to be incorporated into your project budget. Interior designers can also help with recommending and/or hiring contractors. This community generally has a number of parties that work together and are familiar with each other’s style and communication methods.

An interior designer or a contractor can help with the overall project management process of the project, which could result in increased fees but if this burden is too heavy for you, this could be a great compromise. You will however need to make final decisions on the overall project process.

When hiring contractors, interview multiple ones for the job and also ask for customer references. Once you understand that the contractors have the right skill, previous experience, and you feel like you have a contract that supports both you and the contractor, then you are in a position to start the hiring process. It is important to stay involved in the process and to establish a communication methodology to keep the project on time. Both contractors and owners can slow the process down by not making decisions quickly.

Labor costs can also change should an unexpected situation arise. Sometimes delays can occur due to permits or unexpected weather conditions can delay a project, among other things. Having a fall back position in your mind or in your budgeting process of extra labor costs can help you manage through any of these unexpected situations and keep you on top of potentially increased labor costs.

It is important and best that if you do not have the time nor the skills to perform the specific project, hire the right contractor to help you get the project completed. Nothing is worse than doing a project that you are not equipped to perform and then having to redo it thus spending double or more the money due to someone needing to come in and fix the initial project.

Always keep in mind your safety if you choose to do these projects yourself. Not having the skills to perform a contact can result in safety issues that could result in more challenging situations long term.

Shopping for Project Details

Now that you know which projects are in your near future, it is time to start shopping for the specific items necessary for your project. Homeowners will often remember the large items like appliances, large furniture, cabinets, countertops, and more in a project but forget the smaller items like garbage disposals, faucets, towel racks, etc..

Understanding the features, costs and specific details of each item is important during the project lifecycle. What you want versus what you can afford is a struggle we all face with our home projects. Should you spend more money on appliances and less on flooring and countertops? If you buy the high end bath tub you really want, can you save money elsewhere on the project and still be within your budget? These types of questions are ones that many people struggle with in seeing various aspects of the big picture.

Tracking Project Costs

The phases of a home improvement project allow homeowners the ability to understand how to manage individual cost budgets for projects and help keep you aware of any changes that might occur during a project. Tracking costs of multiple projects also help track the funds and cash flow needed over a specified period of time.

By tracking the project details including receipts, warranties, and photos of before and after will come in handy during tax time of the year if you decide to sell your home. These project details also come in handy when you need to update your home inventory and details with your homeowner’s insurance agent. Making sure you are properly insured when new projects are updated can insure that you are aware of your home’s details should anything unexpected happen like a fire or some other tragic situation.

Once your project is complete, It is also time to schedule the maintenance on your newly updated parts of your home. Appliances require regular maintenance where you will follow the recommended maintenance instructions from the manufacturer’s owners manual. Other items like countertops might also have suggested maintenance depending on the materials. Follow the recommended maintenance activities for these items by referencing sources that focus on these items. Determining if you need a service provider to come into your home occasionally can also help with the process of staying on top of your maintenance.

The most common reasons a project is over budget is poor planning, no budget or estimates, no comparison shopping, bad contractor contract, and not pitching in on labor.

Following these phases of the home improvement process can help you stay aware of your projects that include the details, the schedule and the budgets. Focusing on a process can also help identify if any unexpected changes need to be made to your projects that could result in increased dollars needed to complete the project. Following these simple steps can bring awareness and visibility to home improvements along the way avoiding any potential risk of an incomplete project.

Elizabeth Dodson is co-founder of HomeZada, an online home management solution to help you manage everything about your home in one place. You can follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

Making Things Isn’t Always Cheaper

December 19, 2012 By Jennifer Derrick 7 Comments

Making your own things, sewing your own clothes, or making gifts are often touted as ways to save money. After all, the thought goes, you can make something for less than it would cost to buy the item. Unfortunately, while making your own items can bring you many rewards, saving money isn’t always (or even usually) one of them.

For example, I needed a new bookcase recently. I didn’t need anything fancy, just something to tuck in a closet to give me a little extra shelving. I could have made my own. I have the skills, tools, and knowledge to do so. However, I was able to find a perfectly serviceable unit at Target for $20. There is no way I could have made a bookcase for that amount of money. Just the wood alone would have cost more than that and that’s before I bought stain, screws/nails, etc. I bought the manufactured unit and had it assembled and in my closet that afternoon. Had I made it, it would have taken at least a week with all of the other things I have going on right now.

Sure, a handmade unit would have been nice. It would have looked a bit better than the store bought unit and I could have customized the size. But for the job I needed it to do, the store bought unit was just fine. I also needed the extra shelving fairly quickly. Having it in one day was preferable to waiting a week. Plus, buying the unit freed up a lot of time that would have been spent making a unit and, right now, time is at a premium for me. Buying rather than making saved me both money and time.

This is often the case, particularly when you don’t need to be super picky about the item you’re buying. Modern manufacturing processes and economies of scale simply make it possible to mass produce something for less than an individual can make the same item. This wasn’t the case in our grandparent’s day, which is why they so often made things and managed to save money. There simply weren’t any cheap goods to buy. Now, though, times are different and buying is usually cheaper.

It is possible to save money by making something if you already have the materials on hand, or if you can get the materials for free. If you’re able to make something out of scrap/trash, if you can find someone to give you the materials you need, or if you can scrounge up materials from somewhere else (think dumpster diving or yard sales) you can likely make something for less than the cost of buying new. However, if you have to go out and buy new materials, you might as well just go buy the item you need (if saving money is your main goal).

That’s not to say that it’s pointless to make your own stuff. Far from it. When you make your own, you can customize the item however you want it. You get the satisfaction of a job well done. The thing you make might be better/more functional/more durable than a store bought item. For some people, making things is a hobby that relaxes them, is fun, and/or provides a side income. There are plenty of reasons to make your own items but if saving money is the goal, you have to think carefully.

If you’re trying to save money by making your own items, figure out how much it will cost to get the materials/tools you need, as well as how much time it will take you to complete the project (your time is worth something, too). If you’ll have to learn some new skills to complete the project, factor your learning curve into your estimate. After you’ve got a figure in mind, look at how much it will cost to simply buy the item. By comparing the two numbers you’ll know whether making your own is a good deal or not.

(Photo courtesy of Rubber Dragon)

Things Worth Paying Someone Else To Do

August 23, 2012 By Dana O. Crandell Leave a Comment

I’m a cheapskate at heart. I do my own mechanic work, maintain my own computer, do my own home repairs and will do just about anything I can manage on my own, to save money. So, it might seem strange that I’m writing this article about paying for services. Well, I’m a cheapskate who’s learned that there are times when it’s actually more cost-effective to hire someone else. So, because I’m also a person that likes to share ideas, here are some on jobs you might want to pay someone else to perform, and why:

Changing Oil

Do it yourself oil changes is an activity that people sometimes suggest as a way to save money, but it doesn’t make sense to me. I have found that with a coupon (search online or in flyers or mailers that come to your house) you can get your oil changed for around $20 – $25 at most of the quick oil change shops. This is close to what you would pay for oil and filter at a retail outlet without spending the time (or getting dirty) to do it yourself. They key, of course, is that the oil change shops will try to up-sell you on other stuff, so you need to remember not to get hooked into these other services as they will be overpriced to make up for the cheap oil change.

Writing Ad Copy or Other Content

There are dozens of writing tasks you can probably handle on your own, but when the purpose of the writing is to put money in your pocket, there are good reasons to hire a professional. Writing compelling text takes more than just talent and grammar skills and by the time you learn how, your competitors will have your prospective clients. Fortunately, finding good writers is easy these days, thanks to sites like Elance and Textbroker.

Proofreading

There’s a very good reason that professional authors regularly hire proofreaders. Our minds have a way of tricking us into “reading” what we intended to write, instead of what’s actually on the page. For most, it takes days or weeks to “detach” from something we’ve written enough to proofread our own work accurately. Paying a proofreader may save you embarrassment, increase your profits and might even make the difference in having your writing accepted or rejected. Proofreaders work on a reasonable, per-word basis and are often a good investment.

Preparing Your Resume or CV

When it comes to landing a professional job or competing as a freelance professional, first impressions are everything. More often than not, that impression is going to come from the resume you submit, since prospective employers see it before they see you. While it’s true that anyone can create documents like these quite easily with modern technology, creating a resume that stands out from the rest isn’t quite so easy. Hiring a service or individual to at least “tweak” your resume may determine whether you land that dream career.

Transcription

Converting audio to printed text is tedious work and requires focus. It’s also a little like proofreading, in that your mind can often hear something your ears didn’t, so accuracy can suffer. Professional transcribers can be hired online for about $15 – $60 per audio hour, so it’s worth considering how much of your own time would be required to produce an accurate document from audio content, especially with any distractions you may have.

Research

The internet has placed almost any information you could want to have literally at your fingertips. If you know how to find and verify it, that is. Sure, you can Google just about anything and get thousands of hits. That’s part of the problem. Do you really have the time to go through all those links and determine which ones are from good sources? If you need lots of accurate information quickly, paying a professional researcher may save you a lot of time that you can use to make money. You can hire one through the freelancing sites or an independent agency.

Business Accounting

If you operate a business or invest, managing finances isn’t just important; it’s critical. It’s also enough work to take entirely too much time away from the other aspects of the business. Hiring an accountant not only lets you put the time saved back into your business, it can help you maintain a better picture of where you stand financially. That can mean solving problems before they cost you too much.

Business Website Development

No doubt you’ve seen hundreds of ads online and in the media promoting designing your own website with someone’s software. There are also dozens of great content management packages out there, like WordPress and Drupal, that may make the process of creating and managing a site easier and there’s a veritable plethora of themes available for any business. So, why pay someone else? There are several very good reasons, but here are just a few:

1. Eventually, you’re going to run into a problem you don’t know how to fix.
2. The developing process will take time away from running your business.
3. Downtime equals loss of profits.

If an online presence is important to your business, you’ll save yourself money and grief by hiring a professional.

Business Website Promotion

Even professional developers hire someone else to market their websites. There may be no more competitive business than website promotion and the stakes can be very high if you depend on leads or sales generated from a website. Think about the staggering number of sites you’re going to be competing with and check out how many already have a good foothold. If you’re going to compete on the World Wide Web, you need people to find your website. You may be surprised at how reasonably you can hire a professional promoter.

Ebay Listings

If you don’t spend a lot of time on the online auction sites, but have a lot of items to sell, you might want to consider hiring a Trading Assistant. It takes a lot of sales to build a reputation on sites like Ebay, and there are a lot of things to know about posting auctions, not to mention many pitfalls to avoid. For many people, it’s worth paying a small fee to a “Power Seller” to save time and use the leverage of the seller’s reputation. To find a seller in your area, start here.

Recycling

Getting rid of recyclables can be time-consuming, not to mention messy, even if you have curbside recycling available. If you live in an area where you pay a deposit for cans, plastic bottles, or other recyclables, you may have a big chunk of space reserved for saving those items until you return them for a refund. You may be surprised to find that there are a few enterprising individuals that will take those cans and bottles, along with your other recyclable materials off your hands for a small fee, or in exchange for the redemption value alone. Either way, before you discount this as a silly notion, think about the time you invest in sorting, hauling, etc. and see if it might not be better to use that time doing something profitable.

Semi-Complicated DIY Home Projects

Simple do-it-yourself home projects are a great way to save money, but I have found that anything that gets even a little bit complicated is better left to someone who knows what he’s doing. I think this one depends a lot on your DIY capabilities, but for many the time and possible damage that can be done trying to do it yourself can often make it a better choice to let a professional do it.

Anything You Hate Doing

This isn’t a free-pass excuse to say that you should pay others to do anything and everything, but if there is something that is important to be done on a regular basis that you absolutely hate doing, it is worthwhile considering paying someone else to do it. While you may be able to save money doing it yourself, the stress it causes you (usually for a prolonged period because you procrastinate doing things you hate doing) plus it not getting done as thoroughly or as well as it should be done can make it worthwhile to pay someone else to do it. While monetary costs are important to remember, how doing things yourself affects other areas of your life are also important to consider.

There are undoubtedly many other tasks I’ve neglected to include in this list. The point is, though, sometimes it’s not cost-effective to do everything on your own.

(Photo courtesy of quaziefoto)