There are situations where it makes sense to save some money by being proactive and “doing it yourself” (or DIY). However, it is important to know the benefits and the drawbacks. One benefit for a post like this is a personal touch, for instance. In other areas, doing things yourself will usually save you money but will require lots of time and some specialized skills or tools.

Household cleaning is the area where DIY tasks are the easiest. I follow recipes by my favorite YouTuber/Blogger, Melissa Maker from “Clean my Space”, for poo-pourri and foot powder. Melissa also has great natural cleaning tips, many with simple ingredients such as Borax, baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils. On the other hand, I do not recommend a DIY approach to any court documents. Unless you have legal expertise, it is better to hire a local lawyer or professional service with knowledge about filling out and submitting documents on your behalf. I myself hired a family law attorney to handle my divorce case, and a reputable name change service to guide me through my name change process. Lastly, another commonly hit or miss DIY domain is for car repairs. Yes, YouTube can show you how to do almost any type of repair possible, but having the proper tools is important. Make sure that you know how much time and risk will be involved for you to complete the car repair yourself and how this cost compares to it being completed by a professional.

It is good practice to assess your skill level and determine how much time and effort it will take to complete any desired DIY task. This analysis will help you determine if it is beneficial to DIY, or if it is best to outsource the task and pay the service fee.

Editor: Melinda Kovacs