Attempting to repair or upgrade parts of your home yourself is a great way to save money, as you can enhance the appearance and even the functionality of your home without having to spend lots of money on expensive repairers, which could land you with huge debt problems.
Even DIY jobs can cost money however, as you may need to shell out on tools and equipment, materials and new parts. And for most people who are in debt, buying completely new furniture and accessories is out of the question.
One compromise is to find cheaper ways to complete DIY jobs and make small improvements to your home. Here are some top tips to start you off:
- Discount codes and sales – You can get some amazing deals on a whole range of DIY and home improvement products if you browse online for valid discount codes, or use websites such as Moneysupermarket to find details of sales and special offers. Places that often offer discounts include: Amazon, Woolworths, Homebase and Habitat.
- Loyalty cards in DIY stores – Ask at the till to see if you can join a loyalty club and get bigger discounts. For example, Ikea has the Ikea Family card where you can get 25 per cent off Family products. There's also the B&Q Diamond Card for over 60s, offering a 10 per cent discount on Wednesdays.
- Borrow tools and equipment from family, friends and neighbours. Why pay to hire an expensive floor sander when you can lend one from your next door neighbour?
- Look on eSpares, eBay and Curry's Partmaster for spare parts and other usable materials
- Download free DIY instruction manuals online, but make they come from a reputable source!
