How 'Making Do' Can Reduce Household Spending

The most basic way to cut household expenses and save money is to use what you already own. At our house where thriftiness is a way of life, we always try to make repairs or solve a problem using what's on hand instead of running to the store. Here's some examples of ways we save money by "making do."

Clothes hampers for gift wrap storage. As my kids grow up and leave home, the room accessories that once kept their clothes & shoes organized are now organizing household supplies. Their old clothes hampers, for example, have found new life as crush-proof storage containers for wallpaper, gift wrap, and blueprints.

Summer tablecloths as winter dust covers. Winter is when we do our interior repair projects. To protect furniture and draperies from dust, summer vinyl tablecloths are put to work as drop cloths.

Blow dryer for tile removal. While there's a great assortment of commercial products available for removing tile glue, we've discovered that a blow dryer and putty knife will do the job for free.

Using a tweezers for basic plumbing fixes. Before calling a repairman, I'll try to clear clogged dishwasher paddles and drains with a tweezers first.

Egg cartons for peat pots. Growing your own vegetables is an another easy way to save money. Instead of buying peat pots to start your plants, use paper egg cartons instead.

Doors as emergency tables. When an unexpected crowd leaves us short on tables, we'll pop a spare bedroom door off the hinges for a speedy substitute. To make this easy conversion, the knobs are removed and the door placed on a couple of sawhorses with the hinges facing down.

Laundry baskets as garden colanders. Instead of buying bushel baskets, I use my plastic laundry baskets to gather up and hose off garden veggies before they are brought indoors.

Washtubs as sandboxes & more. Our family uses a galvanized camp washtub for multiple tasks around the house. Some of the creative ways we use this tub include corralling spent fireworks to prevent accidental fires, as a portable sandbox for toddlers, dyeing textiles, and a brooder for growing chicks.

These are just a few of the many ways our family trimming costs by "making do." Finding alternate uses for the items we already own is one of the easiest ways that a thrifty-minded family can save money.