photo by booleansplit
Frugal skills save money, and a little self-reliance goes a long way. You won’t have to pay someone else to do many tasks for you. Maybe you were fortunate to learn everything you needed to know from your mom or 4-H, and home-economics class filled in the gaps. Sadly, not everyone learns important life skills. And there are plenty to learn that aren’t just useful during recent tough times but all the time. As a bonus, once you master a skill, you can teach it to someone else. And gaining the knowledge is only a book, DVD, class or Web site away.
Here are a few valuable skills to learn.

HOME REPAIRS: While you should leave some repairs to the experts, you can learn simple do-it-yourself repairs such as painting, fixing a leaky faucet, cleaning gutters, changing a fuse, drywall, unclogging a sink, replacing a toilet and installing tiling, to name a few. There are tons of books you can borrow at the library. Look for “The Official Rent-a-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home” by Jane Maclean Craig and Kaile R. Warren or any of the Reader’s Digest DIY books. Check your local home-improvement stores for free workshops, too.

CUT HAIR: Learn simple haircuts, and save your family hundreds of dollars per year. Grab a book, watch instructional videos, or take a continued-education class to learn how.

COOK: Whether it’s baking goodies or cooking meals from scratch, this is a key area to hone your skills. You can start small and learn to make homemade yogurt or bread and move into canning and preserving food or grinding grain. Call your local cooperative-extension office and see whether it offers information on preserving food. Some offer courses. While you have them on the phone, you can ask about gardening, too.

SEWING: Sewing isn’t for everyone, but you can learn simple mending such as sewing on a button, hemming pants, taking in or letting out the waist or repairing or patching a small rip or tear. Save money on simple alterations and preserve clothes that might otherwise be scrapped. You can do mending by hand or by machine. If you have someone in the family or a friend that sews, ask him or her to show you a few sewing basics. You can sign up for a class or lessons at a local sewing-machine dealer, quilt shop or craft store, too. Call to inquire. Learning to sew opens new options, such as handmade gifts and home decor.

GARDEN: Gardening takes effort, but it is well worth the time and energy. Watch your grocery bill go down. Learn to grow and care for your favorite vegetables. Start with a basic tomato or bean plant, and expand your garden as you gain experience. Plant fruit trees or strawberries, blueberries and raspberries for greater savings.

CLEANERS: Make your own cleaners or learn soapmaking. I recommend “Soapmaker’s Companion” by Susan Miller Cavitch for soapmaking recipes and techniques. Visit my community forums at www.frugalvillage.com for homemade cleaner recipes, such as all-purpose cleaners, disinfectant wipes and laundry soap. You’ll find a comprehensive reading list to help you get back to basics and learn self-sufficiency, too.

What frugal skills have helped you the most? What frugal skills do you want to learn?

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