Many of us frugalites have a DIY that's difficult to justify in abstract time is money terms, yet the real world advantage of doing it yourself feels satisfying.
This one is yogurt: it takes 12 minutes a week of hands-on time to make a quart of yogurt, including cleanup. In the photo it's served with whey-soaked bulgur wheat, brown sugar, allspice, and strawberries.
Sure, it's possible to buy prepackaged yogurt with fruit already in it–and no shade intended towards those who do. Yet for my time, sitting down to this on a weekend brunch is worth it. Strawberries are a local crop and went on discount this week. The other ingredients are inexpensive bulk purchases. This brunch cost less than $1.
Side note: whey is a byproduct. It's the thin semi-clear liquid that drains off from making yogurt. To repurpose it, pour some into a jar with a tablespoon of bulgur wheat, cap the jar, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The lactic acid in the whey softens the bulgur. Then stir that into yogurt in the morning. The result is a mild slightly nutty flavor and a pleasant texture. Adds lots of fiber and nutrients.
So, is there a frugal DIY you do because of intangibles?
A walk you take instead of driving because you enjoy the fresh air and exercise?
A vegetable you grow because it's fresher than the store bought version?
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Posted by doublestitch
1 Comment
Ohh I love this question! I definitely have a few things I do regularly that aren’t financially the most practical but bring me intangible benefits.
* Cleaning:/Laundry: With my current income, it would make more financial sense to outsource the cleaning and laundry but doing these myself bring me a certain peace of mind and satisfaction each week. I wouldn’t say I necessarily enjoy them, but the “ahhh” moment when I do finish is awesome.
* Baking bread: I’m pretty sure it actually costs me more in ingredients to bake bread at home (I frequently make a milk bread that uses milk and butter) but I love the feeling of making it myself and enjoying home baked bread where I know exactly what goes into it.
* Grocery store walks: I’m in a VHCOL city with good public transit/walking-friendly options so I realize this isn’t an option for everyone, but I love walking to and from the grocery store. Would make more financial sense to outsource given the amount of time it takes me, but I get some exercise and fresh air in and enjoy picking my own produce and skimming the aisles for sales or good discounts.