In this economy, we are all looking for ways to save money. What you may not realize is that you can actually save money using Pinterest. (I can’t guarantee saving time, however, as I have spent many a night looking up pins way past my bedtime…) Here are just a few of the ways that you can use Pinterest to your monetary advantage:
Household Cleaners
From greener cleaners to DIY disposal de-gunker, if you are looking for ways to make your own cleaners, look no further than Pinterest. I had recently come across several variations of making your own homemade laundry detergent. I was not overly impressed with the liquid version and some of the dry versions seemed overly complicated or included ingredients that I wasn’t sure I could even find. I finally combined a few and use this version. Four ingredients and two steps later, I have a detergent I love and one that only costs about eight cents per load. Consider finding a homemade version of your go-to cleaner and you just might be surprised at what you find (and save).
Family Meals
One of my favorite (but not too often executed) ways to save money is to meal plan and prepare freezer meals. With a little time and preparation, you can have healthy meals ready to eat at any given moment and you’ve already done the work in advance. You save money by minimizing food waste and cutting back on what you would spend on grabbing take-out in an effort to have dinner ready. This past weekend, I did some freezer meals, like breakfast burritos and banana muffins, but I also considered some of the recipes and freezer meal ideas from these pins (Melissa Fallis, Mama and Baby Love, and Homemade Smoothie Packs). Plan ahead by creating a “Freezer Meal” board where you pin all the various recipes you’d love to pack your house with. You won’t be disappointed on a weekday when searching for meals and you’ll love what you put back into your pocket in terms of the almighty dollar.
DIY Projects
This list is literally endless, but I’m sure that there is some project out there that you’ve said, “I could make that.” but often wondered how you could. With the right search, you can stumble upon some beautiful home décor or crafty gifts that you can make on your own. I’ve repurposed toilet paper rolls, oatmeal containers, Gerber puffs containers, scraps of fabric – all based on different things I’ve found on the internet and later pinned on Pinterest. This board alone already contains 15 pins covering different ideas on how to craft for this year’s Christmas. As you can see, you can create great personalized gifts without breaking the bank.
Have you saved money using Pinterest? If so, what are some of your favorite money saving pins? We’d love to hear from you. You can also follow me on Pinterest here or Chicago Parent here.