6 Thrifty Websites To Help You Make, Repair & Do-It-Yourself To Save Some Cash

By Tim Brookes, MakeUseOf – December 22, 2010 at 06:31PM

do it yourself projects So the global recession has hit hard. At a time like this you may be tempted to turn to money-saving tips, techniques and resources to help yourself out if you’re feeling the squeeze.

What better way to save yourself money and stamp your own personal mark on a job by doing it yourself? There’s plenty of money to be saved by getting your hands dirty, regardless of sex and age – just exercise care and caution if you’re wielding sharp and potentially dangerous things.

Here’s a selection of websites to help inspire new projects and close the lid on those unfinished ones too.

Make It & Mend It

do it yourself projects

With the aim of inspiring more of us to re-use and recycle instead of simply throwing it away, Make it and Mend it is the brainchild of four passionate women who have seen the website’s popularity grow and grow.

Since launching in early 2009 the website has seen the growth of a community, a major redesign (which looks awesome) and the introduction of the email newsletter.

Navigation is easy via the simplistic and sleek design of the homepage, with instructions separated into six separate categories. There are also a few other sections to the site including People which focuses on guest bloggers and human interest, as well as Downloads and Videos.

Make it and Mend it provides some creative ideas for cookery, home design and fashion amongst others, with a focus on projects that benefit from that personal touch.

Make: Projects

do it yourself home improvements

Make: Projects puts more of an emphasis on technical projects than the previous website, but contains a good range of DIY tips, hacks, tweaks and uses for your old bits of tat.

Ever wanted to mod a snowboard into a splitboard? What about building your own aerial satellite? There’s no shortage of adventurous projects here, and you don’t need an engineering degree to play along.

The website is the “submit your own” section of Make Magazine, and many of the projects listed may have been featured on the shelf of your local newsagents in the past.

Instructables

do it yourself

We’ve mentioned it before, in fact I’ve even mentioned it myself but I can’t help but drop it into another article. Instructables is probably the web’s most definitive collection of DIY projects for absolutely any occasion.

The website changes with the seasons, so if you’re after the best halloween costume or want to build your own summer barbecue then you’re bound to find detailed, informative instructions for just about anything.

The website also runs regular competitions to reward the community’s spirit and determination, so if you’re brave then why not enter your own creation for the chance to win some very apt prizes.

diyfixit

do it yourself

British-based diyfixit embraces the nation’s obsession with hammers, drills and other tools with guides to fixing general household issues.

There’s a plethora of information available from wallpapering to installing a kitchen sink – you’ll find it on diyfixit. There’s a couple of different sections to explore, though the How To section warrants a visit on its own.

If you’re the handy type who feels confident enough in undertaking the largest of hands-on projects then diyfixit is the perfect resource for your busy hands.

DoItYourself.com

do it yourself websites

Another excellent resource for all your household needs, DoItYourself.com features an excellent How To section as well as videos to help you install, fix and choose the best bits of your house.

There’s also sections dedicated to design, car repair and general home improvement which add to the varied articles and videos that populate the website. The website also functions as a store for DIY products, and there’s a Find A Contractor area in case you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.

Another very capable archive of knowledge for those who like getting hands-on.

eHow

do it yourself projects

Before joining the team here at MakeUseOf, I used to write small guides for eHow on how to do just about anything. Whilst my time at MakeUseOf has been a lot more fulfilling and enjoyable, eHow taught me a lot about writing how-to guides for the web.

With no specific categories targeted, eHow simply tries to be the ultimate “how do I do that?” resource. Their article titles are drawn from search engine results, and span every conceivable topic.

For a quick guide that’s backed up with references and resources, eHow fits the bill.

Have you used any great DIY websites recently? Any successful projects you’ve finished thanks to the web? Let us know in the comments.

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