If you want to save money, there is a very effective way. English speakers call it Do it yourself: How to save thousands of CHF per year.
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The do it yourself principle
The translation of do it yourself is do it yourself.
👉 The principle is not complicated! It is to carry out as many of our daily tasks ourselves as possible. 🛠
Sometimes it's easier said than done. This article will analyze several examples.
Meal preparation
An example of savings with do it yourself is the preparation of our meals. 🍳
We've all been bad at cooking 🍜
In my situation with my mom from the south, I had a cook who prepared delicious meals every day without any help. My only job was to sit and eat 🍽.
So, when I started cooking, it was an adventure. At first, out of laziness, I often ate fast food, which is neither economical nor healthy.
👉 Today, I realized that my favorite cook is myself 😊. Cooking my meals is a real pleasure!
I love the meals I prepare; it saves me a lot of money. Plus, I choose my own quality ingredients.
👉 So, between saving and eating healthy or paying and eating ingredients that are bad for our health. The choice is quick!
| Estimated amount saved per month | 200 CHF |
|---|
Vehicle maintenance
Another example of savings with do it yourself is vehicle maintenance. 🚗
Note that if you have a vehicle, it necessarily requires maintenance.
I am not a mechanic and I am far from having the knowledge for that.
👉 However, nothing prevents me from doing some simple mechanical work. I'm thinking, for example, of:
- Changing the oil on my scooter
- Replacing my car tires
- Changing the bulbs in my car
- Replace my car battery
| Estimated price saved per month | 50 CHF |
|---|
Homework
Regarding work at home, I do it yourself when I can. 🔧
In fact, for small jobs around the house, I have already done work such as:
- Installing a dishwasher
- Installing a washing machine
- Painting walls
- Putting hooks
- Making shelves
Again, I am not a painter, carpenter or plumber. In fact, I am not a DIYer.
👉 With a little time and a few tools, I was able to do this work with minimal prior knowledge. It's improvised DIY 😉
| Estimated price saved per month | 40 CHF |
|---|
Hairdressing
With my hair, I learned do it yourself hairdressing ✂
👉 Actually, I bought a hair clipper for 40 CHF which replaced… thousands of CHF in hairdressing in 10 years.
I admit, it wasn't easy at first.
But after some disastrous haircuts, cutting your own hair became possible. And in the worst-case scenario, your hair... grows back 🤓
👉 In our relationship, we do do it yourself hairdressing between us. My girlfriend helps me cut my European hair and I help her with her… frizzy hair.
This is an excellent way for us to save money as a couple!
| Estimated price saved per month | 40 CHF |
|---|
Beauty
Do it yourself beauty for female sex 👩🦰
Yes, women love to be beautiful👱♀️. However, this comes at a cost.
Nails, eyebrows, waxing. Learning to take care of your own beauty can save you thousands of CHF over 10 years, money you can then use for important projects. 💲💲
Also, sometimes women make themselves beautiful for their partner who... doesn't notice anything different (I'm talking about me 😅).
Vegetable garden
What's better than learning Do it yourself? vegetable garden 🧅
I don't have much green space because of my small apartment, but I grow vegetables in vases.
I know nothing about agriculture. I just planted some vegetables in a vase and I water them from time to time.
👉 Then some vegetables grow and they give me organic vegetables for free 🧄. In reality, Eating your own fruit and vegetables is a real treat 😋
Over time, I would like to improve this aspect. It is an area that interests me.
| Estimated price saved per month | 20 CHF |
|---|
Cleaning
Cleaning is also Do it yourself !
Often seen as something painful. On the contrary, I see cleaning as a positive aspect.
Like everyone else, there are days when I can't be bothered with housework.
On the other hand, most of the time, I enjoy cleaning my house 😁
➡️ Since I have a small apartment and few items, cleaning is relatively quick to do.
👉 It's also motivating because I've noticed that since I've had fewer items, cleaning lasts longer !
👉 From a financial point of view, as you certainly know, Doing the cleaning yourself avoids paying a cleaning lady.
| Estimated price saved per month | 50 CHF |
|---|
Conclusion
Every task you do yourself is automatically:
- Skills you develop
- Considerable savings
- Sometimes a quality guarantee
Note that I am not saying that you can replace the work of some professionals. Indeed, there are always jobs where we simply do not have the skills. Sometimes, we just do not have the right tools 🛠
On the other hand, nothing prevents you from trying and learning. 😉
⚠️ Every job you do yourself will give you useful knowledge and save you money by avoiding paying for labor.
➡️ To conclude, here is a table with the amount that I estimated for each do it yourself 😉
| Types of do it yourself | Estimated monthly savings |
|---|---|
| Meal preparation | 200 CHF |
| Vehicle maintenance | 50 CHF |
| Homework | 40 CHF |
| Hairdressing | 40 CHF |
| Vegetable garden | 20 CHF |
| Household | 50 CHF |
| Total | 400 CHF |
With my estimates, by doing some tasks myself, I save (estimate) 400 CHF per month, 4,800 CHF per year ❕❗
👉 In the end, this gives an estimate of 48,000 CHF saved in 10 years. Amazing 😲
I think you understand the interest of do it yourself 😉
Do it yourself: How to save thousands of CHF per year
FAQ – Do it yourself: how to save thousands of CHF per year?
What is Do It Yourself (DIY) for saving money?
Do It Yourself (DIY) involves performing certain everyday tasks without paying a professional. In Switzerland, this approach often saves several thousand CHF per year on meals, maintenance, hairdressing, or cleaning.
How much can you save with Do It Yourself in Switzerland?
It depends on individual habits. In my example, performing several tasks oneself represents approximately 400 CHF saved per month, that is, close to 4,800 CHF per year. Over 10 years, this potentially represents several tens of thousands of francs saved.
What are the best examples of Do It Yourself projects to save money quickly?
DIY activities that often lead to the biggest savings include:
- cooking your meals
- cutting your own hair
- to clean
- to do small jobs at home
- maintaining your vehicle
- grow some vegetables
These expenses may seem small, but they become enormous in the long run.
Why does cooking for yourself save so much money?
Preparing meals at home is generally much cheaper than eating out, eating fast food, or using ready-made meals. In addition to saving money, cooking for yourself often allows you to:
- to eat more healthily
- to better control the ingredients
- to reduce impulsive spending
Is it cost-effective to do small jobs yourself?
Yes, for simple tasks. Assembling furniture, painting a wall, or installing a washing machine can save several hundred Swiss francs in labor costs. However, certain technical or dangerous jobs should still be carried out by professionals.
Is Do It Yourself compatible with minimalism?
Yes. Minimalism and DIY often work together: fewer items generally mean less maintenance, less expense, and more financial independence.
Why is DIY particularly interesting in Switzerland?
Switzerland has high labor costs. Therefore, doing each task yourself often saves more money than elsewhere. This is especially true for:
- hairstyle
- household
- small jobs
- repairs
- kitchen
Does Do It Yourself require a lot of time?
At first, yes, because you have to learn. But with experience, many tasks become quick. Besides, learning a skill once can save you years of work.
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About me
Faced with not very effective financial education, as was my case before. I actually decided to create this blog following a change in my life since my early adult life.
Compared to before, I was a person who consumed a lot until the day I understood that my consumption was making me sadder and poorer. From now on, I prioritize the minimum of my needs to be happy and achieve financial freedom.
Without realizing it, I also began to prioritize savings and investments to depend on a boss for as short a time as possible and to accelerate my personal projects.
For several years I have felt happy and I have become richer in a way that I would never have imagined given that I have an average salary in Switzerland.
It is for this purpose that I decided to create this blog. To share, learn and teach with others who seek freedom, simplicity and long-term wealth.
Are you rather minimalist or frugal Jonny?
I am both a minimalist and a frugalist. However, there are situations where I lean more towards an art of living.
To conclude, I think the most important thing is to feel comfortable in your life and I have found a balance between these lifestyles without reaching the extremes.
Do it yourself: How to save thousands of CHF per year
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