Isn’t It Easier to Just Buy Stuff?
I’m all about simplicity and constantly look for shortcuts. However, I’m also a big proponent of making your own things, from cooking to sewing. Do these two values contradict each other? Isn’t is simpler just to buy something instead of making it? I don’t think so, and I’ve got a few reasons why.
When I buy something, I have to settle for what’s available. Whatever the best option at the store is, that’s what I’m stuck with. But when I make something, I can customize it to my exact specifications. This means I get everything I want, and nothing I don’t. This is true of both cooking, sewing, and making furniture or even cards and journals. I could order a fancy dish at a restaurant, but the truth is that I’d probably rather leave half the ingredients out. I could go buy a new dress at the store, but I’d rather make one in the exact style and color I want.
Once you’ve got skills, everything’s easy. Most things are only hard the first few times you try them. After that, the learning curve levels off. Then, you can take those skills and transfer them to new areas. Consider trimming your hair. Sure, the first couple of times it would be easier to just go to a professional and have it trimmed. But after a few times, it’s not hard at all. Now you’re heading to the salon half as often, you have more free time (it only takes a few minutes at home vs. an hour to drive there and back from your stylist), and you’re cutting your partner’s hair, too.
There’s no crunch in crunch time. So you need a card/gift/potluck dish/hem fixed and you don’t have time to get to the store. No worries, because you already know how to do that at home. Some potential mega-stress has become no big deal because you’ve stopped relying on outside sources.
Going to the store isn’t all that easy anyway. Shopping is no picnic. There’s a whole lot of research, driving around, trekking the mall, and endless searching that goes into shopping. All that, with no guarantee I’ll find what I’m looking for? No, thanks. I’ll just get to work on my own solution and be done by the time I would’ve been just hitting the parking lot.
The next time you’re ready to buy something that you could easily make or do yourself, be realistic. Will it really be easier to buy? Or does it just seem easier?
What do you do to skip the store? Any recommendations for things we could do ourselves just as easily as buying them?
This post has 8 comments
June 4th, 2008
I was thinking about this just recently and touched on it in m post for today. Maybe it “seems” easier and maybe some people like sitting in traffic to get to the store to pay 10x as much as something is really worth just to be able to buy it and have it over with. But I like to make things, I like that it slows my pace down in life and because I am spending more time to make things, it makes me have to manage my time well and makes me eliminate time wasters as a result. I like that it takes longer to make something. It gives me a greater appreciation for how things are made and how they are valued.
I love homemade cards, handmade blankets, making windchimes, sewing pillows and quilts, cooking from scratch with stuff from the garden, decorating with flowers from the yard. Some of the things I consider “making” still involve some sort of purchase to begin with but I spend considerably less than I would otherwise. I like to revive old furniture with paint and creativity and create unique and fun window treatments with scraps of fabric.
It has become a really fun challenge for me when I see something I want or need and think of creative ways to do it myself for so much less.
June 4th, 2008
Emily, I like your point here. It’s not just about the end result; making your own things can be about the process itself. Very cool idea.
June 4th, 2008
I have to admit that I don’t sew my own clothes although I do sew curtains, napkins and other things for the house. I do knit and do a range of other crafts though and I can’t think of anything quite as satisfying as using something you’ve produced yourself. Unfortunately some of my friends still aren’t able to appreciate home made gifts though - they seem to think that something’s only worth given if it cost a lot of money rather than time. Shame.
June 4th, 2008
Good point–some people honestly don’t care for homemade items. When giving a gift, I think it’s important to consider what the recipient would appreciate (within reason, of course). For me, that’s one of these little differences between being frugal and cheap.
June 5th, 2008
Hi Sara,
I love to cook from scratch - knowing what I’m feeding myself and the family. I can pronounce all of the ingredients.
I so some sewing and knitting, and use my creativity.
Like Sharon said, some people don’t appreciate home made stuff. That’s always discouraging as some home made stuff is very time consuming.
June 5th, 2008
One incident stands out especially. A friend of my friend had knitted a beautiful aran sweater for her, a very time consuming business indeed and without doubt expensive too. My friend ruined it in the washing machine while I was visiting. Her response: “well it doesn’t really matter, it was only home-made anyway”. I was stunned!
June 5th, 2008
to skip the store, i might get someone else to make something (hehe). i value my time over everything else, so if i can get it quickly from the store, i will. however if it just cost too much, this is where i value my money and i will do without, find out how to get it cheaply or simply do without.
June 5th, 2008
I cook from scratch almost every night; it controls our budget as well as my weight, and we love having leftovers for our lunches the next day. There are times when my contribution to a potluck will be something very simple like fruit or cheese and crackers; I don’t feel bad about it because some days are just busy.
I’ve accepted that I’ll never be a seamstress, but I love to knit and always knit baby gifts rather than buy them. I also enjoy making food gifts, and figuring out how to package them nicely is half the fun.
We try to encourage our daughter to make birthday cards and I hope as she gets older we’ll craft together and make more and more of our holiday gifts.
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