DIY or Buy
If you are prone to do it yourself, you are familiar with the DIY movement. From making your own shampoo or peanut butter to completing home repairs and growing your own food, doing it yourself can be a great way to save some money and take pride in your craftsmanship. However, how do you know whether it's worth it to do it yourself as a money saver, rather than buying it to save time? Fortunately, there's a website designed to help you decide whether to "DIY or Buy". You can find this site at diybuy.wordpress.com.
How the Site Came About?
DIY or Buy is the creation of a woman who lives in Iowa. She grew up with her parents who created homemade versions of her favorite food. While she was annoyed with this at that time, when she grew up and moved out, she realized how cost-effective and healthy it can be to make your own food, not to mention how simple projects at home can cost so much less when you do them yourself versus when you pay someone else to take care of them. Thus, DIY or Buy was born. On the site you will find different experiments the author attempts, to show you what your options are, as well as how to effectively do it yourself if you choose to do so.
What Experiments are on the Site?
Many of the experiments on DIY or Buy are food-related. This is because, as the author says, she just "really, really likes food". She also admits that food is something everybody needs regardless of homeownership or marital status. Food is universal and, therefore, something everyone has a stake in. Therefore, she has experimented with making her own peanut butter, hard cider, corn dogs, granola, hummus, and much more. She also experiments with household products such as storage boxes, laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, and various house repairs. A full list of her experiments can be found in the "Past Experiments" section on the site.
How to Decide to DIY or Buy?
All experiments on the site come with detailed instructions and pictures. After you find out how to create the product, all experiments that are completed are rated in several categories. First is the "Time and Cost Comparison". This section discusses the cost of all the ingredients versus what it would cost to go out and buy the product, as well as the time it took to create the product itself. Next is the "Ingredient Comparison". This compares the ingredients in certain store-bought food and products next to the ingredients she puts into her products. Unsurprisingly, it is usually the case that the store-bought food and products have more chemicals and preservatives.
For products, there is always an "Effectiveness Comparison" where she discusses the effectiveness of the store-bought products versus the ones she made herself. Next is the "PITA Factor", or the discussion of how annoying the product was to create. Finally, she uses these factors to tell her readers whether to "DIY or Buy". If the product works, or the food tastes as good, as the store-bought version, and is less expensive or healthier, the verdict is usually to do it yourself. You can expect, though, that the author will be totally honest in this regard. If it was too difficult or expensive to create or didn't taste as good or work as well, she'll tell you. Of course, she also invites you to try it for yourself to see if you get different results. All in all, this site is incredibly valuable when deciding whether to DIY or Buy.
