1. Do you get those annoying pre-approved credit cards in the mail? Throw away the offer letter and keep the cards – they are great to use for shims or spreading glue.
  2. If you are using screws in hard wood, lubricating them with wax or soap will help drive them in without stripping the hole.
  3. Did you ding your wood surface during a project? Take a damp cloth and your clothes iron to steam out the dent.
  4. Working on a painting project and need to apply primer first? Tint the primer to match your paint color – this will save adding extra coats of paint.
  5. Tiling? Have you found a tile that you love but it’s outside your budget? Instead of using it for the whole project – use it as an accent for the project.
  6. Have a dirty paint roller that can’t be used for painting anymore? Attach your extended handle and use the roller to clean your gutters.
  7. Make sure the whole family knows where the main water shut-off valve is and how to turn it off in case of emergency.
  8. Save paint by wrapping your brushes and rollers in between coats to save the paint in them for the next coat.
  9. Know your limits! Don’t work on electrical or plumbing projects if you don’t know what you’re doing. Repairs can end up being much more costly than the actual job would have been in the first place.
  10. If you’re planning a home improvement project and you’re working on the budget – it’s a good rule of thumb to add 10-15% more to the bottom line to make room for any “surprises” that pop up along the way.