Frugal Tip Tuesday: Making Versus Buying

I saw this great wine cork bulletin board kit (pictured here) that I really liked. The kit was for a bulletin board made out of corks. When I saw the components -- wooden frame backing, glue and some padding (I had to provide the corks) -- I realized that I could easily make this myself without paying $19.99 for a kit.

It got me thinking. What other things could I make myself versus buying that would save me money in the long-run? While you always have to consider the time investment (figure out what your hourly pay is or would be, how much time it would take to make your masterpiece and compare that to the retail price.)

Here are few items that come to mind:

• Food (the less pre-packaged, the less expensive)
  


• Exercise (all you need are sneakers and a place to walk or run)
  


• Gifts
  
  
• Cleaners -- all you need is some vinegar, baking powder and salt
  


• Cards (greeting, birthday, holiday, etc.)
  
  
• Wrapping paper (use comics or take butcher paper and decorate it yourself)
  
  
• Toys (how often do children end up playing with the box the toy came in vs. the toy itself?)
  

With some ingenuity, there are loads of things you can make versus buying. What others did I miss?