 TITLE: How Much Money Can You Save by Being Frugal? CONTENT: Find Time for DIY Projects\n--------------------------\nTo fully embrace the frugal life, you might elevate yourself to do-it-yourself guru status. Before you make an appointment with a plumber or order a replacement appliance, figure out whether you can fix or make things on your own. Here are four ways to transform into a DIY ace.\n1.  Tackle home projects. If the toilet is leaking or the basement needs a makeover, you might be able to save piles of money going the DIY route. If you're not up to speed on DIY know-how, YouTube features tons of how-to videos.\n2.  Create your own household products. You might be loyal to certain soaps or detergents, but homemade alternatives can save you some cash. It's fairly simple to make your own laundry detergent, household cleaners, dish soap, fabric softener and similar products using off-the-shelf ingredients.\n3.  Whip up your own personal-care products. Among the personal-care supplies that you can make at home are deodorant, shampoo, hair conditioner, mouthwash, body wash and shaving cream.\n4.  Fix damaged clothing. Skip the tailor! When a button on a shirt needs to be replaced, a hole in a pair of pants needs to be patched or the zipper on a pair of jeans needs to be repaired, you can salvage those clothes at home and avoid buying new ones. END