So… we’re inundated with many thousands of advertisements every day.  Almost everywhere we go and everything we do involves ads… and it’s really hard to get away from it.

Here are just a few of the ads you will experience today:

• Television ads in your living room.
• Radio and billboard ads while driving.
• Website ads while browsing the Internet.
• Mobile ads while using your phone.

Alongside all these ads you will also see signage ads everywhere!  Store signs when driving down the road, placemat ads when dining out, packaging ads when shopping for anything, etc., etc., etc.

Despite what we may like to believe… these ads strongly effect not only the way we shop, but also the way we think!  Think about it… If this were not true, marketing would not be a multi-billion dollar industry.

Buying solutions

Let’s assume you want to start your own seeds for your garden this year.  How would you go about it?  What would be the first step you would take in finding a solution that delivers the results you’re looking for?  Chances are you would go to your local hardware and/or lawn and garden center looking to purchase a seed starting solution – and I’m sure you would find something that would help you start seeds.

But did you ever think to make your own solution using free and/or scrap materials?

The truth is, unless we force ourselves to think of creative solutions, we will always end up at the store paying more for a solution someone else created and marketed to us!

Creating solutions

If you haven’t already picked up on this, I like to stick-it-to-the-man whenever possible.  Sometimes that’s a blessing and other times it’s a curse!

Don’t worry… in this example it’s a blessing.  🙂

Consider the following seed starting solution that uses free materials found around the house or somewhere close by.

• 3 bales of straw
• 1 piece of plexiglass
• Dirt

Arrange the 2 bales of straw horizontally against the south wall of your home.  Arrange the 3rd bale parallel to your home at the far end of the other bales creating a box.  Fill the box with dirt (only up to the foundation, do not pile dirt against your siding.)  Plant your seeds.  Put the plexiglass over the box.

You have just created a greenhouse to start your seeds in… for free.  Water it several times each day and enjoy the proceeds.

The challenge

The point is… stop automatically thinking you need to buy consumer solutions and force yourself to think creatively about alternative DIY solutions that save you money.

Next time you think you need to buy something I challenge you to think of how you can do it yourself.  Make sure to let us know what you did in the comments.  🙂

Here, I’ll start.  Instead of buying “stoppers” to go behind the tires of our pop-up camper I used pieces of wood instead.

For more reading on this topic I suggest the book Early Retirement Extreme by my friend Jacob Lund Fisker.

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