Woman Buys a 3-Bedroom House After Switching to a DIY Habit—Here Are 3 Frugal Living Tips She Swears By

A woman saved thousands of dollars with DIY. Cutting and dyeing her hair at home rather than going to the salon. The money saved helped her buy a three-bedroom house with her fiancé in Manchester, U.K., at the young age of 22.  Alicia Chapman is a big believer in frugal living and mindful spending. She was quoted $256 for a single salon bleach-and-color treatment due to her hair length. She now spends under $3 per home dye session, doing it four times a year with the help of her fiancé, Matthew, People reported, citing Kennedy News & Media. This habit has helped her save a significant amount.

Chapman said she avoids keeping large amounts of money in her main bank account. Instead, she transfers the extra funds into a high-interest savings account or invests them to help them grow over time.

She explained that making these DIY changes to her spending habits has helped the couple save enough money for both their home and the wedding they had always dreamed of.

Both Chapman, 24, and Matthew, 26, have continued with their money-saving habits even after the big purchase. Chapman revealed that when she moved into her new house with her partner, they shopped on Facebook Marketplace and at second-hand shops because they did not want to buy everything new and did not want to compromise on quality. The process has saved them thousands of dollars, she said. 

Chapman also revealed that she and her partner do not indulge in “impulse spending.” She told the news outlet that if she wants something that costs a lot of money, she keeps it in the basket and waits a week to see if she still wants it. 

“If I have it in my basket, two days later I’ll look at it and not want it anymore — it saves me so much money,” the 24-year-old said. 

Chapman also said she checks her bank account every day and has never overdrafted it. According to her, she has anxiety around money and dislikes the thought of ever owing money to someone in the future.

Spending money mindfully and leading a frugal lifestyle have not stopped Chapman from enjoying her life. “I will always treat myself when it comes to spending time with my friends and family on experiences,” she said. “I do treat myself, and I wear nice clothes. I’m just trying to build my dream wardrobe, and I’m conscious of what I buy.”

Chapman also has a social media account where she discusses the importance of financial literacy and offers money management tips. 

PEOPLE reported that in one of her TikTok videos, Chapman pointed to several habits she believes people have now normalized, including buying lunch every day, upgrading phones annually, and continuing to pay for subscriptions they no longer use.

In a separate video, Chapman shared that she started investing at the age of 16, adding that she is very thankful she began so early.

“I feel everyone should be educated on money, inflation, and investing. I definitely think it should be taught in schools,” she said.