the DIY guide to home improvement store hacks: ways to save money on upgrades, crafts, and more!

Home Depot used to be the bane of my preteen existence. Going to the obnoxious orange store with my dad on the weekend usually meant being dragged around every aisle while being promised a hotdog and tiny bag of Lay's afterwards.

I seldom got the snack, but I did (somehow) develop a deep adoration for the ever-present sawdust and concrete floors of that place. Now, at 24, I don't mind frequent trips to home improvement stores and hey, neither should you! So I put together a small list of ways I pinch pennies at these money-sucking black holes. Good luck 😉

jetpens haul and review - handlettering and bullet journal supplies

I have been a shameless pen collector all my life. I have boxes upon boxes of pens that probably don't even work anymore, yet I can't shame myself into throwing them away. Such is life for a stationery aficionado.

A small portion of my pen collection... Trust me, there is plenty more. This is just what's readily accessible at my desk.

That being said, Jetpens.com became a blip in my radar recently and I wanted to give them a shot. Usually I do all my pen shopping in-person (hell-ooooo, who can resist doodling on those test paper pads in Staples? Not I!), but for free shipping over $25 (it is easy peasy to do that, trust me) I thought JetPen might be a great option to try things less readily accessible.

These opinions are all my own, I bought these with my own money, yada yada yada. I've also ranked them from "MOST FAVORITE EVER!!!!" to "meh, alright" for your browsing pleasure. Enjoy!

bath & body works [fall haul + coupon breakdown] and goodwill

I got wind of a B&BW sale this weekend and just couldn't hold back. I have had a few 3 wick candles in my online shopping cart for a while now, but I would not allow myself to purchase unless they were <$10 (the price they were when I first started buying their candles about 4 or so years ago). I can practically hear my mom rolling her eyes about my ever-expanding candle collection (hi mom!) but I just can't resist a good deal on these smells! I can't!

I ended up getting a bunch! Keep reading to see how I spaced out my purchase to get the maximum savings...