House painting can be challenging. And house painting on a budget can be tougher still. For many folks, decorating on a budget may seem like folly and something that will inevitably end up costing them a packet.
But it doesn’t have to be. Girl Thursday has put together some top tips for doing the job right, whilst still saving some dough along the way.
Do It Yourself
You’ve probably already worked this one out, but by doing the whole job yourself, you can save a lot of money. But not hiring professionals comes with its own set of headaches.
You need to plan around your available time and organize when you can fit your renovating in. Booking time off work might be better than it stretching out for an infinity of weekends.
Top tip – you can ask friends to help and even hold paint parties if it seems a bit too much on your own. Don’t let them get too drunk though!

Beg, Borrow, Recycle
When you’re broke, everything seems to cost money. And as you have no doubt found, all the incidental costs – brushes, rollers, tape etc. – quickly take their toll on your budget.
So, what can you do? We advise asking around – see if you can borrow any of these things. (Of course, you promise to clean them up at the end!) It’s also worth asking on Freecycle or similar sites, and people often have stuff to giveaway that might be of use.
Don’t Skimp On Quality
Tempting though it is to buy the cheapest paints in the store, we must insist on quality.
Cheap paints are never saving. You may end up re-doing the same wall twice, or even three times over to achieve the same results. Also, you will probably be spending extra in primer too. Stick to brands you trust when it comes to budget painting – although we think it’s ok to skimp on the lifetime guarantee, you probably won’t want it that long anyway.
Prime If Needed
Not every paint needs a primer, although to achieve a real five-star finish you might want to use one. If you’ve bought a self-priming paint, then there’s little reason to prime unless you paint a dark wall with a light color.
Reuse The Same Colors
You will likely have some paint leftover, so why not use it in another room? This doesn’t mean all the rooms have to look the same (unless you want them to), but you can mix and match different walls in the same room.
Do Your Prep
The cleaner your walls are, the more chance your project has of succeeding. And succeeding means not buying replacement paint!
Not letting your paint dry out, helps keep it in tip-top condition for longer – so if you want to reuse it, you can. We recommend re-sealing tins carefully and then covering them with plastic bags.
Work Out How Much You Need
If you’re looking to save money, you don’t want gallons of extra paint leftover after a job. Measure up correctly and find a paint calculator to work out just how much you need. Then buy them all at once, that way you can usually snag a discount.
Proceed With Caution
If you want to save money, slow and certain is the way to go. Rushing will increase the chances of mistakes and that means you might have to do it again. Take your time, paint as carefully and as smoothly as possible to ensure you get it right the first time.
Painting on a budget needn’t be a chore and it shouldn’t look like a rush job. Follow these tips to decorate like a pro and still save pennies!