The Update

Home Improvement Hacks

You don’t need to spend a fortune to give your house a new look this spring. Check out this list of home improvement hacks and learn how to upgrade your home on a budget.

Cabinet Makeover

You can give a tired kitchen a fresh look by just replacing the cabinet fronts. You’ll pay a fraction of the price and no one will know it’s your old, creaky cabinets hiding behind those beautiful new fronts.

Cover Your Countertops With Contact Paper

Granite countertops may be gorgeous, but they’re also pricey. Instead of taking out a second mortgage for beautiful counters, try covering them with patterned contact paper. You’ll find loads of granite lookalikes at home improvement stores and you can learn how to apply it neatly from DIY tutorials on YouTube.

Use PVC Pipes for Curtain Rods

Pretty curtains and drapes add a splash of color to any room. Lower the price tag on your new window treatments with this hack: Use PVC pipes instead of curtain rods. You can paint them to match the decor of the room and hang them with inexpensive hooks that fit well. Curtains, done!

Create a Mirrored Backsplash

All you need for this fantastic hack is a pack of self-adhesive mirror tiles, which retail for about $15 per 20-tile pack. Use your snazzy tiles to create a mirrored backsplash in your kitchen. The mirrors will give the illusion of greater space and you won’t have to deal with grout and caulking. It’s a super-cheap way to make your kitchen sparkle!

Slipcover Your Sofa

You can find a leather-look slipcover to match the shape of your sofa for $100 or less. They’re not just for protection; the right slipcover will give you an (almost) brand new couch!

Let the Light In

Light fixtures can make or break a room. Walk through your home and take note of the fixtures that are relics from a past life, paying close attention to highly visible areas. Then take a trip to a home improvement store or check out sites like Wayfair for trendy, striking light fixtures you can use to replace those in your home. For less than $100, you can give your home an entire new look!

DIY Paint

If the walls in your home are desperate for a fresh coat of paint, look no further than your local home improvement store. House painting is fairly simple and you’ll find loads of tutorials on YouTube. You’ll only have to spring for the actual paint and a few supplies. Best of all, when you’re in charge, you can get creative. Using painter’s tape and your imagination, paint funky designs on your wall or even go for a full-blown mural!

HELOCs to Help Fund Home Improvement Projects

If you do need some funds to help with home improvement, look into a HELOC from RGCU. A HELOC, or Home Equity Line of Credit, is much like a credit card or any other type of open-ended credit. You can borrow money as needed, up to the credit limit, for a period of five years.