So you're skipping the fancy coffees, brown bagging to work and going longer between haircuts.

But here's another way to save: Do things yourself rather than paying someone else to do them. From mowing the lawn to cleaning the house and drafting legal documents, here's advice on how to do it yourself:

BEAUTY

Many women spend a ton of money on their hair and nails. But they don't have to, say beauty experts.

For your nails, once or twice a week, soak them in soapy water, file them and then buff them for a nice sheen, says Nadine Haobsh, author of "Confessions of a Beauty Addict," who does her own manis and pedis. Use a cuticle cream to soften the cuticles and nail bed.

Feel free to skip the fingernail polish, she said. A few swipes of color on the toes will make an at-home pedicure look more professional — she's a fan of the always-in-season burgundy or red — but if you have attractive feet, you can go without. Make sure to keep your hands and feet super moisturized.

Haircuts are best left to the experts. However, people can cut their own bangs, said Kenneth Darrell Creel of Studio 627 in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Cut the bangs while they are dry, and cut vertically into the hair rather than horizontally, he said.

To keep hair color looking fresh, do your own touchups, Creel suggests: Apply color to the roots once a month in between treatments. See a professional at the end of the third month.

Stick to simple touchups, said Creel. Highlights and applying multiple colors are best left to a professional.

PHOTOS

Skip the portrait studio and take your own professional photos, said Kim Danger, family savings expert for Coupons.com. She takes photos of her kids with a digital camera, shooting until she gets the right shot and then deleting the rest.

"With sitting fees and custom package prices, taking my own photos easily saves over $100," she said. "Plus, it's more satisfying for me to know I got the shots myself."

HOUSE CLEANING

The key to finding time to clean the house is to get a little bit done each day and enlist other family members to help, said Danger.

For example, in her house, Monday and Friday are laundry days, on Tuesday she mops the floors, Wednesday she vacuums, and so forth.

Her 5-year-old son is in charge of garbage and her 9-year-old daughter does the dusting. Everyone does a 15-minute pickup at night to put things away.

"Many hands do make light work, and if you've got kids, it's a great way to instill responsibility," she said.

CLEANING CLOTHES

Many "dry clean only" garments can be hand washed or washed on the gentle cycle, said Danger. Use cool water and a mild detergent. Air dry and press to get the wrinkles out. Danger said home dry cleaning products like Dryel can be used on some garments.

If you use a wash, dry and fold service, especially one that picks and drops off your laundry, consider doing it yourself at the coin-operated laundry to save money.

CAR WASHING

Skip the fancy car wash. Most newer cars do not need be waxed or power-washed often, said Mark Scott, spokesman for www.AutoTrader.com.

"In many cases, a quick rinse from a garden hose and a rag with a little soap or one of those $3 gas station car washes will be enough," he said.

Vacuum the inside of the car, and run a duster on the dashboard, air vents and other hard-to-reach places every couple of weeks, he said. Clean off bird droppings and dust off the wheels as needed.

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

File your own legal documents. With LegalZoom (www.legalzoom.com) people can create official documents like wills, patents, name changes or divorces. The site also has documents for forming a business. Prices for a will start at $69; a DBA (Doing Business As) formation starts at $99 plus filing fees.

Another site, ItsMyLife (www.itsmylife.com), has documents for health power of attorney, pets letter of wishes and a final wishes funeral plan. Packages start at $19.95, with access to make changes for 12 months.

Note: Neither of these sites give legal advice, so for complex issues, it's best to see an attorney.

CAR MAINTENANCE

You don't always have to take the car to the shop for routine maintenance, says Greg Heath, vice president of Mark Christopher Auto Group in Ontario, Calif.

Here's his short list of things you can do yourself: change the oil, flush the radiator, replace the air filter, wiper blades and bulbs in the headlights and tail lights.

Find instructions in your owner's manual or online. For more serious issues, see a mechanic.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

There are many home improvement projects you can do on your own, says David Lupberger, home improvement expert for Service Magic.com, which connects consumers with screened contractors.

His short list: painting, replacing broken window screens, cleaning the gutters and downspouts to make sure water is running away from the foundation. If it's a two-story home or if you are an older homeowner, consider hiring someone to do a couple of these, he said.

Web sites like Lowe's (www.lowes.com), The Home Depot (www.home depot.com) and www.DoItYourself.com have how-to tutorials, with topics such as fixing a sticky door, installing a garbage disposal or replacing an existing dishwasher.

Before beginning a home improvement project, ask yourself, "Do I feel comfortable doing this? Do I feel safe? Do I have the knowledge and expertise to do it correctly?" said Lupberger.

INTERIOR DECORATING

You don't have to hire a professional designer or purchase new furniture to spruce up your home, says home design expert Lauri Ward, president of www.Redecorate.com. Something as simple as clearing floor clutter can make any room feel less chaotic.

Flanking a sofa with a pair of end tables and a matching pair of lamps will make a living room or family room more balanced and pulled together, Ward said. And using one rug to anchor the room while leaving the floor in the other areas bare will make the whole space feel larger and less choppy, she said.

Ward's other tips: pot all plants in one material, leave one wall bare in every room, turn an L-shaped conversation area into a U shape by adding a chair or two, and use armless chairs in the dining room.

If you want to add a punch of color on the cheap, purchase a pair of new accent pillows that pick up a pretty color from a rug, fabric or artwork.