I have yarn coming out of my ears, a strict budget, and a baby on the way, so I do what my foremothers did and made booties instead of buying them for 5x the price from Target. They are so tiny and cute.
If you've always wanted to pick up a constructive hobby (which I highly recommend if you don't have one) but you don't think you can do it, try crochet. Infinitely easier than knitting, it is relaxing, helps quiet the mind, will help you unplug from the mental noise of social media, and it is something you can do anywhere. I bring projects with me when I take the kids to the park often.
Best of all it can be started with minimal overhead cost so it's a small investment to just give it a try. It is a marketable skill. Maybe you won't be selling $300 custom afghans, but it is something you can do to clothe your family or provide to others, especially in a hypothetical collampse scenario, or simply if you wish to consume less and barter goods with like-minded folk.
