CHICAGO -- Five regal English setters roam Carlotta Cooper's home in rural Tennessee, and if she were to have them all professionally groomed once a month, it would cost her hundreds of dollars.

Instead, Cooper, 47, bought her own supplies -- nail clippers, scissors and shampoos -- and taught herself how to care for her brood.

"There's an initial investment," Cooper said. "But once you get past that, you really do save a lot of money, a lot."

Cooper is among many new do-it-yourselfers in this worsening economy who are buying their own appliances and gadgets for tasks they used to hire professionals to do.

"Consumers are looking at the cost spread out over the long term," said Nissa Hanna, a consumer strategist for the Iconoculture trend research company, based in Minneapolis. "Even though it is that $80 cost up front, that is going to save them a lot of money over the course of two years."

She points to a Wal-Mart television commercial that aired over the holidays. It showed disposable cups from expensive coffee shops piling up and told viewers that if they bought a coffee maker, they could save $470 a year.

"The economy has really caused consumers to feel that a lot is out of their control right now," Hanna said. "We see the DIY effort as a way to gain control and a sense of empowerment and self reliance."

Tasks range from the small stuff, like cutting hair or steaming shirts, to big projects, such as home remodeling.

Some examples of everyday items that could save you money over time:

Hair clippers

Patrick Anello, marketing director at Wahl Clipper Corp. in Sterling, Ill. (consumer.wahl.com), estimates a $30 pair of hair clippers can save a family of four up to $500 a year on barbershop trips. Using the clippers can also stretch the amount of time between professional visits, he says.

The company also makes pet grooming products.

"Doing it in your own home costs nothing, or almost nothing," said David Ning, a blogger in Irvine, Calif., who recently bought a set of shears so his wife can cut his hair. "I would definitely continue to do it. Within a couple of months, we'll recoup the costs, and every time after that, we're saving."

Clothes steamers

Skip trips to the dry cleaners with home clothing steaming systems. Haan Corp. (haanusa.com) makes a basic model that runs about $90 and lets you steam, clean and take wrinkles out of clothes yourself. Company founder and CEO Romi Haan estimates that someone with one shirt, one pair of pants, one jacket and a suit dry-cleaned each week would save $1,375 a year.

"The steamer will pay for itself within just a couple of months," Haan said. "We're here to raise the quality of life for everybody. It's a durable product at a very affordable price."

Smartek USA makes a professional-quality pants presser that's just over 2 feet long and has multiple settings. Its retail cost is $148.

Unclog drains

Avoid paying a plumber to come fix clogged drains. The FlexiSnake (flexisnake.com) is a 26-inch-long cord with a pad at the end that users can "snake" down drains. It snags whatever is clogging pipes to clear them. A pack of two FlexiSnakes runs about $8.

Make-your-own drinks

The new company Soda Stream (sodaclub.com) sells a kitchen device that lets you carbonate your own seltzer water and soda. The startup kit costs between $80 and $100, and the company estimates that over time, it will cost consumers about 25 cents for the equivalent of a can of soda.

The Artful Winemaker (artfulwinemaker.com) produces an at-home wine-making kit that lets you make 12 bottles at a time for a startup cost of $150, plus $60 a batch.

Car wash kits

There are several to choose from, and they provide everything you'd need to wash your own vehicle except water. Most include a bucket, sponges and brushes, while others include a hose nozzle, soap and waxes.

Spa at home

More companies are producing salon-quality tools for home. Electronic pedicure spas are on the market that remove dry skin from feet, saving the $35 and up it can cost at a nail salon. There are also products that allow for at-home facial massages and facial cleansing.

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