With the UK’s current cost of living crisis, most people’s instinct is to scrimp and save where they can – which means bargain hunting, embracing DIY and improvising. 

And, in many cases, it’s only possible to make meaningful savings by thinking creatively and daring to go outside your comfort zone.

But while it’s necessary to make sacrifices when you’re trying to save, there will be times when you wonder ‘was it worth it?’

Well, as these amusing photos collated by Bored Panda show, the answer is, upon occasion, a resounding ‘no’. 

In one picture, ‘cheap seats’ takes on new meaning as two men find themselves sat facing a solid fence. The could be a few metres from the pitch and it wouldn’t matter – their view is completely obscured.

‘Cheap seats’ takes on new meaning here. The two men might be in the stadium but the solid fence means they can’t see a thing

Another photo shows a woman who wanted to save on a haircut. She must have asked for layers, but her budget hairdresser took that look to a whole new level. 

While a third picture is the work of a very creative – and brave – person. Someone who thought to replace their car’s broken side-view mirror not with a new part but with a hand mirror held in place by duct tape.

Here, FEMAIL shares a selection of funny fails that will remind you not to cut corners!

This woman clearly asked for layers, but it’s unlikely she was expecting such a dramatic look

A brave person thought it wise to replace their car’s broken side-view mirror not with a new part but with a hand mirror held in place by duct tape

This hotel didn’t make clear that a room for two didn’t have a separate bathroom 

Creative thinking helped one person fix their glasses by replacing the broken arm with a… twig

It’s not a good sign when a knife can’t even take on a block of creamy butter 

When your hammer is bent out of shape by a piece of wood, it’s alright to blame your tools 

Growing your own vegetables may look easy but it takes more time than you think to achieve even reasonable results 

It might have been a bargain smart watch, but it doesn’t cost to be polite…

This cheap paddling pool looked a decent size online but it’s no bigger than a show in real life

If you’re taking on DIY projects, you do not want to scrimp on a tape measure – this one is missing the 40 inch marker