Q: Can I do any of the work myself to save money?

A:
As long as you are familiar with your subject, the more text you can produce is generally better.
There is some SEO work that can be do-it-yourself friendly, it's very time intensive so could also save money if you have lots of time.
Have lots of pictures ready, they will help, even thought there may still need to be properly staged and lighted photos shot.