Money Saving: Do It Yourself – DIY repair
Something starts falling apart around the household and you go to call a repair company, but is it really needed? Becoming a DIYer can save you a lot of money in the long run, as well as time. Now this isn’t for everything that goes wrong in the house as certain things can be complex. However even the cost of simple things adds up quickly. Learning how to do DIY repair for a bunch of tasks can also build a sense of confidence. This could be anything from may be painting a room in your house, fixing a GFCI plug, even putting down new flooring.
But it’s best to know your knowledge base and what you are comfortable with. It is amazing that in this day and age, that you can find almost any type of tutorials that would want with Youtube videos or DIY instructions that are out there. If you are questioning “can I do this?” Watch a few videos and decide for yourself. For complex things, I do defer to people who have more knowledge. It is better to be safe than sorry with bigger tasks as this can cost more money in the long run with any DIY repair.
An Example of This
Our dryer started dying a little while back, which on newer dryers have code displays. I was able to research the code and get the part that I needed; in this case, a control board for under $100…I think even under $75. It took me 20 minutes to replace it and now the dryer works just like new. We had a couple of options when this started to go: pay a repair company to come out and check it for a couple hundred, replace the dryer for $500+ or repair it myself. (I’m glad I replaced it myself). Within the past 6 months, I’ve spent about $200 in repairs and saved easily $1,000+, so it definitely can add up quickly. It does take an eagerness to learn, even if it is quickly in the moment.
Keeping your savings in your bank account
The examples are endless. The trick is to not get over your head with trying to fix something. It is great experience and can be fun to do your own repairs or DIY around the house, but it may still reach a point when you call for help.There are plenty of resources for expanding you DIY knowledge, from books to websites and YouTube videos. This could add a small investment but save money overall. The other benefit of DIY is that you are wasting less which is better for the environment, even as simple as replacing the heating element of a stove. Know your limitations but experience is a great teacher!
Other money saving tips: Check out HERE
