Comments on: Frugal Life Skill: Learn to Fix Your Stuff

By: Russell

Russell — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:06:41 +0000

Kevin, I bought a refrigerator two years ago at Sears, and the salesman asked me about purchasing the extended warranty (service plan). I asked if I really need that, my mother has a Kenmore that’s 30-years-old and it still works fine. The salesman said, that may be true, but remember your mother’s refrigerator was built 30 years ago.

Gloria, one really great thing now is the free availability of schematics and parts list online, where you can learn how to remove and replace even “gimmicky” fasteners and connectors. Detailed maintenance manuals that used to be unavailable, or sold at auto parts stores, can often be browsed online at the manufacturer’s or parts house website.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:31:33 +0000

@Russell: You’re right. The more you work on it the more you understand how everything goes together. I try to stick to non-major stuff… I wouldn’t replace the head gasket on my car, for example.

I’ve also heard that stuff made “back then” is made better than what is on the market today. HVAC units and refrigerators especially. Used to be built to last years, now are designed to be replaced every 5-10 years. Sad.

@Seb: Yup. Although have you ever tried to replace an internal air filter (cabin filter, not for the engine) on a 1995 BMW? I did that in high school and let me tell you… leave that one to the professionals.

@Gloria: Simple enough, right? Lights are usually a couple of screws and some connectors. Unscrew, unclip, uninstall, do the reverse and you’re done.

By: Gloria

Gloria — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:41:34 +0000

I recently replaced the left rear turn signal lamp on my car. Don’t know how much it would have cost to “take it in” to have a “professional” do it. A few years ago, I replaced the right rear turn signal lamp. The lamps came two in a package, so this time I didn’t even have to purchase the lamp, already had one left from before. Save money and have that sense of accomplishment.

By: Canadian Personal Finance Blog » Blog Archive » Random Thoughts: Mr. President Elect

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 11:59:53 +0000

[...] Debt Plan talked about the Frugal Life Skill: Learning to Fix Stuff Yourself, which I subscribe to in areas where I think I have expertise, however, in some areas, like my car, [...]

By: Seb

Seb — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:31:31 +0000

That same things goes with cars, too. I can either pay a mechanic hundreds, or maybe thousands of dollars for labor, or I can spend a weekend afternoon and do it myself. You’d be surprised how easy some maintenance really is.

By: Russell

Russell — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:24:37 +0000

You make me think about something my friend has told me, “you have so much old stuff in your house”. She quickly adds, “but all of it WORKS”. Another advantage of repairing things, or replacing components, besides the cost savings you realized, is you’re more familiar with the item and can maintain it better.

Some items like your old laptop computer, or a CRT or TV that only has “green” for a color, probably have to be discarded. Our county has an electronics recycling day about twice a year where these items are collected, taken off to recover what can be salvaged from them, and the rest discarded properly.

I can do minor repairs to my motorcycle, replace electrical outlets or lighting fixtures, and some things I can’t do, at least I can buy parts and find a friend to help. My laptop hinges broke last year, and everybody said it’s 4 years old, throw it away and get a new one. They’re only $700 now.

First, I’m too lazy to reinstall the software, and second I’m too cheap to spend the money. I found the hinges online, and gave the whole pile of stuff to my buddy who just LOVES to tear computers apart. I’ve replaced the battery, the power supply, and doubled the memory myself.

One story that makes me chuckle is shopping for a CD changer for my home stereo, when my original CD player broke a few years ago. I went to Radio Shack, and the young lady who has worked in there for a few years, wanted to show me a unit that she said had the new optical interface. I said that’s not useful to me, my stereo receiver is older than you are. “OH,” she replied, “I’m 21 now.”. That’s nice, but “like I said”, I told her, I bought my stereo receiver in 1980.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:54:34 +0000

@ToughMoneyLove: The difference in price, I think, was because of how old the drives are. I guess they’ve got a dwindling pile of replacement drives… but it doesn’t make any logical sense to charge that much.

By: Mr. ToughMoneyLove

Mr. ToughMoneyLove — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:35:33 +0000

Nice – but you are scaring the PC makers and stimulus fans. They don’t want you fixing stuff – they want you buying new stuff. Anyway, I was unaware of the huge price disparity on a commodity product like a hard drive. Now if only replacing my laptop display was so easy!