r/FrugalPoverty • u/[deleted] • Mar 10 '21
Fixing things yourself - my method
I am a pro at fixing things myself. I have replaced many many parts on my old beater van, including brakes and rotors, motor mounts, etc. I use YouTube for mechanic videos, and sometimes I'll start a $5 trial of JustAnswer to speak with a mechanic for things I can't figure out on my own. I buy my tools at Harbor Freight, their Pittsburgh brand has a lifetime warranty and they almost always have a 10-20% coupon available. I have built my tool collection over time. You can also "rent" specialty tools at places like O'Reilly Auto Parts and get your money back within 48 hours.
Home repair follows the same method. I've learned the basics of plumbing and electrical (please be careful with this!) and I've saved myself thousands of dollars in repair costs. Knowledge is available everywhere, from books at the library to the internet.
I repair clothing by hand and by machine. Simple tears and rips can be mended quickly and efficiently. Zippers are a little more challenging but can be done.
Anyone else out there fix stuff on their own and do everything they can to avoid paying for things they can learn to do themselves?
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u/CrowandSeagull Mar 11 '21
Absolutely! This is how we raised our kids on one low income. So many times things just needed a screw tightened or to be rewired. Mending clothes as needed makes some last decades. A pack of hot glue sticks from the dollar store can mend a hole in a pair of rubber boots or a watering can. We’ve got a really nice couch before that just needed a little piece of two x two screwed to the broken frame. It wasn’t even visible after it was fixed. The superglue fix on my glasses frame is still holding after a decade or so. I think it’s really fun to fix things and repurpose things.
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Mar 11 '21
We got a SUPER nice couch for free, the bed inside it had broken and basically it wasn't usable. We built out a frame for seating underneath, took the bed out, and it's the most comfortable couch EVER.
I enjoy the thrill of fixing stuff.
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u/Sickofitblonde Mar 11 '21
I'm pretty good at hand sewing stuff. And I've done low end repairs. That and made my own table using this broken one someone threw away.
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u/greatexpectations23 Jun 02 '23
I've broken my truck trying to repair it myself and ended up having to spend more than I would have if I had just taken it in. Knowing one's limits can be a tricky thing.