31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #23 - Try to Fix it First

Going along with performing maintenance to save money, is trying to fix things before buying new.  If your fan broke, instead of replacing it, try fixing it first.  You might get lucky and all it needs is a cleaning, or maybe some grease.  If not, are you really out anything?  Nope, and if you can fix your fan, you've saved yourself the money of a having to buy a new one.  This really depends on how handy you are, but it can be applied to other things besides appliances.  Did you loose a button off your favorite flannel?  Buy a new one and sew it on instead of buying a new shirt.  Got a hole in the knee of your jeans, tear up the other knee for an intentional distress denim look.  Or cut both legs off at the knees and cuff them up for a nice pair of Bermuda shorts. 
So, instead of running out to buy a new whatever when your old one breaks, try to fix the old one first, and you might just save yourself some cash.

Photos for this series are from Flickr.  They are pictures that are under the license of ‘commercial and mods allowed.’  Edits were done by me.  The licensor does not endorse me or my use.

Link to license is here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

License explanation is here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

31 Days of Money-Saving Tips: Day #22 - Keep Things Maintained

Did you know that owner's manuals can actually save you money?  The much overlooked owner's manual contains everything you need to know in order to maintain your car or slow cooker or hair dryer.  It also usually has parts numbers so that you can order replacement pieces.  This generally isn't the case for electronics like cell phones and computers because the technology is updated so frequently, but for most other appliances you definitely want to reference the manual.  You Tube is another place to look if you are a more visual person.  Just be specific in your search to make sure you have the correct brand and model.
So, why is all this important, and how does it save you money exactly?  Well, say your blender is missing a blade, instead of going out and buying another blender for say $25, you can contact the company and order a replacement blade for around $4.  You just saved yourself 21 bucks.  The manual will also tell you how to keep things up and running, how they can be cleaned properly, and if they need to be greased or oiled.  Not only do things run better when they are maintained correctly, they also last longer.  If you keep the back of your hair dryer clean, the motor inside will run better and not burn up because it couldn't get enough air.  This doesn't just go for small appliances either.  Make sure you are vacuuming out your dryer vents and the coils behind your fridge at least a couple of times a year.  We were given a fridge once that the owner thought was broken and was destined for the garbage.  The real problem was a LOT of dust.  We gave it a good cleaning, let it sit for a few days, and low and behold, it worked just like new. 
Basically if you maintain things, it keeps you from having to buy new things, which cost money.  So, cleaning and maintaining what you already have, saves you money. 

Photos for this series are from Flickr.  They are pictures that are under the license of ‘commercial and mods allowed.’  Edits were done by me.  The licensor does not endorse me or my use.

Link to license is here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

License explanation is here https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/