Most of us had parents or grandparents who could fix anything--and I do mean ANYTHING. My grandmother could (and did) make a broken slip strap last another 10 years with a needle, thread, and later safety pins. My grandfather used jelly jars instead of a tool kit to hold his small tools, screws, washers, and tidbits necessary for the maintenance and repair of machines that we now consider disposable, but that he made last 20, 30, even 40 years.
From roof repairs to small motor fixes, do-it-yourself or DIY isn't just a lifestyle choice, or a marketing trend, or hot topic in the media. DIY means learning, empowering ourselves with skills and approaches to problem-solving that serve us not only in our wallets, but also help us to set examples for future generations, neighbors, and our community.
DIY itself is apolitical, but the effects ripple out to reach back and pull into the 21st century key philosophical concepts such as self-sufficiency, efficient use of resources, and community aiding community.
Note: I am guest-blogging for sarahnity
For basic, well-written descriptions of how to handle most any task at home, The Natural Handyman offers thousands of articles addressing nearly any small (and sometimes medium) repair, from clogged faucets to cleaning gutters to replacing soffits. In addition to offering free information that is clear and concise, if you find you cannot DIY after all, The Natural Handyman provides listings of local handyman and handywomen you can call for contracting help.
The father of DIY, Bob Vila, has an extensive library of free "How To" videos at BobVila.com . From installing a new door lock to hanging a wood door to installing a plumbing trap, the videos are free, informative, and give those of us who are visual learners (and can't grasp the steps just from text) a great free example to work from.
DoItYourself.com is both an information source and a store; you don't have to purchase items to be able to browse their free library of DIY advice. On that same note, Home Depot and Lowe's both offer article libraries on how to handle some home repairs. During a recent kitchen faucet repair emergency, I referred to the Lowe's article library to help identify a key tool we were missing. Who knew removing restraining nuts from a kitchen faucet could be so hard!
AskToolTalk.com offers free advice for DIY and frugal folks on which tools to buy. Product reviews make a big difference when you're looking to drop $200-$400 on a saw, for instance; the collective wisdom of the global community comes in to help by providing written opinions and experiences that are then shared with you.
Sometimes DIY doesn't work out, though: then what? Word of mouth is great, but it can be limited in these days of frequent moves and loss of community wisdom. If DIY doesn't work out and you are forced to turn to contractors and experts, what are your free research options?
HomeStars.com is a free website where people read and write reviews on home improvement contractors and home-related retailers. Someone in your community uses Joe's Plumbing, for instance, and has a great experience. You log on to HomeStars.com and find that glowing review, along with five other opinions that are positive. You draw on the collective wisdom of the online community and choose Joe's Plumbing over Mike's Plumbing. Again, the expression of opinion from consumers is a powerful community resource, and one that may save you time, and money.
Ripoff Report and Yahoo Reviews all provide outlets for research when looking for a local contractor or handyman to step in when DIY isn't possible. The message boards at DIY Network are also a great place to ask questions about your project, and if you go to House Repair Talk as well, you can find a small community of well-informed folks helping each other.
On a side note, does your community have a home materials recycling center like ReNew Building Materials and Salvage, in Brattleboro, VT? More and more recycled home materials centers are popping up nationwide--a friend bought shredded denim insulation for her house at this store. She saved money and saved the material from clogging a landfill.
What about a store that sells used tools? The Tool Shed in Worcester, MA is consignment shop--for tools! Need a band saw, or a power drill, but don't have the cash to pay retail? Do some Internet searches to see if these stores exist in your community. If they don't, maybe you should start one! :)
Borrowing when you DIY is the most frugal approach, of course! Get to know your neighbors. Why do 10 people on a block need 10 snow blowers, or 10 power mowers?
Get free materials through Freecycle and CraigsList as well.
Being frugal is as much about reaching out to others for ingenuity and ideas as it is about the actual money saved; the Internet gives us this tool to get a local and even global perspective on home improvement and to save time, money, and resources.
So what Internet resources can you share regarding home improvement and frugality?