This is an older Tuesday Tip from March of 2013, but it still holds true…in fact my husband just performed another fix on the same vacuum, replacing the plug when it started to come loose. Total cost of the latest repair: $1.96 + a little time! The ol’ girl has lasted an extra two # years with under $12 in repair costs…that’s what I call frugal!
Some of you may remember that I asked for suggestions on Facebook for good vacuum cleaners, since ours was starting to fall apart. I was thankful to receive several great suggestions, but I also had a few smart Sisters suggest looking for a replacement for the broken part. Since it wasn’t something major (the front wheel assembly, not the motor or anything), I thought it might be worth a shot.
It took trying a few different web sites, but within about 10 minutes of searching (using my vacuum’s model number) I the part I needed, and for a very reasonable price. See that “coupon code” box up there? I did too! When I noticed that I took an extra minute to do a search for a code–sure enough, one was available, and I saved an extra 10% just by typing FIX IT into that little box. Woo hoo! Shipping was around $5, but a total under $15 sounds a lot better to me than $100 or more (some of them much more!) for a new vacuum.
So, an example of a frugal lesson from my own life. It seems like so many products are made to be disposable any more, but if there’s a cheap fix available, it just might be worth a try. There are tons of web sites selling replacement parts for appliances and much more, and there are plenty of photo and even video tutorials on how to fix things, all available with a quick internet search. A friend avoided a costly service call from the repairman by Googling her problem and finding instructions for how to remove a wayward sock from her washing machine. (Before you dive in, be sure to do an honest assessment of the fix-it skills needed for a repair and try not to get in too far over your head!)
What products have you been able to fix rather than needing to buy a new one? And do you have a price limit for repairing vs. buying new? I think for me it depends on the age of the broken item, how much of a “need” it is, and how much a new one would cost. In this case, $15 is definitely worth a shot if I can get a few more years out of the ol’ girl! 🙂 I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic–sound off in the comments or on Facebook!
