Repairs And Maintenance That Save You Money In The Long Run

(This article is part of a weekly guest column by Claire Moylan*)

When you own something, in a lot of ways it owns you: your time, your money, and your commitment to keeping it up. This is true whether what you own is a home, a car, or a computer. Whenever you decide to make a purchase, you have to realize that there are maintenance costs that come with almost every purchase. Maintenance can help lengthen the life of your purchase and thus end up saving you money. Repairs can help you avoid costly accidents and liability issues from leaving something broken. Finally, there comes a time when you have to realize that your purchase has exceeded it’s lifespan and then you must know when to let it go and buy a replacement to save money on repairs. Here are some quick tips to repair or maintain a variety of purchases.

Wardrobe

• Learn To Sew - Don’t throw a piece of clothing out if it is missing a button. Instead, learn some quick sew tips to lengthen the wear of your expensive goods.
• Buy Wash and Wear – The less you have use dry cleaning services, the more you save on maintaining your clothing.
• Invest In Classics – Of course, you do want some classics to dress up a wash and wear wardrobe. Leather jackets may cost a bit extra, but they also wear forever with good care.
• Locate A Shoe Repair Shop – Get your soles redone or a total shoe restoration. It’s usually far cheaper than buying new shoes.

Car

• Change The Oil – Changing the oil can keep your car running smoothly and prevent costly repairs.
• Change Your Air Filter – This can even improve your gas mileage.
• Inflate Your Tires – This is another great tip for getting good mileage out of your car and reducing wear and tear.
• Follow Your Manufacturer’s Maintenance Schedule – Each car comes with it’s own set of repairs that should be done at 20,000 to 60,000 miles. If you keep up to schedule, you can significantly extend the life of your car and avoid major repairs down the road.

House

• Cut Shrubs and Trees Away From House – If you keep the landscaping trimmed away from the house, there is less change it will damage the roof, the gutters, or attract squirrels and other pests.
• Clean The Gutters – You want to keep the gutters free of debris so when it rains or snows, moisture is taken away from your house and not allowed to cause damage around the foundation or on the roof.
• Caulking Doors And Windows – This is something that should be checked with the change of seasons to see if it needs to be re-caulked. It saves money on your utilities.
• Maintain Major Systems – You want to make sure your air conditioner is in proper shape as well as your furnace before the season starts. Maintaining these systems keeps them working and avoids costly repairs down the road.
• Install Working Smoke Detectors – This type of maintenance deals with preventing major liabilities in the future. Of course, most homes are required to have working smoke detectors.
• Remove Dead Limbs And Wood From Lawn – This is to keep termites from finding them and setting up shop.
• Repair Any Moisture Leaks Immediately – Whether the roof leaks or your toilet is dripping, moisture can cause excessive home damage and can be a huge expense if not repaired immediately.

Electronics/Appliances/Computers

This is one category where it sometimes pays to trash something you own, rather than repair it. Check out the prices of new equipment before you make significant expenditures to fix a problem with your electronic equipment. Other than that, here are some things that can lengthen the life of your electronics and computers:

• Get Virus Protection – No one should own a pc without buying virus protection anymore. It’s simply too risky.
• Do Regular Spyware Checks – You can download spyware detectors for free and run them regularly to keep this type of hack off your pc.
• Use A Surge Suppressor – This very inexpensive device has multiple outlets for all kinds of sensitive electronic equipment, including pcs. Use them to avoid a surge in electricity damaging your fine electronics.
• Replace Small Parts – Did your food processor container warp? Order a replacement for less than the cost of a new food processor. Just keep the information on all your appliances in one place.
• Check and Replace Batteries – It may seem a small thing, but people sometimes forget that a device uses batteries.
• Check The Cords – Sometimes cords can go bad but the equipment itself still works. Don’t forget to check any power cords or other types of cord that may have failed. Always throw out bad cords as they can pose a fire hazard.


About the author: Claire Moylan is a freelance writer specializing in ebooks and custom-tailored articles for niche websites. You can view her portfolio online or check out her constant content page for more information about her writing assignments.

Image Credit: http://www.u-look.com.au