Fix it or buy new, that is my choice

I may write about how my savings accounts are growing and that my net worth is up but I still make decisions that may set me back. Recently, I had to decide between fixing my electric lawn mower or repairing the one I have. Let me set up the story:

I was reluctantly mowing my lawn and completed cutting 2/3 of my grassy area when I decided to stop and get a drink of water. After I came out of my house and tried to mow again, absolutely nothing happened. I did the basic troubleshooting: is it the power to the lawn mower? Fuse box was fine. Was it the cord? Second cord (with light on end) lit up but did not move the motor. What did the owner's manual say? Perform the steps I did and if that did not resolve the issue, take the mower to a Black and Decker service provider.

Two weeks later, I get the news that the motor was the problem, a replacement part was $150 and labor would be $60. I was advised to junk my lawn mower and get a new one. My dilemma was do I fix what I have and waste fewer resources or buy a new lawn mower and hope it lasts longer than three years? I was assured that the lawn mower would not simply go into the big garbage hole in the ground so that was one less burden.

After doing some looking around Amazon.com, reading specifications and consumer reviews, I settled on buying a new lawn mower for $205. However, it had been two weeks since I last mowed my lawn and while my neighbor kindly offered his gas-powered lawn mower whenever I needed it, I have not asked him for it. With the necessity of mowing my lawn (some areas definitely needed a trim), I paid extra for two-day shipping bringing my total purchase to $280.

Buying a new lawn mower was not in my sights at all. I was happy with my Black and Decker model--until it quit on me. I am disappointed I received just under three seasons of service before the motor came to the end of its lifetime. I am hoping my new Earthwise 20-inch electric mower has a longer lifespan than my other corded electric model. Luckily, I did have money in my home savings account that easily covered this cost but I did create a greater cost by paying for two-day shipping.

Do you agree with my actions?

Cat toy creativity

I have purchased many toys for my cats over the years: roly-poly balls with bells inside, fur-covered mice, catnip-stuffed items, faux-fur snakes, fish with ribbon tail fins and a tennis ball. However, the many years with my cats have yield some consistent favorites: a well-mangled fabric mouse stuffed with catnip, a partially mangled burlap mouse stuffed with fiber-fill and catnip, and for my older cat, her Pound Puppy. How do I know these are their favorites? I have a basket in which I place all the cat toys and the favorites are the ones consistently retrieved and used. (The Pound Puppy migrates from room-to-room in the house.)

Since I needed to pick up some Hairball Remedy for the cats at the pet store, I was exposed to all the potential cat toys an owner can purchase for her cats. I stared at the variety of items and knew my cats really liked catnip toys. I almost bought another one since that mangled mouse was several years old and looking to be perforated in the near future. Then I recalled I am trying to be more self-sufficient. I have catnip at home and lots of fabric scraps. I could sew my cats a new catnip-filled toy.

So rather than buying new, I patched the burlap mouse that had fiberfill exposed (not great for cat digestive systems) with some leftover denim. I had some worry the cats would now ignore the toy, but was happily proven wrong. Then I found a nearly full bag of catnip that had not been touched for some years, explored my stash of fabric and used my sewing machine to create a 2 inch by 2 inch square bag in which to dump the found catnip. One more row of stitching to keep the catnip from flying around and I tossed the new toy on the floor. Within seconds, my cats were licking and drooling all over the newest catnip toy. Success!

These two toys, repaired and new, cost me some time, fabric and thread. I kept what my cats had in good shape, added to their (addictive) entertainment and kept $5.59 plus tax in my pocket. With this achievement behind me, I plan on considering other ways to add to the cat's collection by using what I have on hand and some creativity rather than buying new. I could even grow my own catnip!

What to get done over the winter months

With the change of seasons showing in the falling leaves and few garden harvests, my mind turns to projects. Yes, if I kept myself gainfully employed redoing landscaping, crafting new raised garden beds and hauling compost, I need to find things to occupy my time once the snow begins to fly and I feel like hibernating. There are several projects that have wanted my attention, but of these, only the GFCI outlet in the garage was installed (and that just a week ago). So what are my plans?

Tackle the basement.
In my earlier post, I mentioned installing an indoor clothesline. This is still on my radar, but has been pushed aside in favor of using my solar dryer (or my outdoor umbrella clothesline). With freezing temperatures and snow weeks away, this pushes up the indoor clothesline priority.

I also want to take a few steps toward making the basement more livable since I am considering moving my sewing area there. Right now, I am looking for lamps to plug into the newly installed outlets in the basement. A nice craft table would be useful for quilting and sorting fabric plus I may use my newly won skills in wood construction to fashion some shelving to store said fabric.

In addition, I would like to fix the holes in the drywall that was installed. Oddly enough, the person who installed the drywall also took his or her anger out on the drywall with hammer and foot. The doorways to the storage and mechanicals would look better with doors so I would also like to install those. This would test the limits of my construction abilities since I have never installed a door. Gaining a new skill would make me feel accomplished so I haunt craigslist with hope.

Craft with confidence.
I owe my godson a doll, my niece is due hers in January and technically, I owe my brother and sister-in-law a quilt. Furthermore, I have collected fabric for at least three quilts, several clothing items and three sets of curtains. Now that all my windows have been rescued from beige plastic blinds, I should proudly construct curtains and valances. These will not only make the rooms more decorative, but also help with light and cold infiltration especially with my single-pane windows. Quilts for warmth in the winter are a good thing especially if I happen to have guests.

I intend to use what I have on hand for sewing and crafting. A few green living projects will likely be incorporated, helping me to dump some disposable and plastic items from my life. Plus, being forced to look at my fabric collection will hopefully inspire me to be creative and to finally craft that blue jean rug I have been wanting.

Manage inventory.
As hinted at with the fabric collection, I have excess stuff. Too many clothes, more books that I really use, a well-stocked pantry that needs rotating and boxes in the basement that need to be sorted. All this and more really need sorting, serious contemplation and more than likely, to be either sold or donated. This is not an easy nor straightforward task, but I want to try another no-spending challenge coupled with a decluttering goal. With few things coming in and stuff going out, I hope to decrease my net stuff and be better prepared to resist buying more.

Fix it and forget it.
I have a table top to strip and refinish, some wood trim that needs the same treatment, and some paint spots that need a touch up, especially around the replacement windows. Cold-enforced indoor time is perfect for getting those small, annoying projects out of the way. I have been lax about getting these things done, but they need to be done prior to either window installation or my house being put on the market. The latter is not intended to happen for another few years, but painting now means less to get done when trying to sell my house.

So there you have it--one giant ambitious list. In the next few weeks, I will look at the time I have and create a to-do list of when to accomplish these disparate items. For me, a list of what I need to do helps me get through the items. I am more successful when I know what I need to do on the weekend before Friday. That way, I will not need to run to the hardware store for stripper before I run out in the middle of the project.

The cost of replacement windows--window treatments

I just had three more windows in my home measured for replacement. My house came with single-pane windows with the exception of the front window, which while double paned, came with broken seals and were fogging up. In fact, I did not know how badly my view was obstructed until the window was replaced and I noticed it looked a lot different from before, realizing after several minutes that my view was crystal clear!

The windows slated for replacement face the south in my living room and dining area/kitchen. The one in the living room is so damaged, I need a board to prop up the top sash. Both sets of windows are so leaky, a breeze comes through the windows. Yesterday, the wind was strong and cold, and I could clearly feel it in my house.

However, there are more costs than just the windows themselves and the labor to install them. There is also the trim around the window (which needs to be stained and varnished prior to installation), staining and varnishing of the window, and new window treatments. This can add at least 15% cost on top of the cost of the windows alone and depending on your choice, either quite a bit of time on your part or additional expenses. Today, I will cover the issue of window coverings.

When I bought my house, all the windows were covered with neutral-colored blinds--unexciting but functional. However, between the lack of functionality of the windows and the barely adequate window coverings, I had a lot of heat gain in the summer and not enough darkness during the night.

My front replacement window came with a low-emissivity (low-E) coating as I requested. With no tree in front of this East-facing window, my living room heated up quite quickly in the summer. The low-E coating has made a difference, but I also installed thermal-backed curtains as my window covering of choice. They would keep out the unwanted heat in the summer and help protect against cold in the winter. Since my living room also has a South-facing window, I believed the thermal curtains would be useful there even if it was a single pane window.

However, this purchase required me to do more than choose curtains that would work well with the colors in my furniture and that of my wall. I also needed to purchase and install a traverse rod for the curtain. This required a stud finder, measuring tape and a power drill, the most use I have gotten out of my drill since my dad gifted it to me five years ago. This was tougher than I expected, but I did manage to install a large rod spanning a 116" window and one for a 45" window.

With kitchen window replacement looming, I realized I needed to make a decision about with what to replace the cream-colored plastic blinds currently installed. I cringed when I realized the person who installed all these blinds choose to screw them into the wood trim. I refused to damage woodwork in my quest for new window treatments. However, curtains would not work in the space as the window trim is a few inches from a door and from a corner. After a lot of searching on the JCPenney web site, my source for window treatments, I decided on a cordless Roman shade.

I had installed two Roman shades in my bedroom, which really cut down in the light coming into the room. I also knew they did a decent job at insulating the window, but with a cord, it made it difficult to deal with in the tight space I had in the kitchen. The cordless Roman shade seemed like the answer and I chose a light neutral color.

Aside from the time needed to install the new window treatments, there is also the cost associated. If you make curtains or other window treatments, you are likely to save money. As it stands, my window treatments cost between 8-10% of the windows themselves. I chose to buy my window treatments for convenience. Plus, I am not confident in my ability to sew thermal curtains or shades. Window treatments can also be more expensive than what I chose, but I selected items I could afford and fit both my windows and my wall color.

In my second post, I discuss the issues involved with buying new trim (or stripping old trim), staining and varnishing both trim and windows.

Take a bit of time and save a bit of gasoline

Not only does slowing down and observing the 55 mph speed limit help maximize fuel efficiency over speeding at 60, 65, 75 or even more mph, but checking the air in your tires and the air filter in your car are useful as well.

I check the air in my tires at least once a month. Knowing your number, in my case, 32psi, along with owning a tire pressure gauge and knowing which gas stations have free air (Amoco or PDQ in my area) helps keep me well inflated. I usually find at least one tire low so I fill it up and am ready to go.

Also, I cannot argue with the air filter advice. I had my oil changed at one of those quick oil changing places over a year ago, and they showed me my air filter. It was filthy so I agreed to have them change it. My next fill up, my gas mileage increased by over 2 miles per gallon. That is impressive!

Not only do these actions maintain peak fuel efficiency, but they also keep your car in shape for the long haul. Just stop at a gas station in the morning before work, check the air pressure and add air if needed. Most experts recommend checking air pressure when the tire is cold, not warm from miles of driving.

Get to know where your local auto parts stores are. Stop by and pick up a new air filter or ask to have your trusted mechanic replace it during an oil change. Some of the auto parts store employees might even replace your filter for you. They replaced my windshield wiper blades when I purchased new ones. And while you are picking up a new air filter, ask the nice gentlemen where the tire pressure gauges are and pick up one for your use. That small purchase will pay you back quickly with peak fuel efficiency.

Fix it and use it again

In an earlier post, I discussed items I had purchased but not rendered useful quite yet. Although I am frugal, it is a waste of money to buy fabric for curtains and not sew them or buy a clothesline and not install it. While I vow to finally use these items, there is a related topic to mention and one which is firmly in the camp of sustainability: to fix or mend an item.

I own a cut glass butter dish I thought I had gotten for a steal: $0.25 at a garage sale. I was thrilled to find it and it takes up a lot less room than a small dessert plate to hold my butter--and there is a cover. It took me a couple months to notice there was a crack in the butter dish cover, right through the middle. I continued to use it and it took nearly eight months before it finally broke. Since the glass broke so cleanly in half, I intend on repairing it and using it again. I do have a replacement butter dish, but I would like to use an item until it is rendered useless. As long as the cover can be repaired, I will continue to use my garage sale find.

I purchased two matching rugs from Pier One about ten years ago. They were bought to add some color to my apartment and minimize those shoe marks that indicate where I sit on the sofa. The rugs were made of thick fluffy cotton yarn and jute with jute fringe. Unfortunately, my cats really liked to play with the fringe. It took years and a few washes but the cats finally started to unravel the rugs. Other than the edges, the rugs are in good shape, but the edges needed to be repaired. Since the edges were unevenly unraveling, I decided to take fabric, of which I have a lot, and encase the ends. The cats would not unravel the rugs further and I would still be able to use the rugs.

So I cut two 8-inch-wide stripes of fabric that coordinate with the rug, ironed the edges under a half inch and after cutting off the unraveled fluff, hand sewed the fabric onto the rug. One bonus: the cotton and jute can be added to my composter! Now I have my large rug repaired and ready for use. The smaller one I will have to wash before repairing it. This way, I use what I have and do not have to buy a new rug for my entryway.

I have also fixed clothing by sewing buttons back on or mending holes in seams. I not only put off replacing the item but I am investing time in something I enjoy wearing. I have fixed sunglasses, had metal-frame glasses repaired and reglued wood chairs. While not always successful, I try my best to extend the life of items with a small investment in repair. I minimize my waste, reduce my expenses and keep something useful for a bit longer. And there is always repurposing the item, a subject for my next post.