When you own your own home, one of the biggest expenses that you can’t necessarily plan for are home repairs. And while you can save money for this purpose on a regular basis, without knowing what you’ll need to fix and how expensive it will be, knowing what to save can also be a challenge.
To make things easier, it’s good to know a few ways that you can take care of these home expenses without spending too much in the process. To show you what some of these things are, here are three tips for taking care of home repairs on the cheap.
Factor In Added Costs For DIY
One of the most common ways for people to try to save money on home repairs is to take care of them by themselves. Most home builders like Vetcon Construction Services, offer affordable service. However, the money that you assume you’d save by going this route might not be as much as you’d assume.
According to Marla Christiansen, a contributor to Real Simple, you also need to factor in how much time you’ll be spending learning how to do the repairs, what you’ll pay for the materials, any tools that you’ll need to acquire to get the work done, and how much you’ll have to pay to get permits or other legal documents and fees. Knowing this, you’ll really want to price out how much you’d be paying to DIY compared to what you’d pay a professional to do part of the work for you.
Put Basic Maintenance Into Your Calendar
Another way you can save money on home repairs is to not wait until major repairs are needed. This can be done by putting a reminder into your phone or calendar about when to take care of certain home maintenance projects.
If you’re unsure of where to start with this, Glenda Taylor, a contributor to BobVila.com, shares that you should start with repairs that are cheap and easy for you to do but that could really save you money in the long run. For example, doing things like replacing your furnace filter, flipping your breakers, and cleaning out your gutters are all tasks that don’t take much but can save you from running into bigger, more expensive problems in the future.
Only Fix Emergencies Now
For those who have the money to take care of issues with their home as soon as they become apparent, it makes sense to do this in order to stay on top of things. But if you don’t have the cash flow to do this, Lee Nelson, a contributor to Bankrate.com, advises that you spend your money fixing the most emergent things first. This means that if you’re having issues with your foundation or your roof, you spend your money on these issues now and then save up to repair or replace things that can still take a little more wear and tear.
If you’re desperate to find ways to save a bit of money on your home maintenance costs, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you figure out ways to do so.
