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Or, as an engineer, you do a little bit of consulting on the side. For those 2-3 hours you do your profession, charge $500, pay TruGreen $120, and profit the rest.
1. Education / Training
2. Time taken to do one task over the other or call that person
3. Access to tools.
4. Food/Clothing/shelter/travel
In my college we have an IT department. Why? So when something like a USB is not reading or a projector needs to be setup the professor is able to carry on with the class and not be bothered.
Same reason why my college system has a guy getting paid to stay on site to fix the photo-copier machine who gets a bonus for doing so. In comparison to another college that had to wait until the term ended to repair the machine. That same fellow is actual apart of the buildings and grounds department where many are on stand by to fix things like broken windows, leaking roofs, and or flooding hazards ( my college is near the ocean ).
Even in public schools they have specific people that comes around and literally travels ( via company car ) to repair the machines. Also they do not cover every machines only specific machines. The same could be said for school lunch which is delivered in special care packages ( blue looking heavy duty bags ). So much of it is wasted but it shows how serious the state and city takes it's promise to keep students nourished during lunch time.
The way I see things is that people are being cheap and do not take precautions. It cost $10,000 to bail somebody out of jail. It cost almost $5000 or more to avoid being drafted/selective service. Public schools is a government action meanwhile private schools remain the same ( cost money ). Cost of education, cost to be buried and not cremated.
Youtube is part of a great democratic revolution, where "How To Do" certains things is demonstrated to you in glorious detail that couldn't be told in less than 10,000 printed words.
I was able to replace my shower valve by watching videos on the Moen website, where it would have cost me 100s of dollars to hire a plummer to do it.
I was able to rebuild my alternator by watching a youtube video and buying a $7.99 brush kit from Napa, when a mechanic would have charged me 100s to do it.
I was able to replace the control panel inside my dishwasher, when a new dishwasher at BestBuy was $499 and the repair services I called wouldn't even come to my house unless I paid a $75 'diagnostic fee' and vague promises of $200-$300 to fix it. All because of Youtube and a little Googling around.
It works in the other direction, too. I know a handy guy, but he has a wife who doesn't work and 2 kids, and his 2nd bathroom and another room in his house have been "under construction" for like YEARS. That would drive me batty not to have 2 usable rooms in my house. In that scenario, I would pay a professional to get it done in 3 weeks.
As an intellectual challenge, I replaced the entire screen & digitizer in a Samsung tablet - and yes you have to have a magnifying glass and a steady hand - and not all devices you can do this. But this was a rooted tablet so it was worth the risk, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment than if I went out and bought some overpriced Apple junk instead.
To me, it's just part of being a man that you know how to fix things, but yes having the good sense to say "I'm not going to screw around with electricity or natural gas, or attempt to replace a whole wiring harness".
Either DIY or pay. That's the math. Work more to make more $$ to pay a service person or DIY
Here's some of our DIY's
1. Fix your own vehicle- husband repairs our vehicles about 75% of the time, depending what is wrong.
If not, maybe try to use YOUTUBE to DIY
2. Fix your own house- Husband paints, pressure washes, installs baseboards, fixes pretty much everything except advanced electrical and plumbing
3. Grow what you can-we only grow a few things living in a forest setting.
4. Forrage for natural free items. Stay away from anything near a road which could be sprayed.
We hike for 2.5 weeks straight each year collecting blackberries near the huge river near our home. We then freeze them to eat all year. Blackberries are very very expensive yet very good for you!!
5. If you live near a river with crawdads, consider dropping off a trap and coming back later for it.
Takes some time to peel them but adding them to dogfood gives the dogs/cats a few days break from their regular homemade food
Consider getting scraps from restaurants to feed your animals such as chickens
6. Raise your own animals or wait for grocery meat items to be reduced to a very low price. Ask the butcher for free old meat you want to feed your animals, again homemade dog.cat food
7. Compost pile to grow potatoes, and another compost pie for chickens. Saves on chicken food when they eat all the worms/insects
Get free manure from Craigslist or another source. I've even heard of people adding in their own poop to the manure.
Add some old leaves, brush, lawn clippings, free coffee from starbucks, find out how to make a compost pile. Buy organic potatoes, cut out the eyes and toss in. When they are big enough, eat the potatoes but cut out the 2-3 eyes per potato to toss back in the manure. Add fresh manure, keep somewhat moist. Turn the pile sometimes. Eventually you will have an ongoing abundance of free potatoes to feed yourself and your animals never buying any more potatoes. Having more than you need.
Carrots are very cheap to buy, great for dog food
8. Crockpot meals in the sun. Make your meal, set it outside when you leave, come back 8 hrs later.
I set it high up on a roof due to animals. It will slowly cook for free. If not done, you can finish cooking in the house
9. Make as much homemade stuff as you can- cleaners, detergent, soaps, and hang dry your clothes.
10. Bathe outside if possible. Saves having to clean the bathroom as much.
11. Watch youtube as much as possible. Google. It will take a while to learn to hone each craft so expect to be in front of the computer alot
12. Bicycle as much as possible instead of driving a car.
13. Start a Meetup group that involves holding a monthly potluck and whatever your DIY interest is.
14. If you have a crummy library, consider joining one in a town where you work or travel on a somewhat regular basis. Ours is crappy but I work once a week so check out GREAT movies in that town.
15. The more time you stay home not working, the more you need to constantly be learning /working
Stay on a schedule of getting a certain amount of things done each day.
16. Consider hunting. We rarely hunt but once in a blue moon. Deer are in abundance here so husband shoots one 1-2x a year and we mainly use it for dog/cat food.
17. Consider a small side hustle from home. I answer the phone 2 days a week, a 24 hr information line for our County. Many Counties provide it, or are getting it set up, it might be call 211 for information.
Paid just $10 a call but I talk while working. Much of it I know from the top of my head
Maybe a side hustle on EBAY. More on that below. If you're home already and can answer questions off the top of your head, it's very easy.
18. Anytime you see something in abundance near your home, which is an ongoing source, figure out what you can do with it. A spa cover store is nearby, they toss out so much foam you see it in the back. Easy to grab. It's getting tossed out anyhow since I asked. I take it and place my speciality Eggs inside I sell on Ebay. I don't want to reveal the kind of egg but it's from one of my birds.
Much better than paying for bubble wrap which could pop and break the egg. This egg could be tossed and it likely, wouldn't break.
19. Take a p/t job with long hour shifts but with a ton of downtime, if possible. Watch youtube to learn while working or do your side hustle.
20. When you go on vacation, place an add on Craigslist for rideshare and let someone ride with you paying for part of the gas. Or seek someone going that direction and ride with them sharing costs
Staying home and DIY is the same as starting a new business. It is your business.
Time is money so you need to be disciplined. What is the value of what you do.
A penny saved is a penny earned.
Last edited by ElmersGlue.; 07-12-2019 at 04:01 PM..
Or, as an engineer, you do a little bit of consulting on the side. For those 2-3 hours you do your profession, charge $500, pay TruGreen $120, and profit the rest.
I spend an hour a day commuting to my job, and at least 9 hours, often more, at my job (that includes a lunch hour that I spend walking). I go to the gym after work, or sometimes have to go over to my parents, or I run errands. I often don't get home until after 9pm. I assure you that I have no desire to work ANY hours on the side. I make enough to pay someone to do the things I can't do myself. That works best for me.
My husband and I are pretty handy around the house. At age 65 and 62 we do most of our own yardwork Albeit we do have a very small yard, We have installed ceiling fans in almost every room of our home and replace them when needed. We’ve done minor plumbing and bathroom repairs and remodel. I’m handy assembling boxed furniture and have re-upholstered our dining room and kitchen chairs. DH is handy with some auto repairs, although with so much programming built into new cars, doesn’t do as much anymore. We’ve also painted the interior of our home and plan to do the exterior ourselves come January (too hot otherwise here in S FL). However we will not pressure clean our roof, both he and I have problems with our back and knees, and I am afraid of heights.
Interestingly we were discussing the same topic earlier today. I don’t know how many of you recall that some of the women’s magazines used to carry a monthly column called “hints from Heloise“ they always had a lot of household tips and DIY topics. One in particular, that I recall, had to do with perfectly good bathroom and kitchen area rugs that no longer had backing. In thinking about that today I guess we have so many cheap made in China goods that it is probably less expensive to throw the item away and replace it. But I remember when I was a younger woman learning quite a bit about DIY in the home.
I have issues on my AC ducts. 2 rooms just doesn't cool, there's not much air coming out. I know there's a leak in my duct (well, i suspected) and I know exactly how to fix it. But the idea going to the attic creeps the hell out of me. I hate seeing bugs, what if there's rats or scorpions?
I think that's the one of the problems why people don't DIY.
Youtube is part of a great democratic revolution, where "How To Do" certains things is demonstrated to you in glorious detail that couldn't be told in less than 10,000 printed words.
I was able to replace my shower valve by watching videos on the Moen website, where it would have cost me 100s of dollars to hire a plummer to do it.
I was able to rebuild my alternator by watching a youtube video and buying a $7.99 brush kit from Napa, when a mechanic would have charged me 100s to do it.
I was able to replace the control panel inside my dishwasher, when a new dishwasher at BestBuy was $499 and the repair services I called wouldn't even come to my house unless I paid a $75 'diagnostic fee' and vague promises of $200-$300 to fix it. All because of Youtube and a little Googling around.
It works in the other direction, too. I know a handy guy, but he has a wife who doesn't work and 2 kids, and his 2nd bathroom and another room in his house have been "under construction" for like YEARS. That would drive me batty not to have 2 usable rooms in my house. In that scenario, I would pay a professional to get it done in 3 weeks.
As an intellectual challenge, I replaced the entire screen & digitizer in a Samsung tablet - and yes you have to have a magnifying glass and a steady hand - and not all devices you can do this. But this was a rooted tablet so it was worth the risk, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment than if I went out and bought some overpriced Apple junk instead.
To me, it's just part of being a man that you know how to fix things, but yes having the good sense to say "I'm not going to screw around with electricity or natural gas, or attempt to replace a whole wiring harness".
It’s awesome you can do that stuff, but not everyone has the desire or inclination. It’s just not how I want to be spending my time so I’d rather pay someone else to deal with it. It’s also not “Apple junk,” quality costs money and Apple is expensive because they make by far the best products. Any creative professional is using Apple to do their work, they’re not buying crap from CostCo for $300. Your standard PCs are crap. Apple is the Ferrari of electronics and if you want something both beautiful and functional, you pay the price. Or you cheap out and end up with garbage from some wannabe company. I would never buy any smart phone, tablet, laptop, or computer that isn’t Apple.
Some things have become more complex through the years. Some of us are older. So some of us might not be do it yourselfers now, as we were decades ago.
Apple is the Ferrari of electronics and if you want something both beautiful and functional, you pay the price. Or you cheap out and end up with garbage from some wannabe company. I would never buy any smart phone, tablet, laptop, or computer that isn’t Apple.
With all due respect, you are an "Apple Fanboy" and I hope you greatly enjoy your purchases. Apple products are designed to be non-serviceable by the end user, and I'm sure your loyalty is greatly appreciated by them and their earnings projections.
For those of us "who know computers" and actually build products, there's nothing that Apple does that isn't doable by any other manufacturers and providers. I laugh at your proprietary connections and $35 adapters just to use the patent-free aux-in audio jack that's been standard on every device since the Sony Walkman in 1979.
To keep it on topic with the thread, spare parts & upgrades are available with non-Apple products. In interests of democracy, human potential and learning, transmitting the knowledge to others - I will always use and recommend Free as in Freedom technology. Apple is a candy-colored Prison, a computer with training wheels that don't come off, and people derive social honor from bragging they spent a month's rent and waited in line at midnight on the latest and greatest.
I'd rather teach my children how to take it apart and fix it and How It Works.
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