New Year, New Skills

Learn to DIY

While holed up at home recently taking some time off from work, Bobbi Carter, Director of TRIP’s HomeOwnership Center, took a mental inventory of house projects that needed to be done and pondered repair people to call.  Perhaps because it was during the holiday season when she often counsels people about how to manage their money, she realized there is no reason why she couldn’t try to do the repair, even if it ended with her needing to hire a professional to finish it.  

It started with doing the necessary research, in this case, searching the internet for “How do you….”

With a great deal of help from the web and YouTube videos in particular, Bobbi was able to learn each step of her repair project and the materials needed.  She even learned the names and uses of the many tools left her by her father, about three of which she knew how to use.  

Armed with knowledge, Bobbi tackled the inner mechanics of the downstairs toilet and replaced the corroded pop up drain and trap for the sink in that room.  Hours later, she successfully mastered it and had changed its inner parts, replacing old corroded pipes that will conserve water use and ultimately save her some money.

Next up was bleeding the radiators, draining them of any air that is caught within which reduces heat and increases costs.  First, YouTube, then get the right tool (in this case, the key), then get to work.  Again, a success. 

Bobbi is planning next to replace her old thermostat with an energy-efficient, programmable one.   The only thing she is worried about for this project is making sure the power is off before tackling it, so her task this weekend is to buy a good tester (the one tool her Dad didn’t seem to have)!  After this it’s back to the list that that seems to be growing daily along with expertise and YouTube, and confidence.

She will be taking the money she is saving with contractors & energy efficiency and adding it to her 52 Week savings so this time next year she can actually take a Vacation and not a Staycation!   And you can too!