Saving Money on Common Household Problems

Faced with a household problem like a clogged drain? Need gardening tools or decorative items for the yard? Wait! Before rushing out to buy a solution take a moment to find a free or low-cost solution to the problem.

CLEARING A CLOGGED DRAIN -- CHEAPLY

Our clogged shower drain backed up one Saturday morning and my wife said it filled the shower with about 2 inches of water. She told me to boil water in a pan, pour in DAWN detergent and then pour it down the shower drain. She had found out about it in a Reader's Digest article (October 2008) where a couple decided to try and spend no money for one month. Not calling the plumber was one of their strategies.

So I boiled the water, squeezed in about 2 ounces of DAWN detergent then poured the mixture down the drain. There was no standing water at the time.

Then in the early afternoon, after officiating a soccer match, I took a shower. "How did the drain work?" my wife asked. I told her there were no problems. Hmm, did the mixture really work?

RESOURCES TO SAVE MONEY

Before you buy, stop and check out free resources to solve a problem or get an item you may need.

While my wife found out about clearing a drain with DAWN dishwashing soap, the couple in Reader's Digest referenced www.thriftyfun.com as a site where "thousands of users posted tip after penny-saving tip on conserving cash. There wasn't a crisis on earth, it seemed, that couldn't be averted with some combination of baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and a certain dishwashing liquid."

Another site is www.freecycle.org whose mission statement is "to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community."
Freecycle has 4,603 groups across the United States and internationally with over 5.7 million members.

Another site always worth checking is www.craigslist.org. When we were building a pathway in our backyard, we found free decomposed granite on Craigslist saving us hundreds of dollars. If craigslist doesn't cover your area, then see if there is a similar site.

BE PATIENT

If you're like me, time is always seem to be in short supply. So running out and buying a quick fix to your problem or calling a professional may seem like it makes the most sense. But learning how to research low-cost to no-cost solutions will help you build a knowledge base. Over time, you'll know what methods work or don't work. When you're finding ways to save money, you need to be patient and be willing to learn.

It's worth the effort. Think of saving money on common household problems like clogged drains as a step toward greater financial independence.