Handymen Reveal The Common Things People Pay For But Could Easily DIY

Handymen Reveal The Common Things People Pay For But Could Easily DIY


November 18, 2020 | Eul Basa

Handymen Reveal The Common Things People Pay For But Could Easily DIY


Have you ever called in a professional to fix your plumbing? Or to check your car engine? Do you call the professionals when it's time to change your windshield wipers? If you have, we have news for you: You can do it yourself! Save the time waiting for an appointment and the money you spend on the service. These people let us in on the things we often pay for but we could definitely do ourselves. The main takeaway? YouTube is your best friend.

8318317319_260a51c4e8_o(1)Flickr

Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!

#1 Do It Yourself

I had a friend ask me for a reference for a plumber to change out his showerhead.

plumber-2788332_1280Pixabay

Advertisement

#2 Meal Prep

I wouldn't say this is the worst, but it's definitely expensive: Meals. I started prepping my meals at the beginning of the week and I save anywhere from $60 to $80 a week now that I don't buy any food other than my groceries. It's also a super-easy way to keep track of everything you consume so losing weight might be a bit easier.

Kitchen Interior Food Kitchen Preparing CookingMax Pixel

Advertisement

#3 You Can Do Anything

I recently changed out a tail light on my car using a Youtube video and a $4 bulb. It took me 10 minutes. It really opened my eyes as to what we can do for ourselves versus paying someone else to do it. It was super easy.

4856158146_ea5d3ad269_kFlickr

Advertisement

#4 Google-Fu

Small engine repair. My lawnmower wouldn't stay running. I called the local small engine repair shop. They charged $25 to look at it, then whatever added on to fix it. My son went on YouTube with the model number and problem, did a search and the first result was my exact lawnmower with the same exact problem.

In three minutes, the guy fixed the issue and it took me, a complete noob, about 10 minutes to fix my lawnmower after watching his video. It's currently running like new. YouTube is a great resource if you know Google-fu.

3872105116_d13d87016b_kFlickr

Advertisement

#5 Easy

Sewing back on a button.

sewing-3698994_1280Pixabay

Advertisement

#6 Do Your Own Internet

Setting up your own internet and cable equipment. I’ve spoken to more than a few people who pay people hundreds of dollars for people to literally plug stuff in. Modems, routers, extenders, PVRs, speakers. I’m amazed. These all come with instructions, too.

blur-connection-data-center-442150Pexels

Advertisement

#7 Boiler Repairs

My flatmates wanted to pay for a boiler repair for low pressure. I went in and turned the taps under the boiler. Sorted.

boiler-1060755_1280Pixabay

Advertisement

#8 Or Don't DIY

I do almost nothing for myself these days. I did the single mom struggle for almost two decades, and I'm old and tired now. I shop online, order my groceries online, and have them delivered. I have a housecleaner deep clean every other week, I have my pets groomed, have a handyman who takes care of stuff as needed, hired a lawn service to mow, trim, edge, etc. I work 12-hour overnight shifts. I gladly pay for whatever services I can. I'm not rich. I spent so long never having any time. Now I have time. It comes at a price, but it's way worth it. I probably won't keep all of this up forever, but for now, it's what I need.

alone-cabinets-chores-cleaning-contemporary-domestic-1559391-pxhere.comPxHere

Advertisement

#9 Boiled Eggs

Boiled eggs. My gym sells two peeled hard-boiled eggs in a plastic bag for $3. You can buy a tray of 36 raw eggs at Costco for $5.

32241639570_cf8813bc5f_kFlickr

Advertisement

#10 Washing Machines

The first time our washing machine broke, he refused to pay a service charge just for the repair guy to come out. I searched YouTube, found a video on how to fix the problem, ordered a $30 part and we fixed it ourselves.

140509-F-SL200-002Altus Air Force Base

Advertisement

#11 Wiper Blades

Changing your car wiper blades or air filter.

111209-F-EW887-006Vandenberg Air Force Base

Advertisement

#12 YouTube Is Your Friend

Replacing the capacitor on your broken A/C unit. It's super easy to see if it's popped and they're like 20 bucks to buy online. If you pay for an A/C repairman to come out, you're looking at a minimum of $200. I had a friend that got charged $1,000 to replace the capacitor. ALWAYS google your problem first, if you can figure it out. YouTube is your friend.

2563148246_03beea847e_oFlickr

Advertisement

#13 Wedding Rings

Making your own wedding rings. Any moron with a crucible, acetylene torch, and a cast-iron waffle maker could have done the same. The whole thing only took me about 20 minutes. People who buy things are suckers.

wedding-829139_1280Pixabay

Advertisement

#14 Sweatpants!

I just made some perfectly fitting sweatpants. I bought a sewing machine and some really nice fabric and watched some YouTube videos. I did this because I could not ever find sweats that fit me, they were always too short after a wash. I also put elastic in the cuffs so they wouldn't ride up when I sat, crossed my legs, or laid down. They are perfect!

blur-close-up-floor-focus-legs-pants-1504933-pxhere.comPxHere

Advertisement

#15 Laptop Problems

I changed my RAM in my laptop and it was so easy that next time I went into a store and noticed their ad for doing it for $80, I was dumbfounded.

8350134416_544c01417c_kFlickr

Advertisement

#16 Car Keys

My dad used to pay $100 to replace his car key battery. I did it myself by buying the battery, which cost $5 from Walgreens, and installed myself watching a YouTube video.

21661213595_bff6ff9a1f_o(1)Flickr

Advertisement

#17 Slice Your Own Fruit

Cut fruits and vegetables. Seriously, people spend $6 on a sliced up pineapple when they can spend about $3 and just slice it themselves. They can pack it up and take it on the go.

Table Food Cut Kitchen Cutting Cooking MealMax Pixel

Advertisement

#18 Don't Chuck It Out

I replaced my LG Plasma TV's power supply two years ago. When it died, a coworker got all excited and said, "You get to buy a new TV!" It was only a couple of years old at that point and it just felt wasteful. My wife had a friend over while I was installing the new power supply who also couldn't believe I fixed it. I'm old enough to remember neighborhood repair shops for electronics and other large appliances. You can still get in-home repair, but it seems most consumers just chuck it and buy a new one when a breakdown occurs. YouTube makes it so easy, but I guess people want that buzz from buying something.

6334204770_f5c687a3a3_kFlickr

Advertisement

#19 Cheese

Grated cheese. People pay more money for less of the same stuff.

Grated cheese and graterFlickr

Advertisement

#20 Personal Trainers

Exercise instruction. So many personal trainers are not worth half the money they charge. The industry standard is so low that I genuinely cringe whenever I’m next to a trainer in almost any commercial gym. It’s no wonder there is so much misinformation in the general population. There are a myriad of great YouTube channels that would almost be better than one-on-one instruction from people who aren’t qualified to spot your bench press let alone teach you how to do it.

39459109141_e9401575da_kFlickr

Advertisement

#21 Oil And Guitars

Changing their oil. Also, I never understood how any respectable guitar player can bring their guitar into a shop for a simple string change.

carpet-changing-electric-guitar-687799Pexels

Advertisement

#22 Pests

Pest control. Any of the major brands charge $40-$60 a month. You can basically get the same stuff online and do your own house for a year and a half for the same price as a month from the pros. I am okay giving up 20 minutes of my time every two or three months for this level of savings.

060418-F-8537B-001Travis Air Force Base

Advertisement

#23 Pumpkin Cleaners

The thing to clean out your pumpkin before you carve it. Like you don't have a SPOON?

IMG_0827Flickr

Advertisement

#24 Car Repairs

DIY car repairs. I've had two handles on the outside of my car that you couldn't open because it's an older truck, and it was going to cost $150, plus hardware. I paid $28 for each handle and my husband did it with his tools and YouTube. I'm just glad I don't have to climb through the back of the truck now to open the doors, I'm too short for all that mess.

190629-F-ZR251-0193Luke Air Force Base

Advertisement

#25 Don't Do It

My one friend asked me how much you would need to pay a person to install Chrome on her new computer... People are really quick to spend their money.

chair-desk-desktop-1981443Pexels

Advertisement

#26 Earphones

A male acquaintance of mine complained that he had to buy a pair of new headset because the earpad cushion on his are falling apart. We have the same model and I had changed my earpads before, so I provided him with the link to buy replacement pads which are very cheap. He asked me, "Know anyone that provides that service to replace them?" You literally just have to pull them out and stick on new ones, how is it that hard?

PIXNIO-50457-1280x850Pixnio

Advertisement

#27 Syrup Ingredients

Simple syrup. It's water and sugar...

3172855585_e16f866a6d_kFlickr

Advertisement

#28 Delicious Hummus

HUMMUS. So easy to make and so much cheaper.

23235745132_fb0e7a68c8_kFlickr

Advertisement

#29 We're Wasteful

Not really do it themselves, but people waste shoes like paper. Bringing a good pair of shoes to a cobbler is way cheaper than having to buy another pair and it makes them last so much longer. Society is just wasteful.

6356549717_0621c7f295_kFlickr

Advertisement

#30 Game Consoles

Just general tech repairs. The amount of “broken” devices I see selling online makes me believe people don’t know how to Google things. I’ve been able to flip a lot of game consoles this way though so I can’t really complain.

25890992238_bdd6090e48_kFlickr

Advertisement

#31 It's That Easy

Underbed restraints. All you need is nylon webbing, D rings, triglide slides, and clasps. It comes to $10 bucks at a hardware store.

chair-daytime-desk-840996Pexels

Advertisement

#32 Car Repairs Are Rip-Offs

The wife's car needed a new wheel bearing and brake pads. Toyota quoted $1,300 to do it all. I was outraged with the price and I usually play on my own cars, so I decided to buy the parts and tools I needed for the job. I YouTubed how to change the wheel bearing. It's an AWD Rav4 and an enclosed wheel hub. All up, it only cost $250 and I now have more tools.

Revision Mount Assembly Disc Brake Car MechanicMax Pixel

Advertisement

#33 Cook Yourself

Cooking. Not going out to eat on occasion, that's different. I'm talking about hiring a home cook. That's lazy and way overindulgent in my books.

chef-close-up-cooking-175753Pexels

Advertisement

#34 Stop Eating Out

Meals. I don't mean special birthday lobster-and-champagne meals, but mundane filling I just want to stop my hunger sort of meals. I had to eat out for three weeks when I had no kitchen once, and the impact on my wallet and waistline was painful. I think I spent five times as much on food than I normally would.

cooking-4422946_1280Pixabay

Advertisement

#35 Bikes

Repairing your own bicycle. Seriously, it's not that hard to fix a flat tire.

3273051025_a10645b886_kFlickr

Advertisement

#36 This Sounds Complicated

This one doesn't apply to everyone, but e-liquid for vaporizers. A 30ml (1oz) bottle of e-liquid at a store is anywhere from $15 to $25. E-liquid consists of vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine and flavoring. You can buy a gallon of vegetable glycerin (which is 50-80% of the volume) for $20, a liter of propylene glycol for $8, enough nicotine base for the gallon for $8, and the flavorings are $5 each. The cost breaks down to around 50 cents per 30ml bottle. It's extremely simple to make. There are calculators online that will tell you the exact amounts for your recipe. You put a solo cup on a scale and pour in each ingredient following the recipe. Stir with a spoon. Done.

E-Juice-E-Liquid-Vape_Juice-Vapor_Liquid_(25007291985)Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

#37 DIY Lunch

Lunchables.

lunch-2717920_1280Needpix

Advertisement

#38 Bike Tubes

Changing a bicycle inner tube. A guy at work rides in every day. If he punctures a tire, he walks the bike the rest of the way, then goes to a bike shop at lunchtime to get the tube replaced. I can't comprehend why he doesn't just learn to deal with it himself.

1280px-Changing_an_inner_tube_-_Applying_talc_on_the_new_tube_(3)Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

#39 Find A Good Bike Shop

Most bicycle stuff. Lots of people want to own a bicycle but I've seen or heard of people walking into their bike shop to 'fix' their wheels and all that's needed is a little air in the tyres. A good bike shop will do that for free and explain to them how to do it themselves.

Sale Bike Urban Business Bicycles Cyclists ShopMax Pixel

Advertisement

#40 A/C Breakers

Pro handyman here. The stupidest thing I've seen was when a client called because their A/C had tripped a breaker. I explained over the phone, for free, how to fix it but they insisted I come and do it. I explained they will be paying me $75 to come throw a switch. They said, "Yes, please." I went over and clicked the breaker back on. I wish they were all like that.

1280px-Four_1_pole_circuit_breakers_fitted_in_a_meter_boxWikimedia Commons

Advertisement

#41 This Is Unecessary

A lady asked me if I know anyone that can replace her toilet seat.

5670069756_fed5294569_o(1)Flickr

Advertisement

#42 Shops Take Forever

One time, I got a new hard drive for my PlayStation 3 and my dad said that I couldn't do it myself because you can't touch them with your bare hands and needed anti-static gloves. He made us go to a computer repair shop and pay somebody to install it for us. They take about two minutes to replace and I had to wait a week because that guy had more important things to work on.

19482588361_47fab8cd2a_kFlickr

Advertisement

#43 Outdoor Floodlights

My parents bought a new outdoor floodlight instead of changing the bulb in the older identical one. There is a screw in it to make it waterproof. Nope, that's too complicated. Better buy a new one!

light-lamp-electricity-lighting-led-spotlights-1088591-pxhere.comPxHere

Advertisement

#44 Don't Need to Call Someone for This

My uncle hired an electrician to replace the outlet covers in his house. The family offered to do it for free, but he wanted to have it done by “the professionals.”

8560713440_ac023ab14c_o(1)Flickr

Advertisement

#45 The List is Endless

Anything hands-on. YouTube can teach you how to fix ANYTHING and people still call over the plumber to clean out a pea trap for a sink. The list is endless.

3299243062_249f53633d_kFlickr

Advertisement

READ MORE

California

Cities In California That Are Actually Still Affordable

My husband’s job is transferring him to California and we have to move. My neighbor says it’s a huge mistake financially. What should we do?
June 20, 2025 Allison Robertson

Jobs That’ll Disappear By 2030—Is Yours On The List?

From changing consumer habits to the rise of Artificial Intelligence, many jobs that are here today will be gone tomorrow. and by "tomorrow"—we mean within the next 5 years.
June 18, 2025 Jesse Singer

I just sent my kid off to college last week and want to make serious financial changes around the home. Where do I start?

Sending your kids off to college should be a joyous occasion for all! Not only will they be pursuing, but you'll have more money to pursue yours. Here are some financial changes you might want to make once you have an empty nest.
July 1, 2025 Jack Hawkins

Understanding Mortgage Prepayments

Find out the pros and cons to paying off your mortgage early, what other investments could benefit, how tax rates and interest rates play a part, and if prepayment is the best choice for you.
June 16, 2025 Allison Robertson

My friend inherited $80K, but instead of paying off his credit cards, he’s buying a Tesla Cybertruck. Is there a way to talk him out of this lunacy?

Inheriting $80,000 is a life-changing opportunity, but your friend’s decision to buy a Tesla Cybertruck while still owing money on high-interest credit cards could lead to long-term regret.
June 10, 2025 Peter Kinney
Intro

George Kamel Says Frugal People Don't Buy These Everyday Items Anymore

George Kamel, a prominent voice in personal finance, recently spotlighted a revealing trend among penny-wise Americans. Everyday purchases—some long considered non-negotiable—are being reconsidered and even abandoned.
July 2, 2025 Miles Brucker


Disclaimer

The information on MoneyMade.com is intended to support financial literacy and should not be considered tax or legal advice. It is not meant to serve as a forecast, research report, or investment recommendation, nor should it be taken as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or adopt any particular investment strategy. All financial, tax, and legal decisions should be made with the help of a qualified professional. We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, or outcomes associated with the use of this content.





Dear reader,


It’s true what they say: money makes the world go round. In order to succeed in this life, you need to have a good grasp of key financial concepts. That’s where Moneymade comes in. Our mission is to provide you with the best financial advice and information to help you navigate this ever-changing world. Sometimes, generating wealth just requires common sense. Don’t max out your credit card if you can’t afford the interest payments. Don’t overspend on Christmas shopping. When ordering gifts on Amazon, make sure you factor in taxes and shipping costs. If you need a new car, consider a model that’s easy to repair instead of an expensive BMW or Mercedes. Sometimes you dream vacation to Hawaii or the Bahamas just isn’t in the budget, but there may be more affordable all-inclusive hotels if you know where to look.


Looking for a new home? Make sure you get a mortgage rate that works for you. That means understanding the difference between fixed and variable interest rates. Whether you’re looking to learn how to make money, save money, or invest your money, our well-researched and insightful content will set you on the path to financial success. Passionate about mortgage rates, real estate, investing, saving, or anything money-related? Looking to learn how to generate wealth? Improve your life today with Moneymade. If you have any feedback for the MoneyMade team, please reach out to [email protected]. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,

The Moneymade team