by Trina L. Grant

Created on: June 24, 2008   Last Updated: September 10, 2011

Before you begin to think this is a self-congratulatory feminist tale of independent fortitude, rest assured such is not the case. If you have ever had to write a check to a repairman that was painful to hand over, then you know that feeling of having been exploited to some degree. There are countless single women who have spent a lot of money to have repairmen and installers come out to their home and perform minor repairs and tasks that they could have easily done themselves. And, from sheer necessity have learned how to perform many minor home repairs and installations.

So much is learned through trial and error. With a minimal amount of money invested in tools and less mechanical ability than you might imagine, you can use these guidelines to make simple, everyday home auto repairs.

Use a lightweight, plastic toolbox with a handle or large makeup box to keep your hammer and nails and such. You will want to have a small assembly of handy tools to meet the demands of any situation. A claw hammer is obviously needed for hammering nails, but also be good for removing the staples your little one decided to decorate your living room wall with. A flat head screwdriver would also do well for this task. You will want to have a Phillips head (star shaped tip) screwdriver handy. You will use this one countless times to install batteries on toys. A pair of pliers is a must. They are handy when need some extra grip. You will also want to keep a pair of work gloves for when you have do some dirty work. They will save you many aggravating blisters. Duct tape is something you want to consider keeping on hand as well. Where to even begin on the multitudes of uses for duct tape. You can always find a use for black electrical tape. Any time you are decorating you will want to arm yourself with a level and a tape measure. Everything mentioned can be bought at a dollar store.

Broken light bulbs can be safely removed by cutting a potato in half; stab the cut side of one of the halves into the light bulb and twist to the left. Make sure you have turned off the electricity to the switch at the breaker box.

Battery acid can be removed from battery posts with a can of soda and a toothbrush. Wear protective eye gear (swimming goggles will work just fine), and be sure to protect your clothing and your hands (dish gloves will suffice).

When hanging a picture, be sure to knock on the wood with your fist to determine where the stud is. When you hear a solid knock instead of a hollow one, you have found the stud. It is best to hang pictures and other wall decorations on a stud to keep the weight of the object from dragging the nail down out of the wall, causing the decoration to fall.

If your kitchen faucet is spraying water all over the place, turn the part that hangs down to the left and remove it. There should be a screen inside that will possibly be filled with grease and small debris from the minerals in your water. Wash it with dish detergent to remove any grease, and rinse and put back on.

The list of little tricks you can do for little or no cost around your home is endless. You have to be creative to save yourself some money, and you will definitely have to spend some of your time and effort. The end result, however, will be that extra dollar in your pocket, and that little boost you will get from knowing you did it yourself.

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