A Stitch in Time Saves Money - Preparing for Unexpected Household Expenses

You get the idea – these type of expenses are a drain on any household budget – but when we are working hard to conserve and save, these kind of expenditures can really throw us out of balance. The good news is that there are things that can be done to prevent some of these major costs and surprises from happening.

By applying forward thinking and taking proactive steps ahead of time, you can extend the life of your home, cars, appliances, etc. and hopefully keep at bay major repairs and expenses. Let’s take a look at some of the steps you can take to avoid unexpected and untimely repairs.

	Have your automobile serviced on a regular basis. Although many car manuals suggest an oil change every 7,000 miles, car experts suggest changing your oil every 3,000 miles. Once you become aware of all the little bitty pieces of debris, metal parts wearing, etc. that find their way into the oil that keeps your car lubricated, it makes sense to spend a little bit of money to have the oil changed and oil filter replaced more frequently.
	Check your oil and water levels to ensure they are at an adequate level on a regular basis. Check all belts and hoses when you have the oil changed. Replacing worn belts and hoses is not expensive, but if something gives out while you are on a trip, you can find yourself needing to replace your vehicle. Our son ruined a car because he ran it when it was out of oil, and our father ruined a car (a Cadillac!) because he ran it out of water. Believe me, it does happen.
	Drain the sediment from your home water heater at least once a year, extending the life of the water heater.
	Clean the filters for the heating and air conditioning system in your house at least twice a year. Vacuum in the spring before you start using the air conditioning and again in the fall before using the heating system. Your unit will not have to work as hard to heat and cool your house, which will help preserve the life of the unit. Have the unit checked and serviced every couple of years to hold off the much greater expense of having to replace the entire unit.
	Wash and wax your car regularly and you will preserve the paint job and keep it looking like new.
	Perform touch up paint jobs around the interior of the home as needed to save on more time consuming and costly undertakings later. Keep an eye on exterior paint as well. By putting off needed paint, your home will experience more damage from sun, water, wind, etc. In the long run it will require much more extensive work (translates to bigger bucks) to restore the condition of your home.
	Clean gutters around your home at least once, if not twice a year. We experienced a very costly repair several years ago when our gutters were backed up and the water accumulated in an area that seeped under our house, coming up through the foundation and ruining our carpets! This could have been prevented by clearing the gutters before the storm occurred. Live and learn.
	Clean your carpets regularly, and you will save on the high cost of having to replace your carpets. We finally purchased a Bissell carpet cleaner that cost less than the price of having our carpets cleaned professionally one time. We were impressed with what a great job it did and how much dirt we picked up. Now we can pull it out when there is an accident, and we can use it to clean the high traffic areas more frequently. You can also rent a carpet cleaner, borrow one from a friend, or split the cost with a friend or neighbor and make a joint purchase. Clean spills and stains immediately when they occur to prevent them from setting. Club soda is a simple and effective cleaner to keep in your cabinet to help with most spills.
	If you use your fireplace for wood burning, be sure to have the chimney cleaned annually. The cost to have it cleaned is much less than the costs you will incur if you have a chimney fire due to clogged residue. Many times we think these things only happen to other people, but don’t kid yourself – it can and does happen all of the time.
	Care for your furniture by keeping upholstery cleaned and wood furniture protected with a quality preserving cleaner/oil. You can use the attachment to your vacuum cleaner to clean upholstery. We have lived in a variety of climates from humid to very dry. The varying climates have taken a toll on some pieces of our antique wood furniture. We now pay much closer attention to these pieces and do what is necessary to preserve their quality. This can be as simple as purchasing a good set of coasters to prevent rings on wood surfaces.
	Water and fertilize plants and trees as needed. During a recent drought we had to water our pine trees regularly to keep them from dying. Many people in our area lost countless pine trees due to lack of watering. Not only did they experience the loss of beautiful trees, but they also incurred very high fees to have them removed. Add to that the cost of replacing trees and plants, and you’ll discover it is much more cost effective to water and fertilize adequately.
	Have large trees trimmed as needed. A big storm can take down a tree, or heavy branches, causing damage to fences, cars, and homes. Speaking of fences, keep your fence in good repair when you spot an area that needs to be fixed. It costs a lot less to fix a small portion than to replace the entire fence.
	Preventative maintenance also applies to clothing. Removing stains immediately, following proper washing instructions, mending small tears right away, etc. will help to preserve your wardrobe for a long time. I’ve discovered that the dryer can be very hard on clothing. I now hang most of my clothing to dry, and if necessary, will give it a quick shot in the dryer to smooth out any wrinkles.

Utilizing preventative maintenance techniques really pays off in the long run. When you begin to think ahead, you will come up with many other ideas to add to this list. Remember your mother saying “A stitch in time, saves nine.” Applying wisdom from the days when people were forced to be frugal still makes sense in today’s world. By taking good care of what we already have, we will enjoy more abundance and our savings will grow!