[Eli]

I fixed our electric dryer with a $7 part. I feel like the savings doesn’t make a dent in our budget.

I’m curious about the broader financial impact of small, seemingly insignificant savings.

For example, we recently repaired our dryer ourselves for just $7, rather than hiring a professional or buying a new one.

How do such small savings add up over time, and what effect can they have on our overall budget and financial health?

Feeling overwhelmed

I’m looking for insights and experiences from others who have focused on cutting costs in similar small ways.

Have you noticed a significant difference in your financial situation due to these minor savings, or do they get lost in the larger picture?

Any tips or stories would be greatly appreciated!

[Regene]

Better $7 than $400 for new one or $175 for a repairman

[Rebecca]

Yes it did look how much it would’ve cost you to replace it and if you’ve gone through a service, there would’ve been a service charge and an overcharge for the part.

You did a great job. Be proud of yourself.

[Nancy]

Look on the internet, PayPal and you tube for help with budgeting. Use food banks if necessary.

Best of luck.

[Mary]

Every lil bit helps, you did it! Way cheaper than another dryer, you saved money!

[Scott]

You’re looking at it wrong. You avoided a new cost. Had you spent $300+ to fix it.

You’d be sacrificing other items in your budget to make up for it.

By fixing it for $7 you didn’t have to alter your current budget.

It’s like avoiding a car accident and then getting mad your car isn’t running more efficiently afterwards.

[Marilyn]

Great accomplishment! I’m impressed with you skill and ingenuity. For most of us the changes in our circumstance happen pennies or a few dollars at a time over quite a few years, not all at once.

Keep up your amazing efforts to maintain and improve your circumstances.

[Michele]

Every small change makes a huge difference , every baby step in the right direction doesn’t seem like much but over the year it really does

[Joanne]

Think of what you could have faced if you had not fixed it for $7. Your efforts protected your family from

1) a huge repair bill,

2) the cost to replace the dryer, or

3) trips to the laundromat which is also a great expense.

You successfully defended your family from the things that could have caused a problem in your current plan.

Be proud! You won that battle!

[Mary]

Any time you have savings no matter how small is wonderful! 7 dollars is 7 dollars.

It would have cost a lot more taking it to someone.

I also have fixed our dryer and I love fixing things.

[Patty]

Thank God you were able to fix the dryer, and for so little. So many are struggling with runaway inflation.

Can you grow some of your own food, or forage?

I get some free veggies by foraging and I have a garden as well.

Edible weeds: dandelion flowers, purslane , lambs quarter, malva, amaranth, young tumbleweed, berries or prickly pear fruit etc.

[Alberta]

Look at it the other way, if you had a repair person it would have cost $300 to $500 minimum. Now do you see the savings?

Way to go!

[Rachel]

Nice job on the repair. Not sure if you also hang dry laundry or have that option since you mention struggling with funds.

Wven in an apartment some laundry can usually be hung to dry.

Bedsheets went over doors etc.

when they were partially dry.

Drying rack for most things etc.

Good luck.

Way to go on this win.

[Scarlett]

$7 is a small amount but what you saved was the amount of a service call. So you saved at least $100.

Its all about perspective

[Sonja]

My husband fixed our dryer for $65. Definitely better than buying a new one!

[Shelly]

Things I do to save money, 1 light bulb per room, solar flashlight In Sunny windows solar rope Christmas lights, Styrofoam insulation panels in the windows, light weight fuzzy blankets on windows..

turn down the hot pressure on washer and under all sink, turn down the water pressure on toilet, a water bladder in the toilet tank …

put 2 beach towels in the middle of wet clothes in the dryer turn down the drying time…

dryer rack or clothes line, batch cook 4 different meals or meats freeze them for later …

sheet pan meals…

unplug everything you can …

[Karen]

Celebrate your win! To work on your budget, try to lower bills, use less or bring in a side gig!

You can do it!

[Paula]

Keep “putting in 7 parts” all over your house. Everything counts!! You’ve got this.

I promise it will pay off.

[Laura]

It’s because you are looking at what it cost and not what it DIDN’T cost!

Now redo that budget in your head with a repair tech’s call (a minimum of $85 where I live – most charge $100 to walk in the door – then the cost of the part with their mark-up – so $7 becomes $40 or whatever convenience charge they charge to have it in stock and not have to make a second call)

So, NOW what are you giving up this month to pay the Appliance Tech’s bill?

And maybe you need your SO or kids to to jump up and down to help generate a little dopamine for you?

If so – tell them!

HEY I JUST RoCkEd fixing the dryer and did all by myself and you should be celebrating me!

And then lead the party.
YOU ROCKED IT.

PS – I do get it.

It’s like going on a diet needing to loose 50 lbs and following the diet for a week and “only” seeing the scale move .5 lb.

It’s hard to keep our short term motivation when you need to eat an elephant bite by bite.

I see and am stupid proud of you.

[Catherine]

Not sure why you’re sad , same here, my husband says he’ll always be able to fix the dryer himself and it’s very inexpensive.

[Dena]

Pick something convenient and make it inconvenient.
It will help.

I had to use a broomstick in order to fill my washer and see if it would spin later or would I have to wring them out?

I know this can’t feel BETTER right now, but it will be different.

Keep going.

[Author]

Posts