Make Every Dollar Count By Repairing, Repurposing or Recycling

By Alex Greenwood

I found a cool looking, retro black and white portable television at a garage sale a few years ago. The case for this thirteen-inch beauty was cream and teal colored, sporting a definite sixties vibe—and it worked! I was thrilled to pay twenty-five dollars to snap up this bargain, envisioning it as a cool addition to my home rec room set up as a way to provide background ambiance, playing old horror films during parties.

However, it would need some updating to make it compatible with a DVD player—and that was beyond my abilities, so I dropped by my local TV repair shop where they told me exactly what they could do to affordably make that old technology work with the new. That got me thinking, especially in times like these where every dollar counts, if there were other items I could adapt or repair?

Of course! An appliance repair shop, for instance, can save your faltering refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, dryer, and more, saving you potentially thousands of dollars. According to Amy Livingston writing on Moneycrashers.com, there are “several good reasons to repair things when they break instead of replacing them. It’s usually cheaper to repair an item.”

Livingston further encourages consumers to consider several factors when thinking about repairing or replacing an item, including:

• Does it make more financial sense to repair or replace an item?
• Is the item close to the end of its natural life? According to Angie’s List, the average lifespan for most large appliances is between eight and ten years; while many last longer, the price of repairing an old appliance combined with its high likelihood to break again may make replacement a better option.
• Can you save money fixing it yourself? If not, can your repair shop do it for you affordably?
• Is it costing you money because it is wasting water, energy, or both?
• Will its value increase? Think about the old TV I got at the garage sale: I would easily have paid double for it, and if I take good care of it, I imagine someone else will feel the same way someday if I put it up for sale.
• Can you repurpose it? That old TV of mine isn’t really much good to watch the latest 4K TV, but it will be repurposed as a fun conversation piece.
• Is it expensive to dispose of the item?
• Is it near and dear to your heart? I have the only set of golf clubs I have ever owned, gifted to me when I graduated high school more than three decades ago. The clubs have seen better days, and I have no intention of using them anytime soon. In fact, I have not played golf in more than fifteen years—but I cannot bear to part with the clubs. Sometimes sentimentality wins the day. 

Another important consideration includes finding the right repair shop. Start by asking around your social circles. Your family, friends, and neighbors likely know a great shop that does affordable, efficient repairs.

However, if your repair shop pronounces the item beyond hope, check into community resources to safely, ecologically, and responsibly recycle or dispose of the item. This means making sure items that can be dangerous for children are not left accessible, and items like computers and microwaves, which contain ecologically damaging components, are disposed of properly.

Saving money and doing your part to protect the environment is even cooler than my new/old TV!