I am ever amazed at what being a stay at home parent entails.
I've been ruminating (shock, I know) on how many things I have learned how to do in this job over the years. Just this morning, I have already been outside fixing our retaining wall for the second tier of our yard...hammering the brackets into the wood and then screwing them in, so they stay put. Of course, this is also while keeping the kids on task to get ready for school & eating their breakfast, etc. All before 9am.
I have learned to ask questions. I no longer care about sounding like I don't know what I am talking about, because I probably don't. (And I have also learned that this is probably easier for me, as a woman, than for my husband...because, like it or not, there is still a stereotype that all guys should just know all things fix-it. And when they don't - other guys talk down to them. This still annoys the hell out of me, but that's a post for another time.)
I have learned that it is best to either bring in the exact part that is broken or needs to be replaced or at least take a picture of it, so I can show the people at home depot what I am looking for exactly. That one took a few years to really learn the hard way (and way too many trips back & forth to Home Depot to get the right part in the right size with the right connector piece....gah!).
Some people will try to tell you that once something breaks it will probably be cheaper to just buy a new one than to look for a replacement part. This, of course, depends on what broke, but a little investigating goes a long way. Facebook can be more than just a social thing - when in doubt - ask about it on the ole FB & see what you get back. I found out about an appliance replacement parts shop in my town that has saved us a ton over the years - all because I asked a question on FB. That's not even including the vast info found on the internet...youtube has tons of videos on how to replace or fix all sorts of stuff on there. Why buy a new Stove/oven when you can buy a new heating element for $40? It took 20 minutes to replace. Dude.
Don't discount the local fix-it guy who does it out of his own garage or old shop/store front. I will preface this with - trust your instincts! If you get the creeps - don't do it! However, it could be worth a call - ask a few questions & try to get a feel for how knowledgeable the person is. We just got our lawnmower fixed for $40 last week. Sears wanted to charge me $40 just to look at it & even that was gonna take weeks.
When money is tight - don't forget to ask about used parts. They are way cheaper & are often just as good. We've done this with car parts, tires, TV parts, etc. It's not always worth it, but sometimes it REALLY is!
When buying a vehicle - think about all the ways it will cost you money in the future...does it have an unusual tire/rim size? Or just big tires? SUV tires are expensive! What about the engine? Is it a funky set up that will cost a ton in labor every time you need something fixed? The hubs & I have already been talking about biting the bullet & getting some kind of minivan or smaller rig when we DO buy a new car, because our SUV is big & safe & we love it, but it is also a gas guzzler & tires cost a ton! Unlike my in-laws minivan that fills up for $40 less, drives for a lot longer on that gas & has standard car tires (hello - like WAY cheaper to replace if needed!!).
I guess a good summary is this: stay at home parent = jack of all trades.
Or maybe that's just because I'm cheap. Hmmm. Either way, these are just a few of the valuable life lessons that I have learned. :-)
