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Tangible work for a change – whew!

I’m not a mechanic, I’m an IT guy – and a wannabe Personal Finance writer. That said, I do enjoy working with my hands and beholding a tangible job well done, especially since IT work and writing are thought jobs w/fewer material results.

Let’s consider the following example:

At work today I helped fix customer IT problems remotely for 8 hours. I accomplished my work, reduced my ticket load, and gained satisfaction from helping my customers. However, I was never able to behold or physically feel the benefit of my labor.
After work I set out to repair a faulty windshield washer pump and headlight dimming issue on my wife’s 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. I completed the repairs successfully and was able to see and feel both the work… and the results. An awesome change of pace.

It’s not that I dislike my day job… rather I love the several benefits of labor diversity.

We save money

A good mechanic is hard to come by; if you find one, hold onto that relationship as long as possible. My mechanic’s name is Sam Postema. Sam and I began as simple networking contacts but quickly became friends. Sam runs the best auto repair shop in Lansing, MI and I trust him with all automotive work I choose not to perform myself.

Here is a rough estimate of the cost for Sam to perform the repairs and earn a respectable profit:

Replace windshield washer pump = $110 (part – $40, labor – $63, fluid disposal & refill – $7)
Headlight dimming issue = $40 (labor & parts)
Total = $150

This is a pretty good price but doing it yourself always saves money. You should follow this route whenever feasible. I shopped for the part at my local CarQuest Parts Store.

Total = $22

A total savings of $128. Not too shabby.

I learn more about auto repair

I have replaced many parts on many automobiles but had never replaced a windshield washer pump. It was fun. In case you are wondering… here are the instructions.

How to replace a windshield washer pump on a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix:

Pump resides under the washer fluid reservoir on the side closest the fender.
Jack front of car up and place on jack stands (optional, but makes job easier.)
Turn steering wheel all the way to the right.
Remove front wheel well liner on the passenger side… it’s under the battery.
Get a bucket and place it under your work.
Unplug the electrical connection to the pump.
Unplug bottom of pump from reservoir and drain into bucket (draining via pump hose takes too long.)
Unplug hose from pump, remove, then clean and dry the area housing the old pump.
Install bottom of new pump into reservoir, connect pump to pump hose, and connect electrical line.
Refill reservoir, test, and enjoy!

I also tested, cleaned, and lubricated the electrical connectors (and the ground) for the headlights. That did the trick. They are shining bright and functioning optimally once again.

My wife digs it

She pulled in the drive way, saw me wrenching, and thought she had a grease monkey under her car – turns out it was her husband. She was surprised and thought it was cool – which is always a bonus. 😉

All in all it was a great learning and money saving experience.

Ah…summer’s in the air! You know what that means right? It’s time to get ready for the beach!

Another thing I have been working to change along with my finances is my weight and over-all health. Most people would have probably considered me healthy all along, even before I started focusing on it, but I don’t want to be like most people!

I recently wrote a post on eJabs.com detailing my healthy weight loss journey over the last 8 months & how I plan to lose 10 more. A big part of that my weight loss up to this point has been changes in my diet. Now that the deep freeze that is Michigan winter has somewhat subsided, I am ready to move on to the next echelon of health my friend…increased fitness!!

Instead of paying for a gym membership…

Many people pay for gym memberships then never use them. I chose to take a different, more frugal route. I recently decided to spend $90 to make my mountain bike “road worthy”. By road worthy I mean converting a trail riding bike into a road bike for less. Sure you can ride your mountain bike on the road, but you will have a much tougher time than someone with a road bike. Think of it like a good pair of in-line skates versus a crappy pair, the latter will never be able to keep up with the former and the skater with the decent skates will have more fun. The heavily studded tires of a mountain bike will slow you down considerably and probably wind up killing your motivation to ride any decent distances.

It’s all about being frugal in all areas of living. I’m not going to be the guy who you see riding down the street in all my latest Lance Armstrong USPS gear, instead I’ll just keep it simple & use what I already have. Now that my mountain bike has decent set of speedy road tires, higher handle bars, and a decent seat there is no reason I cannot ride it everywhere, as often as the weather permits.

Consider Using What You Already Have…

How much will this save me? Estimating the average price of a gym membership at around $50/month I would stand to save upwards of $1,000 – $1,200/year depending how much I spend on my bike. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against joining a gym. If you have the money budgeted out and are still able to meet all your other financial goals & will actually use your membership then you should by all means go that route. But if you are looking for a good way to work free fitness into your life then look no further then your garage. Get out there & pull the bike down from its ceiling hoists and give ‘er a lil love. You will have a road ready companion in no time and at zero or minimal costs!

Benefits of Fixing my Own Vehicles