It’s usually cheaper to fix your broken devices than to buy new ones, but you can save even more money by doing the repair yourself.
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minnesota – We depend on gadgets every day, and when they break, it can get us into trouble. So we wanted to know: is it better to repair it or buy new?
We sat down with the folks at Consumers’ Checkbook to find out more.
“If you have something, you agree with its features, it has worked reliably for many years and you can have it repaired for a few hundred dollars. I think it’s worth getting it fixed instead of spending $600 on a new dishwasher and spending $2,000 on a new refrigerator,” said Kevin Brasler of Consumers’ Checkbook.
I mean, that sounds like a given, doesn’t it? But here’s the deal: You could save even more money by fixing the problem yourself.
“Nowadays there are great resources for people who want to repair their devices themselves. Often the problem is a simple fix that homeowners can fix themselves with a few tools,” Brasler said.
You tried it too. They replaced an ice maker and found that not only was it easy, it also cost next to nothing. It saved a lot of money compared to hiring a technician to make a service call, order the part and come back to install it. They also found that it was easy to swap out control boards and baking elements on electric ovens.
“There are tons of how-to videos on YouTube and elsewhere,” Brasler said. “There are companies that specialize in selling equipment parts to people who want to do the work themselves.”
But sometimes you have no choice and have to buy a new one. Brasler recommends buying something energy efficient.
“You won’t save a lot of money on your electricity bill by paying extra for these energy-efficient appliances, but over time you’ll recoup the extra cost of buying this more efficient product,” he said.
Also, don’t be swayed by special sales or wholesale deals.
“We bought dozens of models of equipment from various stores here in the Twin Cities area and found that overall there was not much variation in price from store to store. The big award winner was Costco, whose prices were significantly lower than other stores – but the selection was very limited,” Brasler said.
“Independent stores, not the big brick and mortar stores, fared far better when it came to providing purchase recommendations – and also standing behind the products when something went wrong – being reliable and just offering a full service that you helps to get things delivered and installed properly.” ,” he added.
And as supply chain issues improve, be prepared to potentially wait if you have something very specific in mind.
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