Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
When appliances begin to act up, we automatically assume it is time to pitch them to the curb. However, sometimes a quick low cost fix can result in improved results without the price tag of purchasing a brand new appliance. In my opinion, the easiest fixes are for your coffee pot, refrigerator, & dishwasher. Even if yours hasn’t been acting up lately, it might be a good idea to try out these quick fixes to see if they will improve function & longevity of your appliance.
Coffee Pots
After daily use, you might notice that your coffee pot can become a little bit sluggish (you know, like you before you’ve had your daily cup of joe). You can very simply remedy this with my best friend – White Vinegar (seriously, what does this stuff not do?). Run 2 parts water, 1 part White Vinegar through the regular brewing cycle. Let the pot sit for 15 minutes. Turn it off and let it cool for another 15 minutes. Empty the pot (by the way this is also AWESOME for cleaning out your kitchen or bathroom drains, double bonus). Then, run 2 full cycles of water only back through the coffee pot to rinse out the vinegar. The vinegar will clear out the coffee and lime deposits and have your machine running good as new in no time. It’s a great idea to do this once a month to keep the machine running at its optimal level.
Savings Estimate = At least $25.
Refrigerator
If your fridge has been running irregular or not cooling to your liking, don’t automatically assume it’s time to hit the aisles of your favorite home improvement store. Instead, crack out your vacuum. You heard me correctly (I guess technically you read me correctly), your vacuum can help your refrigerator run well. I am not suggesting you sweep out the inside, but instead get all the cracks and crevices on the outside of the refrigerator and vacuum them out. Look low for vents at the bottom or pull it out from the wall (ewww, you better sweep back there, too, nasty). Dust, dirt, and grime settle into the fans/vents/coils/magical inner working parts of your fridge. You will be amazed at what vacuuming them out can do to increase your icebox’s efficiency.
Savings Estimate = $400 and Up!
Dishwasher
If you’re using commercially produced dishwashing detergent or have hard water, chances are your dishwasher could use a good cleaning. If you look on the bottom of the dishwasher and see any sort of scaly build up (or pull the utensil racks off and see grime behind them), your dishwashing friend might be due a little freshening. There’s more than one great way to skin this cat, though. You can use a commercially produced dishwasher cleaner. I LOVE a product called Lemi-shine (which I actually use as my rinse agent even though it’s in powder form sprinkled in the bottom of my dishwasher in every load). You can find it near the traditional dishwashing detergents.
I have also tried and had a modicum of success by using believe-it-or-not Lemonade drink mix (think KoolAid) in a load of empty of dishes. Only use the lemonade, not any other flavor because its principle ingredient is citric acid. Pour one packet into the detergent dispenser and run the dishwasher empty. You can also use White Vinegar to clean your dishwasher (of course!). Simply place a glass right side up in the top rack of the dishwasher and fill it with white vinegar. By the way, this is also a great trick for getting your glasses super sparkly during a regular load of dishes.
Lastly, I highly recommend using your own homemade dishwashing detergent. By using it daily, my dishwasher has become cleaner with each use (without a special cleaning process).
Savings Estimate = $250 and Up!
If these steps don’t work, consider calling a repair man for a quick check of the large appliance before replacing it. Although just buy a new coffee pot if it doesn’t improve; a repair man will probably laugh at you. A service call is typically $50 and the repair sometimes can be as little as $10-20.
If You Need to Replace an Appliance
- Call a repairman and ask what models they replace the least often. This will save you money over the life of the appliance.
- Check out scratch and dent stores or even scratch and dent inventory at your regular home improvement store.
- Price match, price match, price match!
- Check out last year’s stock. September and October are a great time to shop as new models are being brought in for the holiday season.
- Wait until Black Friday. Believe it or not, toys and electronics aren’t the only items on sale in the wee hours of the AM the day after Thanksgiving. It’s not as much fun but you can pick up a sweet deal on an everyday expense.
If you’re like me, you’re dependent on appliances. Maximize their use and life span with these simple tips to become a wealthier you.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
Our water softener broke and that is when I discovered Lemi Shine. Would not be without it. They also make a great washing machine cleaner in a packet.
Oh my word I LOVE Lemi Shine. I order it from Amazon frequently. And the machine cleaner is the bomb.com. I’m a supa-fan.