tip of the day: what is my time worth?

It may be cheaper to hire help and/or an expert, but make sure you know what you're getting.  If a task or diy project requires specialized skills, tools or both, you may be better off hiring someone or a company that specializes in that field.  Just be sure to check references or even ask, "is this too good to be true?"  Taking time to do a little research about the task and about those you might like to hire can pay off in the long run.  And, if you think you want to tackle it yourself, do your homework. 

For instance, when it's time to till our flower beds (not an every year job--but sometimes), I used to think about just buying a tiller.  I do have room to store one, but really, how often would I use it?  I learned that it's much easier to rent one rather than to buy one, maintain it and store it.  When I go to start it and it doesn't fire up, I'd much rather take it back to the rental place for them to deal with.

Remember to ask yourself, "what is my time worth?"

~don