After a few weeks of above average temperatures, fall definitely hit Minnesota this week. It’s still been pleasant with highs in the 50’s and 60s but with talk of freezing temperatures during the nighttime, and leaves falling from the trees, the colder weather is here to stay. Which means it’s time to close down my sprinkler system for the season.
For years I borrowed an air compressor from one of several friends or neighbors that own one. Last year was the first year I actually paid someone to come and do it for me, and I did it again this year to the tune of $108. When I do it myself, it’s a several hour process that I normally would do while I watch football on a Sunday afternoon. When I have someone else do it they roll in with an air compressor the size of a small trailer and it takes about 20 minutes.
I thought to myself, hey, this is one of those things that I allow myself to pay for and save some time now that our finances are in better shape. I save myself the hassle of actually doing it, as well as having to ask someone to borrow their compressor. But I was walking through a hardware store recently and discovered that with the $216 I’ve paid over the last two years to have someone else blow out my sprinkler system I could have purchased my own air compressor. Yikes.
I vowed that this will be the LAST year I pay to have someone blow out my sprinkler system. I’m starting a savings fund right now, and next year I’ll have my own compressor and will forevermore do it myself.
Fist pump for getting my own air compressor, and for my favorite posts of the week!
Posts That Make Me Fist Pump
- This IS the Life I Ordered from Budget And The Beach
- 3 Ways Debt is Holding Me Back from Red Debted Stepchild
- 7 Reasons a Credit Card is a Bad Idea from Life And My Finances
- How to Be Frugal Without Being Boring from Young Adult Money
- I Went In The Grocery Store For One Item, But This Happened! from Debt Roundup
Shameless Self-Promotion
- How to Handle Your Teenager’s Taxes via MoneyNing
- How To Read A Medical Explanation Of Benefits Statement via Money Personal Finance Journey
Saw two companies blowing out sprinkler systems in my neighborhood yesterday. Seems like a niche job, but at $100 a pop sounds like a nice side hustle. Good luck saving and enjoy the weekend Travis!
It’s normally done by sprinkler maintenance and installation businesses….and I think they rent the big air compressor and just drive around doing it. They had three in my cul-de-sac on that afternoon, they didn’t even have to move the compressor trailer. Three systems, about 30 minutes, $300+ earned. Not bad!
Haha I always struggle deciding when to DIY or when to pay someone else to do things. It seems like some things you can just pay once for equipment and save a lot of money long-term (especially if it’s something that only takes 20 minutes). Other times I go the DIY route and I end up being miserable because it takes 3x as long to do and I can’t carve the time out of my weekend to do it as quickly as I would like to.
Thanks for listing Erin’s post!
I normally wouldn’t sit still long enough to take the time needed to do it – BUT, combine it with football, and it’s a match made in heaven. The last two years time has just gotten away from me – you don’t want to have the temps start freezing and bust the lines open. If I had my own compressor, I can make it happen – thanks for reading, DC!
I think this is one of those few instances it’s better to rent? 🙂 FINALLY our temps cooled down too. I don’t know how long it will last as we are expected to have a warmer than usual (although wetter) winter. But yesterday was overcast and drizzly and I was a happy camper. Thanks so much for the link love!
I don’t think it is, actually – to rent a compressor for the time it would take is actually just as expensive as having someone blow them out. What I think I might do is see if my neighbors want to go in together and buy one….! Thanks for your comment, Tonya!