We had a serious problem, which we were afraid was going to cost a fair amount to repair. One of our skylights leaked when it rained. The roof was at least 26 years old and an inspection of the skylight showed the flashing had pulled away due to age. It looked like we would need a new roof, at the cost about $12,000. One company wanted $19,000 but we had to provide the skylights.
In looking at this problem I could see that the shingles were not curled and the problem seemed to be particular to the skylight. I thought back to a company that brought a tar truck to our church to tar some valleys that leaked. I called the owner and he was concerned that he couldn’t provide a warranty with such a repair. I thought about it and decided having a warranty wasn’t important; we just needed it to stop leaking and hoped to get a few more years out of the roof.
He came over and fixed the flashing with tar and so far, it’s been working great. That was three years ago. What I learned was frugality means thinking things all the way through, and not getting emotional. Things such as a new roof or warranty provide security and comfort. It is easy to talk yourself into such things.
In the meanwhile I am saving money for that new roof.
