Monthly Archives: March 2008

Renters vs. Owners

I’ve come across this “theory” over and over again in my life. Not always, necessarily, in reference to me, though at times the person educating me about life was trying to make some sort of point in my direction. As I understand it; there are two different types of people in in this world: renters and owners.

Now…. don’t get all bristled depending on which type you happen to be. This train of thought has absolutely nothing to do with how you choose to reside from month to month; it goes way deeper than that. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a plethora of “life coaches” giving me complimentary advice throughout my life. No, I’m not talking about the professional “life coaches” (whatever that means, I’m sure they charge by the hour) I’m talking about my friends and family who happen to be maybe a plumber during the day, or a farmer by trade, or a construction worker. The ones who come out to help fix something on their time off because you are friends or they are a part of your family. During more than one of my personal “emergencies”, I have been the recipient of this “renter vs. owner” lecture, free of charge and I have to say, with the exception of a few examples, the content doesn’t change much.

According to the theory; there is a mentality that goes with each type: the renter goes through life expecting every light to turn on at the flip of a switch, every car engine to turn over every time, and every garage door to open every morning and evening as if by magic with the push of a button. When the lights don’t go on one morning, it’s because the house is a piece of junk or the electrician didn’t do his job right….ten years ago, during his time off, after he finished his day job. They are easily identified because there is anger and desperation in their voices when they call to have someone come out and make life right again so they can finish drying their hair for work. They are completely unable to fathom how anything in the life of the person they have called could be more important or pressing.

The owner, on the other hand, anticipates these set backs and puts into place some annual maintenance policies; yeah it takes a little more work along the way but when the car engine doesn’t start, he can say: “I did this, this, and this…what do you think it could be?”, as opposed to; “The darn thing won’t start and now I can’t get to work, fix it now….I knew I should have bought an American car!” See the difference…in my view; the whole theory has something to do with controlling the situation thereby controlling the level of anxiety.

Being a first-time home owner and having heard this life lesson more than a few times, once following a nervous breakdown with a wet head, before I got the message loud and clear…I have tried to become more of an owner and less of a renter over the last 10 years. I have purchased a couple of “Do-It-Yourself” books and have attempted some projects on my own so as to not bother my friends and family. Success is an illusive goal generally and I’ve accepted that, but even if I don’t do it right, I learn from the experience.

For instance; I was living with this nightmare of my toilet falling through my first floor bathroom because I could see some water staining starting around the base. I can openly admit that the functions of a toilet intimidated me, I think mainly because of the ramifications should the thing back up. I’ve seen the “Dirty Jobs” episode where the poor woman had the entire neighborhoods’ toilets back up through her stool in her basement. Still, I kind of cleaned and re-oiled the floor in my bathroom for a while and convinced myself that it was nothing but then the water damage started to spread so I got out my book and decided that if there are only 4 steps to a process…..how hard can it be? I was determined to handle this one on my own; Genny gave me a boost of confidence when I went to town to buy the necessary item for the job. In the end, I followed her advice and I enlisted some help to lift the thing; this job in particular goes so much quicker with two people, so I didn’t feel badly about having help. Just lift the toilet, remove the wax ring, position the new one, replace the toilet. No nasty odors from the bowels of hell beneath my house, no sewer soup gushing onto my wood floors, no drama what-so-ever. Who knew the workings of that commode, which we all take for granted several times during each and every day, were so simple? Why was I so intimidated? I feel so confident I’m going to attempt to replace the working parts on the inside of the tank on my own.

The toilet is one thing; an electrical situation or one that involves a supporting wall in your house are on a completely different level; another attribute of an “owner” is being responsible enough to know your limits. On the other hand, there are many problems around the house that can be fixed by taking the time to read about it, assembling the proper tools, and focusing on what the real problem is. It’s my view that there are several times in life where that bit of advice rings true, not just with the mechanical problems a person may be experiencing. You may find that it isn’t terribly complicated nor a problem requiring diagnostic equipment and an expensive appointment. The problem may be something or someone in need of a little more attention, or a hinge in need of some oil, a bolt in need of a quarter turn, or a toilet in need of a fresh wax ring. A little do-it-yourself problem solving goes a long way, not only saving you money but building your confidence as well.