Flashback: What to Do when Murphy Kills your Washing Machine

The following was reposted from PlainCents.com, a previous version of this website. I thought it would be great to mention that we now have a completely new washing machine, thanks to Murphy attacking it one last time. However, our emergency fund was able to pay for the expense. So remember . . . just when you think you have fixed something, don’t stop saving for potential emergencies! You never know when you’ll need the money.

It was more of a slow, painful death. Over the course of the couple of months that my wife and I have been living here, we’ve noticed (her more so than I) that the washing machine would die intermittently during a cycle. Then, the dryer started doing it too.

Okay, so we have only a couple of options here: We could hire an electrician and spend who-knows-what on the labor and parts, try to fix it ourselves (gasp), or let it sink into the afterlife with no help from us whatsoever. The last option might be costly; you know, the house could catch on fire, we might have to buy new appliances, etc.

After a conversation with my wife, I decided I better get this thing done! But our budget didn’t allow much wiggle room: only about $90 for home care/repairs this month.

Yikes. What was I to do?

Well, I knew that a happy wife equals a happy life, so I couldn’t put it off much longer.

I decided to give it a go and try to do it myself. Murphy’s Law vs. John the Not-So-Handyman. Fight!

I called a handful of appliance stores and asked them about this box was that kept switching off that was plugged into the washer and dryer. I knew it had to be some kind of breaker box, but didn’t have a clue where I could find a new one. I narrowed the issue down to this box because both the washer and dryer would trip the thingamajig (in the dictionary, look it up); not likely that both the washer and dryer would die at the same time.

To learn more, I had to get this crafty box off the wall. That required a screw-driver that could do 90 degree angles. Shoot. I don’t have one of those.

So I headed down to the local Home Depot and found what I was looking for. Yes! Progress! Joy!

$5.00 spent. $85 left.

That’s about the time I called a mom and pop appliance shop that happened to understand my situation. They said I needed new breakers to replace the breakers inside this box! The cost? $80.50. I drove down there with my box hoping they’d wire it all for me. Plopping down the money, I asked if they’d do so. Nope.

$80.50 spent. $4.50 left.

I asked them how to install these breakers in the box. They said, “Well, you keep track of all the wires and use needle-nose pliers and snap them out and reconnect everything and screw it together.” Oh, great. So I asked if I could use their tools to do so. I didn’t have some of these specialty gizmos.

So there I sat, at the desk, looking like some kind of electrical technician. But, not so much of one unbeknownst to the customers coming and going.

I drove home and installed it quickly. I turned on the washer and dryer, and it purred like never before. Wow. I did it. I just saved some serious cash.

I made my wife happy, fixed the issue, and spent less than the budget allowed. No doubt, I would have broken my budget if I had given up. Used washers and dryers in my area start at $700. Yikes.

Moral of the story? If Murphy comes knocking at your door, kick down the door and surprise Murphy with your own wrath of fury! You’ll be glad you did.