[budgetmom]

Barter services. It helps if you know someone, but you can look on craigslist or the internet or just ask friends and family. DH is a computer geek, big time. He can strip them, build them, program them, you name it. Applies to laptops, pda's and the like too. We had a major problem with our cars suspension a few months back and it was going to cost us est. $2000-$2500. (More than the car is worth, IMO) We bartered computer services for labor from a friend and parts ended up costing us around $800. Saved us a bundle.