How to save money on tools

Dec 29, 2016

Consider these five practical tips

IN THE SHOP with Rachel

By Rachel Gingell
Farms.com

Let’s face it: tools – especially good ones – are an expensive necessity. If you’ve been repairing your own equipment for very long, you’ll understand how important it is to have the right tools for the job on hand. How can you get these tools without spending a fortune? Here are my best tips.

1. Buy tools with a warranty

For tools that you use (and abuse) frequently, it pays to buy tools that come with a guarantee. I tend to run through screwdrivers more quickly than any other tool – even the best made ones can snap and warp. While it costs more to purchase quality tools upfront, after your third (or, in my dad’s case, 30th!) replacement you’ll come out ahead.

Besides the eventual cost, consider the frustration and work hours that are lost when tools break. My recommendation: spend more for tools that you use the most (screwdrivers, socket sets, etc.) and for tools that have a critical safety function (like a floor jack).

2. But other times, buy cheap

If you’re buying a single-use tool and you aren’t sure if you’ll use it often, head to a discount store and get an inexpensive one. Make a deal with yourself: if you break it or use it often enough that a low-quality feature really irritates you, buy a new one.

After a few years, you might find that those discount tools are still ok for their infrequent use – saving you some money along the way.

3. Buy second-hand

They don’t make 'em like they used to… so get the originals! Tag sales and auctions can be great places to find high-quality tools at rock-bottom prices. It might take a bit of searching, so get the word out to trusted friends and neighbors who like to browse.

While deals can be found at going-out-of-business sales, I often do the best at personal moving and estate sales.

4. Make your own

With a little bit of ingenuity, you might be able to make some specialized tools on your own. Keep some of the basics around – like threaded rod, big washers and scrap steel – and see what you can come up with! It’s especially fun to invent a custom tool of your own.

How about you – do you have any ideas for saving money on tools? If so, share in the comments below!

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.