We're a week into the new year and you've had time to make all of the resolutions you won't be keeping. Getting in shape is overrated. Besides, how cool will it be when you train your dog to serve you breakfast via that old treadmill? Your savings account looks just fine with $12 in it, and you can wait another year to cut your TV time back to 7 hours a day. As you sweep these under the rug, you're left with a new clarity. This year, you're going to empower yourself and start tackling auto maintenance and repair projects with your own two hands. Or if you only have one hand you can tackle them with a hand and a hook. Either way, you're tired of paying some guy to perform simple maintenance and easy fixes. That cash should be put to better use! Go buy a PS3, or pick up that Marc Jacobs bag you've been eyeballing. The money you save by working on your own car can be enormous!

Getting down and dirty with your car or truck adds up to savings on every front. First, you won't be handing your debit card to the tune-up shack so they can do 15 minutes worth of work. Think of how much the little things can add up. But that's just the black-and-white, cold cash savings. There's a b-side to do-it-yourself empowerment which can be even more financially beneficial. When you do your own work, or at least understand what's going on under your hood, you'll really get to know your car's systems. Once you know how everything's supposed to be working, you'll realize immediately if something's gone awry. Ever have a mechanic sit down with you in your car to have you listen to some odd sound? You didn't hear it before, but it was there. You just didn't know what to listen for! Empowering yourself with auto repair knowledge will help you spot problems before they become big and expensive, and will keep you in the driver's seat when it comes to what your mechanic is charging you for repairs.

So what are you waiting for? Change that headlight bulb! Check your brake fluid! Replace your air filter! Rebuild your transmission! Wait, don't do that yet. If there was ever anything that was worth paying a professional to deal with, it's a tranny rebuild ... yikes.