* Toilets, sinks, and clogged drains are a do it yourself. Don't waste money on a plumber for those. But absolutely do spend the money on a plumber for seriou

* Toilets, sinks, and clogged drains are a do it yourself. Don't waste money on a plumber for those. But absolutely do spend the money on a plumber for serious plumbing problems. * Have good home owners insurance and seriously weight the cost/benefits of a good home warrant subscription. Home warrant on a used home is like premium insurance in that it is usually there is no deductible and they are willing to fix a lot of things. * Get solar panels. They are good for about 15 years and if you over produce the electricity company will pay you money for over producing. * Make good use of your land, such as planting fruit trees. Herbs make for good ornamentals for flower gardens and many are low maintenance perennials. We have a Florea fig that grows about 8 feet a year and its leaves make for a superior and highly sought after tea. * Spend the extra time and effort to insulate your home. This requires regular maintenance. * Hard floors are easier to clean than carpet. They show all the dust that otherwise just gets trapped in carpet. * If you are putting hard floors in always apply some layer of water sealant between the floors and next layer. * Consider investing in a heating on demand system for heating water opposed to a water heater tank. * Keep large metallic things (including insulation) out of your attic and consider investing in a lightning rod. Lightning is the number one reason you may loose your house to environment disaster. * Ensure your land is away from a flood plane. * Perhaps the most important thing is to build strong relationships with your neighbors. Trade keys, keep an eye on their property, when they are out of town collect their mail for them.