Talking with a bunch of friends about what someone can do for a couple hundred dollars that will pay back the most. In this case we were talking about a friend that just bought a home so some of the things might not apply if you have lived in your house for a long time.
The most frequent thing was that they should spend their $200 or so on some tools that can help them in future projects. This is the one thing that really restricts home owners from even attempting projects. If you don’t have a decent basic tool kit then you won’t want to try fixing things.
Some of the things that you will need are a basic socket wrench kit. You can get a lower quality set but it is probably better to at least stick with a 3/8ths inch metric and standard set 1/2″ sockets are much stronger but will cost a bit more. Additionally you can get hand wrenches that have an open end on one side and a closed end on the other. And then you should have an adjustable wrench that can open to larger sizes. A number of good screw drivers of different lengths are good to have. At least one good claw hammer with a long wood handle. A couple pliers needle nose and standard that are of good quality and can take abuse. Wire cutters can also be found in a plier set.
For corded electric tools you should get a cheap jig saw and circular saw. You can find them for about $20 each.
For a cordless set you should look at decent 1/2″ 20volt cordless drill with a lithium battery and charger. If you are putting in a deck and will be using many screws you will want a cheap corded drill so you aren’t waiting on batteries to charge.
Things you don’t think about are snakes and plungers to clean drains, an auxiliary pump to pump water. Pry bars, tin snips and all the little things like paint brushes and a good utility knife and a set of decent drill bits will also go a long way to getting you ready for projects.
For Actual Projects Or Improvements What Are Some Of The Best Cheap Ones?
New Dishes and Flatware are some things that you might enjoy. Corningware (not sponsored) dish sets are relatively cheap and will offer place settings for four or eight people. They also have a lot of matching items such as one, two and three quart bowls which are great for salads and fruit. The best thing is they are easy to clean and very hard to brake.
Changing your door knobs is another popular and easy task. Most home stores sell a few different makes of door knobs that come with interior and exterior knobs in the same style. If you have contractor grade or mismatched ones in your home you can get a matching set and maybe improve your security at the same time. The total cost for an average home might push you slightly over your budget though.
Upgrading your outlets and switches were next. Some people just suggest that you upgrade your wall plate covers and others have suggested that you might want to go with USB outlets in the kitchen for charging phones or wifi switches that can let you control your lights remotely. Also wall plate gaskets are very cheap about $3 for 10 and if you install them on all of your switches and outlets on your exterior walls you will reduce air infiltration and reduce noises from the outside.
A practical upgrade would be replacement of your fire/smoke alarms. If they are over 10 years old they are past their rated life. Newer models can be installed to talk wirelessly but most homes should use wired devices whenever possible. You can also get ones that have a long life lithium battery so no replacing 9volts every year. Also some come with carbon monoxide alerts and with lighting. I like the lighted ones especially for bedrooms and hallways because they will give off some light when your power might be out. Even if its not great light it should let you understand your position and which way is out.
Outside lighting is another favorite for both path and decorative and security lights. You might want to upgrade your security lights to also include cameras or install ones that have motion detection and solar power. A nice decorative front door light is always nice to have as it welcomes people in the evening and lets you get into your home easily in the winter months. There are a lot of choices here and lights can cost as little as $5 or well over $100 so use your budget appropriately.
Final Note
If you have just moved into your home my suggestion is that you do nothing for the first 6 months. There are going to be things that you must repair but for the rest of it you should just live with it if it works and take your time to research your upgrades.
If you put a lot of money into decorative items you might decide you need something like a riding mower that you won’t consider optional to manage your yard.
On the other hand most people suggest that you change your locks when you buy a home. Sometimes you can get them rekeyed but that can cost as much as new locks that don’t have wear.
And as most everyone said you need a decent tool set to take care of your home. A lot of the things above are related to mechanical repairs but you will need other things for your garden like shovels and rakes, weed wackers and blowers and a lawn mower of some type most likely unless you are living in the city. Also don’t forget snow blowers and shovels in the winter and a good garden hose.
Things can add up so don’t throw your money away by searching for things just because you want to do something. Look at what you will need to manage your home before you go repairing or replacing things that work.