When you’re on a tight budget, every penny counts. And when something goes wrong in your home and needs to be fixed, the easiest solution can be to call in a professional, which can be pretty expensive. And unfortunately, in a lot of cases, you don’t have much choice (e.g., a lot of electrical and plumbing work can be too dangerous and tricky to attempt on your own). But there are some challenges you can easily tackle on your own, and Parade magazine shows us how to make a few fixes around the house without the need to call in the pros.

They cover five common home repairs, which we list briefly below. Click through the headline of each to read how to do these fixes on your own.

Patch a Small Hole or Crack – “If you have an old house–or can finally afford a fixer-upper–you may have some patching to do. Here’s how….”

Open a Stuck Window – “The best tool for this project is a pizza cutter….”

Unclog a Toilet – “Clogs happen regularly, in homes new and old. When one occurs, immediately turn off the water supply to the toilet at the shutoff valve located behind the toilet. Remember a simple rule of thumb: righty-tighty, lefty-loosey….”

Clear Out A Garbage Disposal – “When your garbage disposal is jammed, resist the urge to keep grinding whatever is in there….”

Weather-strip Your Windows and Doors – “According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a third of a home’s energy is lost through its windows and doors–and that’s when they’re closed. Instead of replacing them, save money and energy by insulating with weather-stripping….”