This post is part of a 30-day series called the 30 Steps Program to Financial Independence.

Yesterday, I talked about the benefits of learning how to DIY. It helps you save time and money, and it feels great to handle tasks on your own. I love the idea of not relying on skilled professionals for everyday tasks. In a perfect world, I’d even be able to hunt my own meat (that’s on my bucket list, though I might become a vegetarian before I manage to do that!) or build my own home.

I’m not quite there yet, but I’m making progress. The next step is handling basic maintenance and repairs on my motorcycle, which really makes me proud! My boyfriend always laughs when I tackle simple tasks and feel incredibly accomplished for days afterward.

Your car or vehicle comes with a manual, so take a look at it. You can also find how-to guides online or watch videos on YouTube. There are plenty of tutorials on tasks like changing your car’s oil or air filter. The tools you need are pretty basic, and just by doing the oil change once, you’ll recoup your costs. You only need to order an oil filter, buy some oil, and find a place to dispose of the used oil properly.

So far, that’s about the extent of the maintenance I can do on my motorcycle, but I’m proud of my progress! In France, a mechanic would charge around $35 for a 20-minute job like this.

By taking care of your car’s maintenance and basic repairs, you’ll save money, time, and become more independent. Plus, you’ll be in a better position to negotiate prices if you ever need to hire a professional for a simple job.