I don't think it's a bad thing to look for alternatives to spending money, I do it all the time. If I can fix something I will.
I'm actually struggling over a decision at the moment, whether to buy a new computer or not. The one I have, despite being only three and a half years old, is failing but I'm reluctant to buy a new one just yet. I might write a post about it on the weekend.
There's things I won't compromise on, will get fixed up properly and by a professional, but I don't like wasting money so if I can fix something myself then I'll have a go. The worst that can happen is I mess it up and have to pay for it to be done anyway.