…most folks should know how to do:
I just unclogged my bathroom sink drain by removing the stopper (I just learned how easy it is to do correctly) and pulling out gobs of nasty, toothpasty hairball. Total cost: $0.
I can also change the oil and filter in my car and replace a flat.
What are some things that you can do that most folks should (and can with very little special knowledge) do on their own?
Hmm, we recently had an article in my local paper about this. 10 skills every homeowner should learn
Of their list, I can manage half on my own, but have friends/family that can assist with the rest.
However, in the last few years I’ve learned how to do more than I ever dreamed I would around the house. Replaced thermocouples on both the furnace and hot water tank, replaced buttons on the microwave (that one I’m hugely proud of, a $30 part and a half hour’s time vs a new microwave for a few hundred bucks), changed light switches, regularly remove hair tribbles from sink and shower drains, etc.
I wonder why everyone should know how to change a door lock? I’m 50 and in all the homes I’ve lived in all my life this has never been necessary.
BTW, same with hanging a ceiling fan.
Agreed, Boyo. The kind of things I’m thinking of are things that homeowners, car owners, and renters, should know how to do that are easy to learn, easy to do at very little expense.
Filter changing (home and car) is an obvious must and much cheaper to do yourself. Clogged drains are something everyone who lives with modern plumbing has to deal with.
What else?
Spackle small holes in the wall.
Paint a room, and tape off all the stuff that doesn’t need paint.
Change any light bulb in your home – some of them are not very easy to get to.
Know what each and every one of your fuses/circuit breakers do, so you can kill power to anywhere you need to.
Take off and put on doors.
I’m not sure if this really counts, but… jeez, learn how to connect up a TV, VCR, cable box and sound system together. It’s not fuckin’ rocket science, but it just absolutely stumps so many people.
Replace the wax ring on a toilet. This lets you pull the darn thing and shake out items from the trap.
There’s a wax ring on a toilet?
Under it, actually…at the top of the waste pipe in the floor.
Did I make a good point, or what? 
It seals the bottom of the toilet to the sewer pipe. There are a couple of bolts that compress the ring against the floor and toilet to make the seal.
Here’s a quick link, chosen to illustrate the Infamous Wax Ring.
Simple jewelery repairs. One of the most common necklace breaks is the jump ring or O ring that’s just slightly separated so the chain falls off on the wrong side of the clasp or a pendant falls off. While it’s a cheap or free fix at your local jeweler’s counter, I’ve also noticed that it’s most likely to be needed when you’re on your way somewhere and running 15 minutes late already.
The thing is, this is one of those tasks that’s monumentally frustrating if you don’t have the right tools, because you’ll come thisclose to getting the chain or bauble back in line, only to fail again and again. The right tools and a tiny bit of knowhow, on the other hand, make this job take less time than it takes for your husband to find his keys and wallet while he’s bleating that you’re making us late.
Using two pairs of needle nose pliers, the key is not to open the ring in the plane of the circle, but to move the ends of the ring away from each other without making the circle wider, as shown here. That way you don’t deform the ring and you’ll be able to slip on the offending piece and then close it completely.
I removed a spoon from a garbage disposal this morning. It was one of those cheap thin measuring spoons that somehow got disconnected from the ring. It jammed the blades so they would not spin.
With basic mechanical knowledge, maybe some research (depending on the job), and a little thought, many repairs can be accomplished.
Here are some I’d add to the “everybody can do it” list.
Change a fuse in your car.
Replace a headlight or tail light.
Lubricate sticky drawers.
Fix a broken lamp.
Repair or replace a frayed power cord.
Replace a vacuum belt.
I think there should be a qualifier on tool investment.
I suppose I came from a do-it-yourself family. Even my 76 year old mother would tackle a leaky faucet.
Without any special knowledge beyond the basic reading skills I learned in grade school I have always attempted to repair stuff. Starting when I was 16, I could replace a clutch, rebuild a carburetor, replace a cam/water pump etc… I built up a V8 and swapped out a V6 in a Mustang. Basic bodywork with fiberglass and Bondo (nothing fancy). The mechanical work would require $100 worth of tools plus car ramps, jacks etc… Engine hoists were always rented.
While I was in college I helped restore an airplane (same tools as above). After college I added 12 feet to my garage which required a new roof. I also built the windows from scratch. When I was done I had replaced every stick of wood except for (12) 2 x 4’s. Also wired it for 220.
The usual house repairs, replacing water heaters, water lines, electrical etc… Replaced all the drains in my upstairs bathroom, which required a lot of drywalling in the room below (that really sucked).
Since I didn’t have any mechanical training my “skills” come from a conversation with my father. When I was 10 he had to replace the engine on a VW Beetle that my brother didn’t finish before he went into the Navy. When I asked him how he knew what he was doing he threw the book at me (Chilton’s repair manual).
I found the best way to learn how to do something (like roofing) is to help a friend who knows how. You get a free education and usually some payback labor down the road. I learned how to install vinyl siding, pour cement and run copper tubing. A few minutes of instruction is worth a lot of reading. Seriously.
I will have to say that modern cars are a lot more complex than in my youth. You could rebuild a carb for $10 and a couple of hours of labor. Today’s cars require a little more though. So here’s a test for people who don’t think they can’t fix anything (actual event):
Yeah, fuel injection doesn’t break like carbs did. 
I would guess that a battery cable to the fuse box is loose. The solenoid has it’s own cable as I recall.
No, but I like your line of thinking. I should emphasize that the dash lights went out but other items in the car still worked.
I guess the electronic ignition has no voltage and look at fuses and wiring connections. 
Magiver, I’d check for obvious loose belts and wiring–beyond that, I’m screwed.
As for house repairs, most of them are simple, they can just take time to do and many people don’t bother. I think it’s ludicrous to pay someone thousands of dollars to install kitchen cabinets, for instance, but people do it all the time, so I guess it’s just priorities. There are very few home repairs that my husband and I will hire out.
Are you building the cabinets in addition to installing them?
Oh, never mind. 
There’s little I can’t do around the house. The only item I refuse to tackle is wiring to the main panel. Once the electrician gets the breaker installed and the new line run to the first wall box, I’m OK from there. Plumbing, carpentry, windows, doors – I have a fully-equipped shop and garden shed to support our home and property.
Crap! Accidental double-post. Mod, delete if possible.