Appreciation post: the guy at the hardware store in Mesa who talked me out of a $60 fix for a clogged drain
So my kitchen sink was draining slow for about a week. I went in ready to buy a whole snake kit and some chemical stuff. The older guy behind the counter asked me two questions, then told me to go home and try a $4 drain bladder on the vent side first. "If that don't do it, come back and spend your money." Took me 20 minutes and a wet shirt, but it cleared right out. Meanwhile I've got a buddy who spent $200 on a plumber for the same thing. What's the cheapest fix a store employee has ever saved you from?