DIY Repairs
Start by learning some of the basic repairs yourself, which will save you so much time and money. Start with some of the little things, changing wiper blades or replacing light bulbs. These might seem like slight little repairs, but they can make a huge difference to safety and visibility.
Save yourself the money and take up good tools, a proper repair manual specific for your vehicle, and all the knowledge that empowers you to take on complicated issues. Ultimately, this will only make you less dependent on the mechanic who then gets to do these little repairs.