Here are just a few of the many online do-it-yourself resources:

DoItYourself.com (www.doityourself.com). Articles and videos, with user ratings, on personal finance; legal issues; home and garden; car, truck, and boat; pet care; and electronics. Professionals moderate user forums.

DIY Network (www.diynetwork.com). How-to articles on home and craft projects, including gardening and landscaping, woodworking, and home improvement. Message boards cover topics such as auto maintenance and repair, sewing and quilting, entertaining, and cooking.

MonkeySee (www.monkeysee.com). Expert and user videos covering many subjects, with user ratings.

Expert Village (www.expertvillage.com). Short user-rated videos on how to do just about everything.

This Old House (www.thisoldhouse.com). Articles on home-improvement projects, planning, tools, and products, along with newsletters, videos, and discussion boards.

AutoZone (www.autozone.com). The Repair Info link includes auto-repair guides for specific vehicles, troubleshooting, component-location guides, and an automotive glossary. The Web site uses browser cookies to remember your past searches.

Microsoft newsgroups (www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/default.mspx). Get help for your PC problems through Microsoft-related Usenet newsgroups. They're patrolled by other users and, in many cases, volunteer experts called "MVPs," who are certified by Microsoft. You can access the groups through the Microsoft Web site, a newsreader such as Outlook Express, or www.groups.google.com. Vista users automatically have access to "Microsoft Communities" through Windows Mail.

This article was also published in Consumer Reports Money Adviser. Subscribe now to get more expert financial advice you can trust.