I called a local repair shop, where a friendly man informed me that the printer probably needed only to be cleaned. Because the store charged $50 for such cleanings, he told me I might be better off reading the printer’s manual and trying the job myself.

Pleasantly surprised by his honesty, I asked, “Does your boss know that you discourage business?”

“It’s my boss’s idea,” the employee replied sheepishly. “We usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first.”