I hate when things break.  Especially when they break right before I want to get my electronic/gadget fix.  A couple of days-alright a week ago I noticed a horrible screeching sound coming from my left front wheel.  I knew right away it was the brake pad of lack there of.  After days of procrastination, I finally sat down with a phone book, yes they still exist, and called auto shops and parts stored to figure out how much it was going to cost to get my front brake pads replaced.  Most part stores had the pads I needed in stock for roughly eighteen dollars and some change plus a couple more for brake fluid.  Then the nightmare began.
    Every auto shop I called were estimating around $200 to even $500 just to inspect and replace my brakes.  One shop who will rename nameless (Midas, oops) estimated the lowest (around $130 plus) which wasn't that bad but they proceeded to tell me that I would need to replace my calipers, which were practically brand new, and that replacing brake pads would take almost two hours to replace.
    Just when I thought my wallet was going to throw up, the maintenance man, Billy, at my work told me he had installed brake pads numerous times.  So I bought the pads and brought the tools necessary to work today and Billy fixed them within and hour easily all by himself without a single power tool.  (I did put the caps back on).
    So just a tip to everyone who needs to have work done on their vehicles.  Do the research and ask around.  You never know who you might already know that can help you out. 

***Just a side note: Midas would probably my professional choice because they were the lowest even though they would have tried to upsale me.  That's business though and I respect that.