It’s 22 degrees in the Ann Arbor area today. My coat had a broken zipper and I was debating whether to attempt a fix or just buy a new jacket. But it is warm and fits well, and it turns out JoAnn Fabrics had heavy duty zippers in 26″ lengths.
I had to pop-off the male snaps in order to fix the zipper. I put buttons to cover the holes. A bit of nonsensical aesthetics.
A friend says the local cleaners would charge about $65 for a similar zipper replacement.
$6 zipper + 1.5 hours of my time (always an existential dilemma placing a worth on my time…) = maybe $24? I am very happy to know how to manage these tasks.
Cheers!
jenna brand 
“They” say that you can spend up to 50% of the cost of a NEW item to make the repair worth while. Worth it in your case!
My aunt taught me how to mend and patch. I am so glad that I have had that skill. I still patch jeans like she taught me by hand. She called it plain sewing.
That bonus though… Two thumbs up! 😀
: D