5 Ideas To Save Money On Your Car

Between the state of the economy and gasoline prices that appear to rise and fall depending on the way the wind is blowing, it’s become import to many people to save as much money as they can. An automobile can take a hefty bite out of your overall budget depending on how much you drive and the condition of your car.

Fortunately, there are number of easy and inexpensive ways to save money on automobile expenses.

5. Basic Maintenance

When your car is running efficiently you save money. Adhering to a regular maintenance schedule for routine work like oil changes and filter replacements can improve gas mileage, and mean fewer stops at the pumps to fill up. Keeping your tires inflated to the recommended pressure also improves gas mileage.

4. Do It Yourself

Granted, not everyone is willing to spend time getting their hands dirty, but basic maintenance like oil changes and filter replacements mentioned previously is not that difficult, and will cost less than taking your car to the local repair shop. You can find useful videos on the internet that will show you how to perform all kinds of repairs on your own car if you decide to take the plunge.

3. How You Pay For Your Fuel

These days most of us probably use our credit or debit cards to pay for gasoline. Rather than using your usual credit or debit card, you might be able to save some money by using one of the top gas rebate credit cards. These cards tend to offer money saving rewards for using them. If you spend a lot of time on the road, you will probably be able to save yourself a nice chunk of change.

2. Gasoline Prices

As noted above, gas prices change quickly these days. It’s also important to know that prices can vary quite significantly from one station to another. It pays to shop around and find out who has the lowest prices in your area. Oftentimes, there is a particular station in town that almost always beats the competition. There are multiple easy-to-download apps that will direct you to the cheapest gas prices in town.

1. Hang on To That Old Friend

One of the most effective ways to save money is probably also one of the most obvious. Put off getting a new car as long as you can. If your current ride is still giving you good service and not breaking down all the time, hang onto it and milk as many miles as you can out of it. You may not look as slick cruising down the highway, but the extra cash in your wallet should make you feel better about that!

Kari Luckett and Jayla Barnsen write about financial topics for CompareWallet.com. Kari is the content strategist for CompareCards.com.