Inflation combined with supply chain issues after the pandemic is causing prices to spike. Just about every product that we need to buy is much more expensive than it was a year ago. It’s been difficult the last few years for many families to make ends meet and now it is harder than ever.
This makes it especially important to find little ways to save money here and there. These little things add up and can make a big difference. For instance, a car can be a big expense but there are so many ways to save money on the ownership of one. In this article, we will go over some of the ways that you can lower your car expenses.
1. DIY repairs
It’s no secret that mechanics charge a lot of money for labour. When you have big repairs there really is no way to avoid it since they are the experts after all. However, we often bring the car to a mechanic or auto body technician for things that we can often handle ourselves.
An oil change is something that every car owner should be able to handle on their own and doesn’t take much time. Yet, every time you bring it to a mechanic to do, it costs twice as much as it should. Doing your own oil changes can save hundreds over time.
Even cosmetic issues can be done at home when they are minor. Rather than bring the car to an auto body technician because of some rust spots, you can buy a car rust treatment, some sandpaper, and a bit of paint and take care of it yourself on the weekend.
This is the fastest way to save money since a car can be quite expensive to maintain. You’ll see the savings immediately.
2. Keep it maintained
A well maintained car is going to save you money over time. For instance, if your car has been regularly tuned up then you will save money on fuel. Old candles don’t fire consistently which makes the engine struggle and this causes it to use more petrol.
The same thing goes for your tyres. When you drive on old tyres that are not being rotated regularly then you will certainly get worse mileage and overspend on fuel.
Your car will also last longer so you can drive it well past the last loan payment and save money since you won’t need to finance another one right away. Make sure to change the timing belt when the manual indicates it’s time. The same goes for things like fluids.
3. Hack your insurance
Car insurance seems like one of those things that is just going to be expensive with no way around it. The reality is that there is usually quite a bit of wiggle room to be able to pay less.
One way is to shop around and see if you can get a good quote from the competition. Insurance companies love to poach customers from the competition and frequently offer deals for new sign-ups. Call around to see if you can take advantage.
You can also go through your existing policy to see if there is a way to cut out some unnecessary coverage that is costing you more than it should. You may be paying for theft for an old car that will never be stolen, for example.
Disclosure: this is a collaborative post