Cars are expensive business. We all know that by now. If you’re considering bringing one into your life, then get prepared for it to become one of the biggest costs in it. But where does all that cost come from? Is there any way to pay less? A lot of consumers will focus solely on saving on the costs that actually purchase the car. But that’s not the only place that these costs add up. We’ll looking at the main sources of strain a car puts on your wallet. Even better, we’ll have a few tips on how to make it easier on it.
Buying it
Well, there’s no denying that buying it is a big cost, so we can’t avoid mentioning that. First of all, consider going used and shopping around. Also, if you can afford it, paying in cash can be a lot cheaper in the long run. Those big finance deals add a lot to the cost of a car, over time.
Fuel
The second biggest cost is obviously the amount of fuel we tend to put into a car. There are a few modifications you can make to any car that will reduce the amount of fuel consumption. For one, not using it as storage. Weight increases the amount it takes to get a car moving. An engine monitoring system can tell you all about your fuel consumption on the road, too. The way you drive, particularly how smoothly you accelerate, can really help you use less fuel.
Depreciating value
It’s not a cost that will immediately hurt your wallet. All the same, depreciating value will negatively affect your finances. After all, you want as much as you can get for the car when it’s time to move on. Keeping the value of a car up is all about repeated maintenance. Make sure your logbook is kept well up to date. Restoring windshield wipers, tires and headlights will also help you keep in that little bit extra value.
Insurance
Paying insurance on a car can be far from cheap. However, you don’t want to go too cheap and end up with hardly any coverage. The devil with insurance is in details. For example, if you’re willing to pay more out of your pocket for a raised deductible, your monthly payments will be lower. Of course, the single best way to make any future insurance payments lower is by simply being a responsible driver.
Trips to the mechanic
Finally, we can look at a part of car ownership that you can almost cut the costs out of completely. But we’re not recommending that you don’t get your car sorted when a problem arises. You need to take it to the mechanic to keep the log book up to date, as well. However, learning a bit more DIY for fixing your car can help. There are some tasks, like changing fluids and certain parts like brake pads that can be easily learned at home.
