For most people, transportation is one of the largest expenses in their budget. When you factor in the cost of gas, maintenance, repairs, and insurance, those numbers can add up. If you’re making payments on an auto loan, the expense is even higher.

Do you really need a car?

If you live in an area where you can easily walk or bike where you need to go, you could cut out these expenses altogether. You’ll be in great shape and you might just live longer. If the weather isn’t ideal, there is such a thing as an umbrella, and you can utilize sunglasses, hats, and season appropriate clothing to be more comfortable.

Using public transportation is an alternative as well. Public transit systems such as buses, trains, or trolleys are very inexpensive compared to the cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle, and most will offer monthly options, which is ideal for people who need to use them more often than a few times a week.

There are also plenty of other shuttle options such as Uber, Lyft, etc. and these can be great options if you don’t need them that often. Although they can get very pricey if used on a regular basis and are not good options if you have a regular, longer commute.

If you can utilize these public transport options for the most part, renting a car for long trips or vacations can be much less expensive overall than owning a vehicle, especially if you don’t need it that often.

You might look into rideshare or carpooling programs. These can be an efficient way to split the cost of transportation between folks with similar destinations.

For some of us though, none of these are viable options. There may be public transit options but the service area may not cover your transportation needs. In this case, owning a vehicle is a more cost effective option.

Gas

If you own a car, this is a necessary expense but you can still cut down some of the cost if you are willing to pay attention and put in a little effort.

• Fuel up on Monday or Tuesday. Gas is typically cheaper at the beginning of the week because less people are at the pumps. The busiest times for gas stations are closer to or over the weekend when people are fueling up for their big weekend plans.
• Shop around for the best prices. You can check prices online, through apps, or just pay attention to the places you pass in the morning and fill up on the way home. But don’t drive all the way across town to save 2 cents a gallon. It’ll cost you more overall.
• Utilize discounts from local gas station chains or even grocery stores. Most places have some kind of member discount. Generally, they work the same as the grocery markets, letting you use your phone number as an ID. Most of them have apps you can download as well and some will give you an extra discount for paying with your phone at the pump. I download the app for every gas station chain I come across so when I’m traveling, I get the discount no matter where I stop. You might even get a free drink.
• Consider a warehouse membership like Sam’s Club or Costco, if you have one in your area. They do have an annual fee but it might just be worth it if you fuel up regularly there. I have a Sam’s club Mastercard that gives me 5 x’s points for cash back on gas no matter where I get it from. The cash back is only good at Sam’s club, but if I let it add up instead of spending it, I can use it to pay for my membership so it’s essentially free and I get the better prices, making it a double win.
• Plan your trips ahead so you’re not driving more than necessary. Get everything you need while you’re out so you don’t have to make a bunch of trips. If you forgot something, can it wait till you’re out again?

Maintenance

If you own a car, maintaining the vehicle is essential if you want to get your money’s worth out of it. You could save hundreds, even thousands, on repairs if you maintain and prevent. I’m a big advocate for this. It’s less expensive to pay for the cost of maintenance than it is to pay the cost of the damage.

Take a look at the maintenance guide that came with your vehicle, or if you don’t have it, look it up on the manufacturer’s website. It’s important to know what needs to be done and how often you should do it. Here are some of the most important ones.

• Change the oil regularly. Do not skip this! One of the most important things you can do to maintain your car is to change the oil when you’re supposed to. While you’re at it, check your other fluids and don’t forget to check stuff like belts. If something is starting to get worn out, replace it.
• Rotate your tires every time you get an oil change. This will help them wear evenly and last longer. If you have a car that only requires an oil change every 10,000 miles, rotate every 5,000.
• Check the air pressure in your tires regularly. Keeping the correct amount of air in your tires will save you on wear and tear as well as gas. You’ll also pay closer attention to the tread on your tires so you know when you’re getting close to needing new ones.
• Get an alignment. You don’t necessarily need to do this that often, but if your alignment is off, your tires will wear out faster and you could end up with some other very expensive repairs needed. Suspension problems are not cheap. I’d rather prevent.
• Change the air filter regularly. In most cases you can do this once a year but change it when it needs it. You’ll get better gas mileage and less junk flowing through your engine that could cause problems later.
• Get a fuel system cleaner every so often. It will help keep junk and buildup from running through your gas line and you’ll get better mileage. This is not expensive and it’s something you can do yourself. It’s just a bottle of stuff you put in the gas tank. See your mechanic or auto parts store for recommendations and instructions.
• Get a transmission flush now and then. It’ll help keep junk from building up in your transmission system. Another expensive repair you don’t want to deal with if you don’t have to.
• Do a brake fluid exchange when you change your brake pads. If you’re handy, you can do all this yourself fairly inexpensively. While you’re at it, get your rotors turned. Even if you can’t do this, some auto parts stores or hardware stores can do it for you if you bring them in.
• Change your spark plugs and wires every so many thousand miles. Check your maintenance guide for details of your specific vehicle.
• Check your battery for signs of corrosion or buildup. You can get a battery service that puts a coating on it to prevent acid from leaking out of the battery and on to other parts of your car.
• Keep a maintenance list so you know what’s next and have a general idea of when you need to do it. Here’s an example of one I use for car based on the manufacturer’s recommendations and the mileage noted from the previous service for each item. Regarding your tires, the frequency will depend quite a bit on how you drive but you can get a good idea based on the mileage noted in the warrantee when you purchase them. Make your own but follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for your specific car and when it was last serviced.

Service	Every # Miles	Next Due
Tire rotate	5,000	130,000
Oil Change	10,000	130,000
Fuel System Cleaner	30,000	150,000
Brake Fluid Exchange	45,000	150,000
Replace Tires	85,000	195,000
Transmission Flush	100,000	200,000
Spark Plugs	100,000	200,000
Replace Coolant	100,000	200,000
Battery-Replace or Service	100,000	200,000

Maintaining your car will make it last much longer and again, is much less expensive than repairs. If you can do any of these things yourself, that’s awesome. You’ll save a lot of money. But even if you can’t, knowing what needs to be done and having a general idea of when, will allow you to plan ahead so you’re not surprised by unexpected expenses.