Buying + Selling
Stretching Your Budget Wisely
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It’s important to stretch your budget as far you can for everything, including car expenses. The first impulse may be to save money any chance you get and refuse to splurge on certain important items. Or you may feel that you need to spend great amounts of money to ensure your car is the best it can be. In reality, you should be doing a little bit of both: save money where you can afford to skimp a little and spend money where only top quality will do.
Save On: Insurance And Gas
When looking to purchase a new car, try choosing a smaller model. The purchase price will be cheaper and you’ll save more money in the long run. Insurance rates tend to be cheaper for smaller cars. Your gas bill will likely be lower as well, since your tank will be smaller. Sedans, rather than two-doors, may carry lower insurance tags. This may vary for different models, so do your research before committing to a car. Cars with smaller gas tanks will obviously cost less to fill up, but if the car will be getting a lot of mileage, a small tank may be more of an inconvenience than anything. You’ll have to fill up often and you may end up paying the same amount as you would with a larger tank in the end.
Save On: Sunroof
Sunroofs suggest luxury to some people and they are a popular choice when consumers buy new vehicles, but there is a hidden downfall to this feature. Driving at high speeds with your sunroof open can create wind resistance. Your car will be slowed down and you will end up using more gas to reach the same speed. The same thing goes for driving at high speeds with your windows open. These moves reduce your car’s aerodynamic properties and your car uses more gas to compensate for the resistance.
Spend On: A Tune-Up
Look at your regular tune-up as a necessity, rather than optional, and you can save yourself a lot of money in the future. It may cost some cash, but getting a regular tune-up can prevent small issues from growing into larger ones that will probably cost even more money to fix later! Vehicles use more gas when they are poorly tuned. The most important part of the tune-up is the changing of the oil. Frequent oil changes will result in a longer engine life and less costly engine repairs.
Save On: Fancy Features
Fog lights are another feature that has become popular among consumers in the past few years. You may think it’s smart to invest in safety features, but these lights have not been proven to increase visibility in fog. The lamps are located under your headlights, so they don’t do much for the fog that is blocking your view up ahead.
Another feature you don’t need to bother with when getting a new car is a built-in GPS system. There are many portable systems you can buy that work just as well as a built-in system. All you need to do is bring the GPS with you and use it the same way you would a built-in.
Spend On: Tires
It’s a mistake to believe that all-season tires are as effective as using winter tires in the winter and regular tires for the rest of the year. All-season tires do not offer the kind of traction you need for save driving in snowy climates. The easy way out is to use one set of tires year round. However, think of how much wear your tires will get if you constantly use them. If you change your tires to suit the season, you’ll probably spend the same amount of money as if you had to constantly buy a new set of all-season tires.
Focus On What’s Important
Flashy car models and add-ons may be enticing, but they can also get pricey. If you’re looking to stretch your dollar, make a list of what matters the most to you. Perhaps you need a larger car and can’t afford to lose the extra space. This may increase your gas and insurance bills, but you can find other ways to save. Skip out on special features you can live without or even add to your car down the road. Find other ways to save gas, like making sure your car is aerodynamic and running at its full potential. Saving is all about give and take; just make sure you get what’s the most important to you and make sure it fits your budget.
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