A large portion of my monthly expenses goes towards my car. I’m looking for ways to save money. From what I see:

  • Bike more.
  • Combine trips with other chores.
  • Reduce unnecessary driving.
  • Do self maintenance on my vehicle such as synthetic oil and oil filter change, tire change, cabin and air filter change, light change, fuse change in fuse box (e.g., to fix cigarettes outlet), cleaning/detailing, made in Lithuania https://obdeleven.com/ OBD2 scanner to read and reset codes.
  • Thrifting parts like tools to do maintenance and parts from junkyard.
  • Consider alternative mechanics for better pricing.
  • Carpool. Consider using carpool apps such as Kangaride or PopARide to reduce driving expenses.
  • Brake less often and let my car roll more often when slowing down.
  • Get a mechanic to fix rusting, and find quick and cheap DIY solutions if will wait a long time.
  • Carwash at home sometimes. Even if just spraying with water, but not too often as to waste water.
  • Avoid driving during rush hour.
  • Find cheaper insurance.
  • Cruise control on highways.
  • Use point cards at gas stations, and credit cards that max cashback.
  • Lighten car load.
  • Don’t rev the engine or drive in bad weather.
  • Change spark plugs every 100k.
  • Don’t idle the vehicle.
  • Always bring water when leaving the house. Bring food if driving far. Never buy snacks from gas stations.
  • Buy gas from places when prices are low.
  • Driving a few KMs farther to save a bit of money on gas is usually not worth it imo.

Not owning a car might be the best solution.

  • MisterFrog@aussie.zone
    2·
    4 days ago

    If you’re even suggesting not owning a car, then you’re probably in an area where this is possible. In which case, 100% this is the best option to save money.

    Even if you need to rent a car from time-to-time, or in limited circumstances get a cab, it will be vastly cheaper to cycle, walk and take the train/tram/bus.

    Shopping is a mindset change (depending on your family situation) from a weekly shop to picking things up on your way.

    You do not need a car for groceries, it’s just how you shop changes.

    That all being said, it is a different lifestyle and you need to be okay with that. If your close friends all drive everywhere for every catch up that may present issues for you.

    The good part is, if you are car free (like me) you naturally gravitate towards people you meet in places where you don’t need a car to get to, because those will be most places you actually feel like going to.

    Anywho, hope these thoughts are somewhat helpful

  • Dave.@aussie.zone
    4·
    9 days ago

    Firstly, figure out the fixed cost per day of owning your car for a year if it was parked all the time (including the cost of getting a replacement in X years time when this one is worn out), and a cost per mile/km of using it.

    And then the biggest cost saving is basically use your bicycle or public transport whenever you can, assuming that you can’t just get rid of the car and it’s daily fixed cost.

    You might also find that it’s cheaper to just drive your car than use carpool apps with their internal overheads once you figure out the daily and per km costs. (Edit: especially for short trips)

    The cost of servicing your car (minor stuff like oil/filters/plugs) generally is lost in the noise of everyday use, that is, fuel and tyres are the biggest cost.

    Finally , don’t forget that your time and labour is also a cost. Unless you really enjoy working on cars, “rent yourself out” at whatever your country’s minimum wage is and factor that in when costing up doing servicing and repairs on your car yourself. This is basically an intangible number (it doesn’t affect your bank balance, unless you service your car yourself and break it and then can’t get to work!), but it’s important to factor it in.

    • melbaboutown@aussie.zone
      1·
      8 days ago

      I saw stuff about renting your car out when not using it but I don’t know if I’d trust it

      Wear and tear would increase, cleaning costs, plus the risk of theft or a crash (and needing to have third party insurance would probably push that cost up) so probably not worth it

  • No1@aussie.zone
    3·
    9 days ago

    Learn about price cycles in your city/area

    Fill the tank if you can while it’s low. Put minimum you can while it’s high.

    If you’re in NSW, use Fuel Check to find the cheapest petrol station near you. Often see 40c/l differences in my area. Other states may have the same.

    Also, assume insurance renewals are trying to rip you off. Always do some online quotes to compare.

    I use a no rinse car wash. 2 buckets of water and I’m done. I can wash my car in the garage lol

  • melbaboutown@aussie.zone
    2·
    8 days ago

    I have no idea about this as I don’t own a car.

    But maybe look into what the membership costs are for a tool library (if you have one close enough to access) and compare it to the cost of buying tools. I forget what the fee was but it might still come out lower.

    Also if you have any good neighbours that might trust you to borrow theirs and even lend a hand? Though not everyone has this.

    Also I know for some supermarkets you can get fuel discounts on the paper receipts? You could ask non-driving friends to save theirs if it helps enough

    Edit: Yeah, like you said you can do the points digitally through Fly Buys too