Do you need a car?
The first thing that you should ask yourself is if you really need a car? The answer will depend on a few things. Is the public transportation safe in your city? How far is your job from your home? Are there any stores or restaurants near? Once you figure out the answer to these questions, then you can make a decision if you need a car.
One car or two
Another important thing to consider is if you will have a two car or a one car household. Every situation is different. What I can say is that if you have one car, your costs will be lower. You will only have to get gas for one car. You will also only have to get insurance for one vehicle as well. The money that you will save could then be used to pay off other debt or for investing.
Zipcar
If you and your significant other lives somewhere where you really don’t need a car on an everyday basis, it may be to your advantage to sign up for a car share program. Companies such as Zipcar make their money by providing cars that drivers can rent for a particular time. Using Zipcar can easily cut your costs for gas, parking, and maintenance down drastically.
Biking
If you live in a small town, you can ride your bike around. A lot of cities are becoming more and more bike friendly. There are lanes on some roads that are designated for bike riders. Biking allows you to travel with virtually zero costs. The only thing that you have to worry about is buying a bike and safety equipment such as a helmet.
Public transportation
Public transportation is another option that you have to save money. In a lot of places, it makes more sense to ride the bus or train. Not only is it cheaper, but it will also help you get to your destination faster. Monthly rail or bus passes cost less than what you pay monthly for auto insurance and gas.
Reduce your gas
The final way to save money or transportation is to learn how to reduce your gas. Try making your vehicle lighter. For example, if you have extra things in your trunk that you never use, take them out. Stuff like spare tires, fluids and misaligned tires, unchanged oil and bad tires can all cut into your gas mileage. You could be paying too much for your gas because of poor maintenance.
You don’t have to spend all of your money on transportation costs. You can save money if you follow some of these tips.
What are some ways that you have saved money on transportation?
Jason Butler
Jason Butler is an Atlanta native, as well as businessman, blogger and teacher. Not only is Jason a prolific flipper, marketer, writer and side hustler his number of years in higher education and student support have given him expert knowledge in understanding the economics of the student loan industry.
For a while Mr. Picky Pincher and I went down to one vehicle. It was actually really challenging because we work slightly different hours. I ended up walking to work and he took the car, since he works across town. Normally I’d have zero problem walking to work, but our city is pretty pedestrian-unfriendly. I almost got run over three times. :/
But! We were able to save a lot of money by getting rid of one car payment. We were able to buy a second vehicle with cash and use the minimum amount of insurance for it.