Cars, Bikes and Public Transport Money Saving Tips

Using Public Transport Will Definitely Save You A Lot Of Money

Some people may roll their eyes at the mention of public transport, but if you put pen to paper, the money you could save over driving might make a believer out of you. Start by figuring out how much it cost you to run your car last year, then compare it to riding the rails.

Car Expense

Where do you start when calculating car expense? First, you start with the car payment itself. Your car is the second most expensive purchase you will ever make, next to a house. Of course, it is possible to spend next to nothing for a car, but you had better be a mechanic so you can keep it running. Plus, if you’re driving a clunker, will it get you to work?

Next, even if you drive a do-it-yourself car, don’t forget to figure parts and maintenance, such as oil and tyres. You’ve also got to register the car, pay fees for parking, and buy your CTP Green- slips. Not to be forgotten is the budget-draining insurance. Even if you don’t figure in car payments, you still come up with about $7500 a year. That averages out to about $144 a week.

Public Transport Expense

By contrast, you can take advantage of the superb public transport available in every state in Australia. For $40, you can take a train downtown and back. You don’t have to worry about parking or traffic, plus, you’re saving money at about $100 a week. Not only that, but it’s actually quicker for most people to ride the train or hop a bus to work. It’s also a lot safer.

Occasional Use

Maybe you’re not ready to jump into the deep end and get rid of your car. You can, however, save money on your weekend trips to the city. On Sundays in Sydney, each member of your family can have unlimited access to public transport of every kind for only $2.50. You won’t be able to access private ferries with the pass, but you can go to Wollongong.

Crunch The Numbers between driving and public transport

Let’s compare, and see if you’re saving money when you take public transportation. Yearly costs such as registration, parking, and tyres figured at $300 a year each, are divided into 52 weeks.

That comes to $5200 a year in savings if you park (or sell) your car and ride the train. That’s a pretty good pay rise. Invest it wisely.

Saving on Cars and Their Maintenance

A car is an important convenience and is necessary in most people’s lives. Cars can represent either good investments as money savers or bottomless pits for expenses. Many people buy automobiles with their hearts rather than their heads, and for that reason they waste a great deal of money.

Even though petrol costs more than ever before and continues to escalate, many drivers make poor decisions when they purchase vehicles. The prudent shopper is one who matches need to purchase rather than desire.

The Minimum Things to Know About Cars

Putting petrol in the tank, changing the oil, and buying tires are some of the things that are obvious about the ownership of cars, but other needed maintenance can be overlooked and end up costing a negligent vehicle owner serious money. Here are some of the items that should be considered standard for the owner of a car.

• A basic understanding of how the car functions and how to identify the major mechanical parts
• The proper driving techniques to implement and the poor habits that should be avoided
• Maintenance of cars and which upkeep tasks can be handled at home
• What the actual costs of a car are and how to best utilise money spent
• When to retire a vehicle and get another

At some time in its service life, a car becomes more expensive to operate than it is worth. There is no standard age because some cars run efficiently for much longer than others do. Saving money on an automobile might require spending some extra money to keep the vehicle operating sufficiently and avoid expensive mechanical services in the future.

Getting the Most from Cars You Own

Cars are such complicated equipment that it is almost impossible to understand everything necessary to keep them in top shape. Most car manufacturers will emphasise that regular upkeep is of the utmost importance to achieve the best service from a vehicle. Simply put, it costs money to save money.

It is easy to ignore some warning signs that indicate a problem with an automobile, especially those outside the normal maintenance. Unusual sounds generally indicate that something is amiss. Failure to properly identify problems early generally results in bigger ones later.

The maintenance of an automobile is not the only way of protecting your investment. Having insurance coverage in the event of an accident is important and required by most lenders if you have a car loan. Even a no-fault accident can leave a driver without a means to travel, and without insurance, there is no recompense to use toward another car.

No matter how much a person loves a car, it is a product that eventually wears down to the point that it is no longer dependable. Also, the worth of a vehicle decreases each year based on the assumed value. Since most people trade a vehicle in when getting another, the obvious time to do so is before the value drops very low.

Buying a previously owned vehicle is another way to attempt to save money, and unless a vehicle has a history of defects, sensible purchases of second hand cars can save thousands of dollars.

Top 5 Ways You Must Know How To Save On Cars

With everyone trying to save money, all areas of our lives are coming under scrutiny.

Driving and owning a car are notorious for running up the bills, however, the news is good. Some minor changes to your driving and ownership habits, can help you save on cars and car costs.

Here are our top 5 ways to save on cars

Get The Cheapest Fuel You Can

It seems a fairly obvious thing to say, but many people just drop into whichever gas station they pass first and fill up there. Although you would expect most stations to charge the same, there can often be some real differences in the price you pay for your fuel station to station.

For example, you can often find that the cost of fuel in a big city is considerably higher than the cost in a more rural gas station. If you plan ahead, you can ensure that you can fill up at the cheaper stations. Over time, this can save you a fair amount of money of your travelling costs.

Change The Way You Drive

The way you drive can have a considerable effect of the amount of fuel you actually use on a journey. Someone who accelerates aggressively and breaks heavily will use more fuel than someone who is a little more gentle in their approach to the road.

Stopping and starting in traffic can also cause a big drain on your fuel tank so even if you feel that taking a motorway will be a longer way round your journey, you may find it will save money on fuel. It may even be quicker too!

Keep On Top Of Maintenance

Having tyres that are not fully inflated is another way to ensure you burn more petrol than you need to. Make sure that at the start of every journey you make, your tyres are properly inflated so you don’t waste fuel.

Keeping on top of things like oil and water in your engine can also save you handsomely. If you drive a car without enough oil, you will cause severe damage that will cost a small fortune to repair. If you are not sure about how much oil to use or where to put water etc., then get someone who knows what they are doing to help you.

Learn The Basics

There is no need to become a fully blown mechanic but understanding the very basic parts of a car will help you avoid being ripped off at the garage. Obviously, whilst most garages are very professional, the odd few will try get you to have your engine replaced when really all that needed doing was a small oil change.

Knowing the basics will at least give the impression you understand how a car works and will put people off overcharging you.

Leave The Car At Home

One of the easiest ways to save money on your car costs is to leave the car at home when you don’t really need to use it. If you are only making a short trip then why not walk it or take a bike ride instead.

Not only will you save on wear and tear plus fuel costs, but you may even get fit in the process! Two birds with one stone!

Related Posts

• Save $75 Per Week Using Public Transport
  A good way to save money is by using public transport. See how you could benefit from commuting to work by reading our money saving tips.
• Car Pool - It Can Save You Time And Money
  One of the biggest expenses that you will incur during your work week is the amount of money you spend driving to and from work each day. Most people think only in terms of petrol, but you should also consider wear and tear, parking, depreciation and other factors.
• Train Travel - How To Enjoy The Ride And Save Money Too
  During the last years, trains have apparen'tly lost their popularity. People started to complain for several reasons, mainly for their slow speed and the fact that they never take you where you want to go on time. And everybody hates getting out of the train with a headache because of the excessively used air conditioning system. However, there are some ways in which you can enjoy a good train ride and also save some money.
• Parking Costs – 5 Top Tips on How You Can Save
  Parking costs can really add up quickly if you aren't staying on top of things. It is important that you embrace every opportunity to save money on parking costs if you are serious about getting your financial situation under control and back on track. There are many things you can do to save money, and cutting the costs involved in parking is a great place to begin.
• Car Insurance – How Can you Save Money
  Car insurance is a big expense for drivers throughout Australia each year. If you can find a few great ways to save money on car insurance, you can find a little wiggle room in your budget to start saving money, pay off debt, or enjoy some of the little luxuries in life you'd like to become accustomed to. These are just a few of the great ways that you can save money on your car insurance payments each month.
• Instant Savings On Your Car
  Cutting back on car expenses is an easy way to improve your cash flow. These costs are usually a big part of any household budget. Following a few easy tips can help you cut back without making loads of personal sacrifices.
• To Own Or Not To Own A Car - Reasons To Consider Why You Should Not Own
  In this day and age, with the price of petrol at an all-time high, you're going to have to make a decision about owning a car. Is it worth the price of fuel or is it better to use public transportation and get more exercise by just walking where you want to go? More and more Australians are questioning the need for cars, and for good reason.
• Save On Cars - Top 5 Ways You Must Know How
  If you are trying to save money then looking at your driving costs is a good place to start. We have opened the bonnet and discovered the top 5 ways to save on cars and driving bills.
• Learn How to Save On Your Car Expenses
  Cars can be expensive purchases if you don’t watch it. It becomes easier to save money on your car if you follow a few simple money saving tips. With your car, you will do a whole lot better if you avoid some of the misconceptions surrounding car maintenance. Before you know it, you will be saving money in no time.
• Tips To Save Money For A New Car Or Truck
  Do you need to buy a new car or new truck? If you do, how are you going to pay for it without the cash in hand? Here are some great save money tips for when it comes to applying for an auto loan.
• How To Save For A New Car Using An Online Savings Account
  Buying a new car is going to cost a lot of money which is why many people budget and start saving money as soon as they can. Putting your money into an online savings account can give you a great return on your investment and help you grow your money at the same time.
• Buying A New Car - Money Saving Tips
  Who is in the market for a new car? Most of us would like to be buying a new car this year. New cars are being advertised on every TV station every day. These money saving tips will help you save money on your new car.
• Best Ways To Save Money On Gas
  If you think you have done all you can to save money on gas, think again. There are many things you can do to cut back on your fuel costs that have nothing to do with driving less. Saving fuel benefits your wallet and the earth so cutting as much cost as possible is an excellent choice.