Modern society is heavily stacked in favor of automobile ownership. Cities and towns all over the world are set up so that owning a car is a necessity for the vast majority of people. That doesn’t mean that you’re powerless to cut back on the amount of money you spend on your car, though. Check out the budget tips below to see how you can save quite a bit on your transportation costs.
Car Take Out Of Your Budget
One of the first things you should do is look at how expensive it really is to use your car. Although lots of people figure their gas mileage and budget for the cost of fuel, very few of them amortize out the full costs of car ownership. Besides the cost of the vehicle itself, you also need to consider the maintenance and repair costs that even the most reliable cars incur. When you look at all the different ways you have to pay for every mile that you drive, you’ll get more enthusiastic about the alternatives.
Spend the time to learn about your local public transportation network. The convenience and cost of public transportation vary widely depending on where you live, but you could get lucky. You may find that it’s relatively easy to get where you need to go without resorting to using your car. Be sure to look out for opportunities to increase the savings offered by public transit, like discounts for long-term passes or high-volume fare cards.
You can also harness the power of your own muscles to supplement your gas-guzzler. Get a bike and make as many of your errands pedal-powered as possible. Don’t underestimate the cargo capacity of a bicycle, either! With a few pieces of extra equipment (e.g. baskets and cargo shelves) you can make a bike capable of handling grocery runs and other shopping trips.
In the long term, you can look at making major changes. You can buy your next vehicle with an eye towards economy. Remember those additional costs, though. The premium you pay for a finicky hybrid car can easily wipe out what you might save at the gas pump. You can also think about big changes that might reduce your commute. Are you absolutely wedded to your current job and current residence? Could you change one of them to cut down on the amount of time you spend behind the wheel?
There’s an even longer-term way to attack your transportation expenses. If you’re really thorough when you research public transportation, you’ll find out who operates it and exercises authority over it in your area. This may be a local government, or a larger body at the state or even national level. Regardless of how high up transit decisions are made, you have representatives that can influence those decisions. Let your current representatives know that you’re in favor of better transit, and keep the issue in mind when you head to the polls.
Although automobile ownership is practically mandatory in the modern world, that doesn’t mean that you need to surrender such a huge chunk of your income to your car. Using the suggestions you’ve just reviewed, you may be able to significantly reduce the amount of money you have to devote to transportation.
