We would like to save money in as many ways as possible. That includes saving money when driving or owning a car. Using some of these strategies will help you do that.

First consider the actual cost of ownership. Do you own a car that is paid for? If the answer is “yes” then keep that car if at all possible. Buying or leasing a new car and making those payments will run anywhere from two hundred dollars a month on up. If you are not spending that amount of money on repairs and maintenance, you are ahead already. In addition, it costs less to tag and insure an older car. Be sure to keep up on regular maintenance such as oil changes, rotating tires, and fluid, engine, and brake checks. Owning your car outright will save over a thousand dollars a year easily.

Tired of paying so much for fuel? Limit your driving. Does that sound hard to do? Well it is not really that difficult.  One possibility to reduce the amount of time you spend driving and how much you spend for fuel is car pooling. If you are part of a car pool of four people, you will drive (or pay for gas and minimal maintenance) about one week a month, which means you will spend one fourth as much money on gasoline and have one fourth as much wear and tear on your car. In addition, car insurance is often based in part on the number of miles the vehicle is driven per year. Reducing the miles driven reduces the cost of insuring your car.

Another way to cut back on fuel charges is to plan your errands so that you are doing several things on one driving trip. Go to the hardware store, pay a bill, mail a letter and go grocery shopping all in one afternoon. Stop those impulsive short trips to get one grocery item. Make a list and buy for a week at a time. If you run out of something, improvise, make something else, or substitute something you have for something that you want. You will be pleasantly surprised at the gas savings. Save even further by walking or biking to as many of those errands as possible.

Taking a defensive driving course can save you money because having a current defensive driving certificate can reduce your car insurance. Also often covered in the class are techniques that reduce the cost of fuel and the wear and tear on brakes and tires. Those are savings, too.

Finally, if you have more than one vehicle, it may be time to evaluate selling one. Can you justify having multiple vehicles? Years ago families usually used only one vehicle, and they did just fine. Not every teen needs to own a car. Sharing rides to school, to work and to the stores promotes more together time with busy friends and family.

Owning a car is often a necessity, but with a little extra effort, you can drastically reduce the amount of money you spend on automotive expenses.