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.

Bicycles can be a great way to save a considerable amount of money in transportation in addition to the obvious health benefits. One way to save money on a good bicycle is to buy a used bike. Many times you can buy a slightly used bike for ½ the price of a new one.
 
Things to look out for when buying a used bicycle-
 
Make sure you buy from a reputable person in a better part of town; you don’t want to end up buying a stolen bike.
 
Look up the model number and frame size on the internet-
Looking up the model number can tell you a lot of valuable information about a bicycle such as how much the bicycle cost brand new so you can tell if you are getting a good deal on a used one. The model number can usually lead you to reviews of that exact bicycle. Spend some time and see what kind of problems other people have had with that model of bicycle before you buy one. Knowing the frame size can tell you if the bicycle is the right size to fit you body and your riding needs.
 
Try to find a bicycles that has been gently used-
A lot of people buy bicycles with good intention and rarely ride them, which is great if you get to buy one. Beware of people who abuse and trash out bikes by heavy use or by lack of care.
Things to look for to judge the amount of use a bicycle has had- looking at the rubber parts on the bicycle tires, brakes and handle grips can tell you a lot about how much use a bike has had. How much wear do the tires have? Are they wore down from a lot of miles or cracked from sitting out all winter? Are the brake pads worn down from a lot of riding? Do the handle grips have a lot of wear from use? If these parts you can see are worn, chances are the internal parts are worn as well.
 
Look for a rusty chain, bare cables and other exposed metal parts. A lot of rust usually indicates that the bike was left out in the weather and not cared for. Too much rust on components means they will not function well and will need to be replaced in the future.
 
The initial investment in your bicycle is usually the biggest expense, but if you plan on using it frequently, it is good to get a good high quality bicycle.
Most of what you pay for in a bike is the metal it is made out of. Lighter bikes are made out of aluminum or lighter weight metal, which is more expensive, than basic steel. Lighter bikes are a lot easier to ride long distances, carry up and down stairs, or load onto your car or the bus if you do a lot of biking.  You also pay more for quality components such as gears and brakes. Good gears can make bike riding much nicer than trying to ride around while shifting clunking, malfunctioning gears.
However, you likely don’t need a top of the line, feather light, titanium, $4000 bicycle just to get around town. If you spend too much you have to worry more about it getting stolen.
 
Time spent researching and reading reviews can be very valuable in finding the right bike for you.

Buying a used car can be a great way to save money.  First, you don’t have to come up with as much out of pocket and second, you don’t lose hundreds or thousands of dollars as soon as you drive off the lot and your new car isn’t “new” anymore.  When you plan to buy a car used, it is important not only to find the car you like, but you also need to be smart about it.  Test driving, checking the history, knowing the value of the car, and whether or not to buy an extended warranty are important things to keep in mind when buying used. 
 
What is the car’s history?
 
An essential factor when shopping for a car is trying to know as much about the car’s history as you can.  Often times you can find vital information such as flood damage or a major accident from the title itself.  If possible, ask the owner to provide maintenance records showing that the car has had regular tune-ups and oil changed.  There are also websites where you can enter the VIN number and (for a fee) find out extensive history such as accidents, previous sales, mileage reports, and more.  Sometimes a car lot will provide this report to you free of charge.
 
Test drive the car
                                               
If the owner will not allow you to take a test drive of the car, walk away.  There is bery likely something wrong they are hoping you will not notice until the title is in your hands and the money is in their pocket.  Most used cars are sold “as is” so once you’ve made the transaction, the car is yours even if the engine dies 3 blocks away.  In addition to a test drive, often times you will be allowed to take the car to your mechanic for an inspection.  An inspection will be an additional charge, but if you do not know much about cars, it may be money well spent.  The best way to confirm that the automobile is in the stated condition is to take it to an independent mechanic who can properly inspect the car and identify underlying problems.  Actually driving the car and making sure all normal functions actually function is vital.  Be sure to test the AC, heater, brakes, all gears, tight turning, etc.  Make the time to properly test drive the car.  You want to find a clanking CV joint before you buy the car so you can determine if the price is low enough to warrant immediately putting several hundred dollars worth of repairs into it.
 
Know the value of the car
                                                                                   
Before buying any used car, it is important to be familiar with the value of the vehicle.  There are several Blue Book websites or you can purchase the current year’s blue book from a bookstore.  Occasionally, your bank may have copies of last year’s blue book that they will give you.  While the information will be slightly outdated, once a car is a few years old, it does not depreciate so fast that you will be completely off.  In order to get the most accurate value, knowing the make and model of the vehicle, current mileage, additional features and overall condition is beneficial. 
 
Is an extended warranty worth the price?
 
Many dealers will offer an extended warranty on a used car.  Typically these are more expensive than they are worth.  Do you really want to pay $2,000 for a warranty on a $3,000 car?  Depending on the price, age of the car, and what is actually covered by the warranty, a warranty can be a good investment.  Just be sure to research the value of what you are really buying.
 
Dealers vs private sellers
 
There are advantages to both buying from a dealer and buying from an individual.  Basically, when you buy from a dealer, you are paying for their profit and commissions while buying from an individual you are likely to pay lower than the published Blue Book value.  Sometimes an individual will be the original owner of the car and can provide all maintenance records and you can tell just by meeting them and talking to the how they were likely to have treated their car.  Are they grubby with stained clothes and bad breath?  The car probably didn’t get much better care.  When you buy from the dealer, you are buying from a salesman whose job is to sell you a car.  He doesn’t care where the car has been or how it has been treated as long as you buy from him so he earns his commission.  A distinct advantage to buying from a dealer is if you are in a car that you owe more than it is worth and it is falling apart.  Then you can trade it in to a dealer and possibly get a good car that will last longer than the loan, dumping your old clunker.  However, you might get someone else’s “old clunker”.
 
Financing
 
If you do not have the money to buy a used car outright, you are not “stuck” buying from a dealer.  You can go to your bank, tell them you are shopping for a car, and get pre-approved for a loan.  They will base the loan off the amount you have for a down payment and then use their blue book to tell you what year (or newer) you have to purchase.  One thing to keep in mind when financing versus buying outright is that you will have to have full coverage insurance until the loan is paid off.  Another thing to consider is that if you become unemployed or cannot make your car payment, your car will be repossessed.  If you own the car completely, you don’t have to worry about that.