Maintaining to Save!

Cars, appliances, house repairs. There are all kinds of expenses that you just can’t get around, but how can you still save on those things you need to buy? Here are five practical ways you can save a little money while still doing all those things you need too. 

1. Maintain! The key to saving money on things like cars or appliances is to pay to have them maintained regularly. Even though a $50 oil change can seem expensive, it will cost much more to repair an engine!
2. Control your laundry expenses. If you do not have access to a washer and dryer at home, I’m sure you know the laundromat can be expensive! Keep in mind sometimes the one around the corner is not necessarily the cheapest. A great way to avoid the laundromat all together is to see if you can use your parents’ or friends’ facilities! Tell them you’ll bring pizza or give them a few bucks for using them! If you do have a washer and dryer, remember that putting one shirt in the wash is not a good way to cut down on costs, wait to do laundry till you have a full load!
3. When gas is cheaper, load up! You need more than just gas for your car. If you have a lawn, you most likely need it for the lawn mower or weed whacker. If you use generators or things like that, you need it for those too! Buy more than one fuel container and when the prices drop, fill them up and hang on to them for when you need it! (Please make sure that you are buying appropriate containers and storing them appropriately.)
4. Make sure things are empty before throwing them away. A lot of us feel the shampoo bottle getting empty, go buy a new one, then start using the new one without finishing up the old one completely (usually the almost empty one sits in the corner of the shower for awhile too!). Instead, do put any new bottles where you will use them and wait until the old one is completely empty!
5. When it comes to major repairs (new roof, repairing plumbing or a driveway, etc.) remember that the cheapest quote may not be the best way to go. Get bids and then do your research online. See what others are saying about the contractor and how the job was done. Also research the type of materials that will be used to see how the wear and tear could affect you.