Category: Cars

You probably own a car. In fact, you may even own more than one car, even if your name isn’t Jay Leno. Owning a car in the U.S. is not only the favorite form of transportation, but it’s a huge and important industry for us. There are about 300 million vehicles currently here in the U.S.A. and that number has been increasing steadily every year since 1960. Only China has a bigger car market than the U.S. and that is simply because there are so many millions and millions more people living there. The penetration of cars per population here though is much, much greater!

Here is something to think about. The cost of a new car today is on average $35,263, according to Kelley Blue Book. That doesn’t include gas, oil, insurance, and maintenance money you spend. Compared to a dependable alternative like a bicycle (about $250 for a pretty good one) or a motorcycle (at about $3,000-$5,000) and you can see the huge differences. Going for a scooter or moped brings you down to an even lower and even better bargain! So, have you ever considered these car alternatives?

Sometimes I sit and think that finding new ways to save some money is really easy. Easy in that if you actually take some time and think about it, then it can really pay off. In my own situation, I have to think about such things since I’m in the retirement phase of my life and no longer in my prime earning years. That’s a good reason all by itself but in fact it is something you should be thinking regardless of what phase of your life you are currently in.

Money you save when you are age 20 or 50 or whatever age is money you can use for way more important things in your life like your education or your retirement savings or necessities like medical costs or paying off credit card debt. So I spent today thinking about something that most people in America do every day and how they can save money doing it, even beyond what they already do to save money. And that is how to save money on gas and driving.Continue reading“Take Another Look at How to Save Money on Gas”

When you go to buy tires, it helps to know a few things. Some of us know all about cars and their proper care that not only can save money but makes the whole experience of owning a car or truck safer, more pleasant, and actually fun! Not so much for me. Now I’m not a cultural anthropologist, but for some strange reason I believe that proper car knowledge is something that comes along when you’re growing up. Mom or Dad is usually the one that teaches those lessons and if you don’t learn about that stuff when you’re a kid, you may wind up a lot like me. I was basically clueless.  When it came to cars, I pretty much just ”went along for the ride” and never really showed any interest in them until I was 16 and eligible for my driver’s license.

How Do You Learn About Cars?

I remember my first driving lesson with my Dad and me in a big parking lot in NE Philadelphia where I grew up. Dad let me sit in the driver’s seat and promptly handed me the key and said, “Okay Gary, start the engine”. I turned to Dad and I said somewhat confused, “How do I do that?” He answered with, “Just put the key in and turn it like you have seen me do a million times”. Right there was the beginning of the problem. I had never paid one bit of attention to Dad and his starting the car routine and believe it or not I didn’t even know how to put the key in and turn it. I was pretty much sitting in the back seat listening to the music on the radio whenever we were in the car. Needless to say, the driving lesson that day went downhill from there.Continue reading“9 Things to Know When You Buy Tires”