4 Tips to Get Your Car Ready For Summer

This ice, rain and snow are finally (hopefully!) leaving us and Canada is warming up again. That means it’s time to get your car in tip-top shape for the summer. We’ve shown you how to winter-proof your car, so here is the yin to that yang. Getting your car ready for summer is a pretty quick fix. Check out the following tips for some quick ways to save some bucks as you’re gearing up for summer and ready to hit the road. 1. Kick the tires If you’re still riding on your winter wheels, and winter is gone, it’s time to switch over to your summer or all-season tires. The lower-profile tires are going to get better mileage, and be much better suited to our current driving conditions. As always, it’s a great tip to monitor your tire pressure. Not only can uneven/low tire pressure give you worse gas mileage, but it’s dangerous. So check it out! 2. A quick service If you’re like me, it’s probably time for an oil change or regular service on your ride. Get the quick change and overview. Like tire pressure, proper maintenance is

Winter Car Care Savings Tips

As we wrote yesterday, winter is coming and it might be even fiercer than we’re used to. Canadian winters are notoriously tough on cars, so go the extra mile to make sure you can drive the extra miles. If you’re a smart spender, your car is an investment and an important part of how you live your life, get to work and have fun. Work on making small expenses a regular part of car-maintenance rather than being stuck with car-emergencies when winter hits. These following tips are all easy to do, and you don’t need to be a mechanic to make them happen. It takes a few minutes of effort each week to save hours and money down the road. Quick Car Care Tips You Can Do On Your Own •       Fluids! – cooler temperatures means you should be using thinner oils to keep your engine running at 100%. Also – below-freezing windshield washer fluid is imperative. There’s no need to make an ice rink on the hood/windows •       Battery Power – check your battery for winter. Again, cooler temps will diminish your battery’s capacity. Be sure it’s tip-top or risk being (literally) left out in the cold.

Car Maintenance VS. Car Repairs

My husband and I have driven used cars our entire lives. We choose to do this because it is cheaper. We save the car payment, and save on the insurance. When you are driving a used vehicle (or even a new one really) it’s best to remember that regular, preventative car maintenance can save you a bundle of money in the long run. Taking the time and the money to change your oil, rotate your tires, check your brakes etc. will prevent some seriously costly repairs in the future. It’s a lot cheaper to rotate your tires than it is to buy new ones. Likewise, keeping your brakes in good shape prevents the damage and possible injury that faulty brakes eventually cause. But how do you do that, really? If you never feel like you have enough money to go around, the logical thing to do is to put off that oil change as long as possible. Here’s the inside secret: Every time you get paid stick $20 into an envelope marked “Car maintenance”. Hide the envelope so that the money doesn’t get used for other things. Then, grab a calendar and schedule the maintenance. It