Oil Change with Spare Change

When people fail to achieve the maintenance must-have appointment for an
oil change, finances are often cited as the culprit. If you find a
coupon and put on fewer than 3,000 miles in a typical 3-month period,
though, you should be able to get away with spending around $20 per oil
change. Below, you’ll find a list of several non-necessities that cost
right around $20; choosing to cut one of them out of your life once
every three months probably won’t kill you, but it may well improve the
longevity of your vehicle of choice.

1. A Trip to the Movies

Averaging $8 per ticket, just two tickets and a “junior” sized pop corn
will bring you up to $20, easily. Truth be told, you probably end up
spending a lot more per show, especially if you’re the type that just
has to see your new favorite “just one more time” before it’s no longer
in theaters. For the price of that extra viewing, you could probably
have your vehicle serviced and buy the DVD, once it comes out. Maybe you
could even buy some microwave popcorn for your premier private showing.

2. A Fast Food Meal

Since when did going out to eat beneath the golden arches mean spending
so much money? For a family of four, by the time you purchase two
regular value meals and two kids’ meals at a typical burger joint,
you’ve exceeded the amount you could have spent to keep your car in good
shape. On the topic of shape, your body will probably benefit from
fewer grease pit stops, as well.

3. A Manicure or Pedicure

By skipping just one appointment at the nail salon, you should be able
to keep your car in healthy running condition. Particularly if you wear
acrylic nails, skipping just one single fill should help you pay for an
oil change. If you can’t bear the sight of growing-out nails, wear
bandages on your fingers for a couple weeks! You might be able to elicit
sympathy, as well, especially if you can come up with a good sob story
to share.

4. Just One Mocha a Week

If you’re in the habit of purchasing coffee-shop beverages on a daily
basis, dusting off that old coffee maker once a week can add up to an
extra $20, or more, every single month. If you tend to treat yourself to
a Venti every time, downsizing to a Grande-sized drink or depriving
yourself of that extra shot of flavored syrup could mean $0.50 per day,
which adds up to $2.50 per week, $10 per month, and enough for an oil
change, even without a coupon, every 3 months.

So hopefully you’re now convinced that you really do have an extra $20
to spend to increase your car’s well-being. So skip a movie, meal,
manicure, or mocha, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy engine
with a long lifespan.