Rent vs. purchase
Many DIY projects such as tile removal require a special tool – a jackhammer – that can be quite expensive to purchase. You can rent a tool far cheaper than you can purchase it. Common tools you can rent by the hour or day include pressure washers, jackhammers, hammer drills and carpet cleaners. Chances are good that your local tool rental centre will carry the tool you need for your project.
Fix broken air dams and splash guards
Replace a broken or missing spoiler and under-engine splash guards. The plastic air dam (aka “spoiler”) that’s broken or missing wasn’t just for looks. It actually served a purpose; it forces air up and over the hood to help your car cut through the air with less drag. The under-engine splash guards help reduce aerodynamic drag too by keeping the air flowing smoothly under your car instead of producing turbulence that causes drag. Contact a junkyard to find a replacement air dam and engine splash guards.
Lighten up on the heavy acceleration
Lighten up on the heavy acceleration because a lead foot = a light wallet. You don’t really want us to recite the law of physics about how a body at rest tends to stay at rest, do you? OK, we’ll just skip to the part about how hard acceleration in stop-and-go driving costs you 20 percent in fuel consumption. If you live your life in rush hour traffic and like to put the pedal to the metal, here’s our advice: Spend all your extra time at the next stoplight figuring out how you could have spent the $600 a year you’re wasting.