Pinching pennies can become a real problem sometimes. Take, for example, Ebenezer Scrooge: a man so greedy that ghosts had to harass him into being a decent person on Christmas Eve in Charles Dickens’s classic story, “A Christmas Carol”. You really don’t want to be a Scrooge. But there is a big difference between greed and thrift. So, instead of pinching pennies this holiday season, be thrifty, especially where your car is concerned, be ‘car thrifty’.
The Reasoning
The main difference between being a Scrooge and being thrifty is the reason for trying to save some money. Scrooge denied charity whilst sitting on vast, unused wealth. He tried to horde his money, not even turning on the lamps in his residence in order to pinch that penny. Now, maybe you try to keep the electric bill down, but more than likely, you’re not sitting on a massive fortune, either. So, when it comes to your car, ask yourself this: “Am I trying to save money or horde it?”
There will be times when you have to make a decision to replace something in your car. Sometimes, it’s practical to put that off for a bit. You build up some savings and then do the work that your car needs. But, it’s important to establish your reasoning for this. Are you putting off what you can do now? Or worse, are you putting off what could put others at risk?
Our Fellow Man
Another way to separate ourselves from our inner Scrooge is to think about who we may affect. Scrooge would not let his staff put more than a small lump of coal on their fire for warmth. He paid his best employee so poorly that the man could not afford decent care for his sickly son. When your scrimping has an effect on those around you, it’s time to reconsider. This can be a major concern when it comes to your vehicle.
Every time you use your car, others are involved. Sometimes, it’s your family in the backseat. Sometimes, it’s just other drivers. If you’re trying too hard to save money with your vehicle, you can wind up making the road unsafe for your fellow man. Using bad parts, neglecting important repairs, not replacing worn or damaged items: all of this can lead to mishaps that can make the road dangerous.
A Solution?
First of all, you should try to get ahead of those expensive repairs by keeping up with scheduled maintenance. If anything goes wrong with your car, there is a great way to keep your car road-ready, get the best parts for your car, and still be thrifty. My Auto Store carries the best-used auto parts online inventory in the business. We guarantee our parts with the best warranty around and inspect every part. But because we use recycled parts, we can sell them at a much lower price than if you bought them new, this way you can save money on your car. So, be thrifty this holiday season and contact our team!