By YOUNG MONEY Staff
19 August 2011

Consumers in the U.S. looking to cut down on costs of living may be able to do so by reducing payments made pertaining to their cars. Although doing this is not necessarily a simple process, adjustments to automobile use can be made that have the potential to noticeably lessen the financial burden a car might otherwise entail, according to RTT News.

The news source reports that the primary expenses related to automobile use are gasoline purchases and addressing problems with a car's performance. Gas has not been cheap for much of the 2000s and into the 2010s, and car repairs sometimes amount to four- and five-figure totals.

John Nielson, director of Auto Repair and Buying Services for the American Automobile Association (AAA), emphasizes sensible maintenance practices to cut costs.

"Some of the costs are fixed," Nielson told the news source. "But there are some things we can control."

Partially delaying oil changes - going for 5,000 rather than 3,000 miles between them - can help, as can purchasing the cheapest available gasoline. Driving at slower speeds whenever possible further cuts down on gas use and costs.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, a total of 5,456,246 new passenger vehicles were sold in the U.S. during 2009.