15 Splurges That Save You Money in the Long Run

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Regular Car Maintenance

Don’t think of taking your car in every few months to get the oil or filters changed as a splurge. Instead, think of it as smart use of your money. “General car maintenance is definitely something to spend on to save you money in the long run,” said Nicole Firebaugh, manager of PMR auto repair shop.

For example, PMR typically charges $25 per oil change, and most cars need an oil change every three months. Without this regular maintenance, though, you could end up needing to replace your engine — which can cost from $3,500 to $7,000, she said. “An oil change every three months would take about 35 years to equal the cost of a cheaper engine replacement,” Firebaugh said.

“While over a long period an engine replacement will likely become inevitable, regular maintenance can mean the difference between that engine replacement being at 100,000 miles — when the car is just out of warranty but likely not at an age that it is worth trading in with a blown motor — or 300,000 miles, at which point the vehicle would have served its purpose and would likely be ready to be traded in.”