Over the past few months it has become painfully clear (read ex$pen$ive) that routine maintenance tasks save money and help you live longer.  I’m going to give a couple of examples and then I’d love to hear a few more from you guys in the comments section…

Tire Rotation and Balancing

In the last few weeks I’ve helped deal with three different sets of tire issues.  Two for us and one for a family member.  In all three cases, regular tire rotation and balance would have saved money and provided greater safety.

Case in point, a few years back we purchased a Toyota Sienna minivan.  We have really enjoyed having a minivan and find it to be a very useful vehicle.  I can get almost as much cargo in the back of that van as I can in our F150.  I can only remember two times that I rotated the tires in the 50,000 miles we have driven that vehicle.  The result was unevenly worn tires that were especially thin on the front wheels.

Front-drive vehicles like our Toyota are especially hard on the front tires.  Those tires receive extra wear from acceleration, braking, extra weight, and turning.  If the vehicle is out of alignment the poor tire wear is magnified. You can hear and feel uneven tire wear.  If your tires are running loud there is something wrong.  If your car shimmies at various speeds there is something wrong.  Sometimes we can be oblivious to these matters in our own cars since we hear them every day.

Anyone who has bought tires recently knows they are expensive.  The Michelin tires we just purchased were $500 after promotional discounts.  It sounds like a lot but works out to $0.01 per mile for the expected lifespan of the entire set.  I have started buying my tires at Sam’s Club because their prices are competitive and they offer free rotation and balancing with the installation of tires.  It seems I am in Sam’s at least once a week so I have found it easy to drop the car off for service while I do the shopping.  When we did rotations at a tire shop it required purposed planning, now it is just part of my routine.

Most manufacturers recommend rotating the tires every 7,500 to 10,000 miles.  The warranty on our Sam’s Club tires requires rotation every 6,000 to 9,000 miles.  Regular rotation and balancing improves tread wear which provides for a smoother ride with better stopping power.  Rotating and balancing tires is just one routine maintenance task on a car that can save money and help you and your car to live longer.

Regular Dental Checkups

From tires to teeth, we are making quite a transition.  I was at the dentist this past week when I came up with the idea for this post.  I completed another 6-month checkup and cleaning without a single problem.  A few years ago this was not the case…

Even though we had dental insurance, we had a horrible dentist.  I had visited his office once in four years.  When I finally went back they informed me I had gone from zero lifetime cavities to six.  Something didn’t feel right so I got a recommendation from friends for a good dentist and got a second opinion.  Sure enough I had a few places to watch but no cavities in need of repair.

Eventually three of those spots required drilling and filling but I have been visiting our new dentist every six months without fail.  Regular dental cleanings save money by getting rid of plaque and other harmful buildups that can lead to bigger issues.  And of course filling a small cavity is a lot cheaper than a root canal or getting a crown.

Did you know that proper dental care can help you live longer too?  You can ask anyone who has worked at a hospital and they will probably have a tale for you about a tooth infection gone bad.  I have heard stories from multiple friends in the medical industry of an abscess spreading into the brain and leading to death.  Of course these are unique and rare cases, but some routine dental maintenance would have prevented it.

Mower Maintenance

Back outside to the dirty world of lawn mowers.  If you have a mower or two it is time to perform basic maintenance.  Most hardware stores sell basic tune-up kits that are bundled and ready for the most popular engine types.  A socket set, screw driver, and oil pan will help you save a bunch of money!

Mowers are probably the most abused mechanical device in the average home.  Changing the oil, air filter, and spark plug every year can help the average mower last a long time.  When doing maintenance on a mower it is always a good idea to pop the wire off the spark plug and disconnect the lead from the battery if your mower has one.  I know too many guys who are missing part of a finger due to encounters with mower blades.

The average user can easily find a YouTube video of a basic tune-up and oil change for their specific model.  For the typical push mower it is as simple as unscrewing the drain plug and tipping the mower to get all the oil out into your drain pan.  Changing the filter usually consists of unscrewing one screw that holds the filter housing in place.  The spark plug is easily removed with the spark plug wrench that can be found in most ratchet sets or that comes with most tune-up kits.  A fresh tune-up for a mower can increase performance, decrease pollution, and lead to another season of hassle-free one pull starts.

Your Ideas…

What routine things do you do that save money and help you live longer?  I know there are a bunch more and I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments section…