The average car owner in a major US city spends thousands per year in parking costs alone. Drivers in New York City, for example, shell out more than $5,000 annually in parking garage and meter fees.
While we can’t eliminate your parking expenses entirely, there are some tips and tricks that can save you money regardless of where you live. In this article, we’re going to discuss six helpful ideas to reduce the expensive, time-consuming headache of city parking.
Table of Contents
Park on the Street
This seemingly obvious option often gets overlooked or ignored. It has the potential to save a ton of money on parking costs because in many cases, it is completely free!
There are a few key requirements for it to work: you need to leave yourself extra time to look around for a spot and you need to be confident with parallel parking. All it takes is practice and you’ll be a pro in no time.
Buy a Season Pass
This relates more to your next city escape rather than city parking. A season pass not only saves money on admission fees, it often includes free parking too. Compare the single-use vs seasonal rates for skiing, amusement parks, RV park costs, national park pass costs, and more.
Check for Special Offers and Promo Codes
Online discounts are widely available and just require a little bit of prior research. Head to the company’s direct website where there are often special online-only offers or promo codes like you see here.
It’s also worth checking if any promo codes are offered as an incentive for signing up for a newsletter.
Book Ahead
Booking ahead saves not only money but time too. You’re guaranteed a spot without having to drive through endless rows, levels, or even multiple garages searching for a vacancy. Download a parking app to help you find the best deals in your area.
Get to Know Your Parking Meters
In many cities, metered parking is free on Sundays. In most cases, they are free at night too, sometimes as early as 6:00 PM. The same goes for parking lots; often times the booth is unmanned after a certain time and parking is free between certain hours.
Skip the Drive and Cut Parking Costs Altogether
Have you thought about an alternative form of transportation? Even if public transportation isn’t viable or accessible, there are other options.
Biking is not only economical, but it’s also good for your health.
If you’re making a daily drive for work, try getting together a carpool group to take turns driving. You’ll be able to split parking costs, save on gas, and help the environment.
Taking an Uber or Lyft often costs less than parking alone. It gives you door-to-door convenience and cuts out the expense of gas too.
Your Wallet Will Thank You
Now that we’ve armed you with our top money-saving parking tips, you could be on your way to saving thousands of dollars annually. Even if it’s not such an exorbitant figure, you’re sure to at least wind up with a bit of extra cash.
Cutting your parking costs is as simple as downloading a few apps, doing a bit of research online, and practicing your parallel parking!
We hope you found this article useful. Keep browsing our blog for more auto-related insight!