Eight Easy Jobs to Save $600!

You clip coupons, seek out cheap gas, cook at home rather than going out -- these are great cash saving practices. But if you aren't working on your own car you're missing out on the big bucks. By devoting just one weekend to maintenance, you can save a whopping $600. That's a real chunk of change!

I know what you're thinking. You don't know how to work on a car. You don't want to spend six months learning how. You're way off base. These maintenance tasks are beginner's level jobs that require only the simplest of skills. Did I mention you can do them all in one weekend? Did I mention you can save 600 dollars?

That's enough lecturing. If you're not convinced by now, you're not interested in saving money. For the rest of us, here we go:

Eight Easy Jobs to Save You $600

1. Change Your Own Oil
   It's dirt cheap and takes a half hour. Even at only three changes a year you're saving decent money.
   Annual Savings: $74.97

2. Replace Your Brake Pads
   This is one of the biggest money savers you can do. Brake shops really hit you hard when they do a 15-minute pad replacement.
   Annual Savings: $99.99

3. Flush Your Cooling System
   Another 10-minute job that the shops charge big bucks for, and cooler cars wear more slowly, last longer and need fewer repairs.
   Annual Savings: $99.99

4. Replace Your Air Filter
   This maintenance job can be performed in less than 5 minutes. No, seriously, do it.
   Annual Savings: $25.99

5. Replace Your PCV Valve
   Replacing your PCV valve does great things for your engine's health and efficiency. More money saved!
   Annual Savings: 59.99

6. Replace Your Fuel Filter
   A clogged fuel filter is robbing your car of precious miles per gallon. Replace it and you'll not only save money at your house, but also at the pump.
   Annual Savings: 89.99

7. Test Your Air Conditioning
   The infamous AC check. A $5 piece of equipment and you can do it yourself.
   Annual Savings: $49.99

8. Recharge Your AC System
   This is one of the more intimidating maintenance tasks, but there's no reason to be scared. It's easy and safe.
   Annual Savings: $99.99

Total Savings: $600.89

If that isn't enough to get you excited about working on your own car, I can't help you. This is an opportunity to save money not just this year, but for the future as well. The small outlay of cash it takes to get going will be returned many times over in just the first year. After that, you're talking pennies on the dollar, six hundred dollars!

(Source: www.about.com)