As a young teen, I used dream about what kind of car I would be driving one day. I don’t think I could have predicted that I would soon be getting around in a 1990 Honda Accord with over 200k miles in it. Yes, I own a beater, by any definition of the word.

Yes, a beater is what I have. It works most of the time, but I never know when something is going to break. I blow coolant hoses left and right, requiring seemingly simple yet annoying repairs to get working again. My car rattles, leaks, and generally behaves poorly.

If this is the case, why I am so glad to own this car? The reason can be summed up in a word: cheap. This car gets me around everywhere I need for next to nothing. This car gets me around wherever I need to go. It has even survived a couple long distance road trips. In short, it does everything I need in a car.

Yes, my car does everything it needs, at a very low cost to me. I paid $1500 in cash for the car back when I was 16, and have been driving it for 6 years now. Even with repairs, thats just a couple hundred a year for all my transportation needs.

That’s not the whole picture, of course. I also have to pay insurance, which is also very cheap. I do not have to pay for comprehensive, since the car is so cheap. My premiums are very low, saving me even more money with time.

Compare this to a new car. A newer car would cost me in payments, higher insurance, and more. Of course, I would probably spend less in repairs, but any way I look at it, I am saving a small fortune over the years by driving the beater around.

Of course, this isn’t going to work for everyone. Some people need better, more reliable cars. However, most people don’t realize how much money goes into their cars, money that I save by driving a clunker. Think about it yourself, and you might just save yourself a bundle.