Parking can be very expensive if you’re not careful. Cities like San Francisco often require you to pay per hour for parking not just in garages but also in lots and on the street. However, you can implement a variety of frugal hacks to save on parking. Here are ten of them.
1. Go Car-Free
When I moved to San Francisco in 2006, I gave up car ownership. I’ve never looked back. Therefore, before I get into the other frugal hacks to save on parking, I really need to advocate for giving up the car altogether. You won’t just saving on parking but also on car maintenance, insurance, and gas (which we all know is ridiculously priced right now). It’s well worth it.
That said, even if you continue to own a car, you might find that it’s cheaper to choose not to drive it to certain places. For example, if you’re going to a ball game or big concert, and you know that all of the parking in that area is very expensive, then you might choose not to drive. Take public transportation or have an Uber/Lyft drop you off instead. You save on both the cost and the hassle of parking.
2. Find Free Street Parking
It’s often possible to find free street parking if you’re willing to take the time to look for it. You might have to circle the block several times until a spot opens up. Or you might have to park a little bit further away and walk to your final destination.
Do consider the safety of your vehicle, though. In San Francisco, car break-ins are very common. If you have to deal with that, then it might not be worth the savings on parking.
3. Park Further Away
This frugal parking hack doesn’t only apply when you’re looking for free street parking. You might also find paid parking that’s cheaper if you go a little bit out of your way. When you park close to a big event or attraction that everyone else also wants to park at, you pay more. If you’re willing to find a parking garage a bit further away then walk, you’ll get some good exercise and then also save yourself money on the cost of parking.
4. Get a Parking Permit or Monthly Pass
If you’re going to park regularly in the same neighborhood, either for home or for work, then you might want to look into getting a parking permit.
In San Francisco, many people pay $165 per year to get a parking permit for their residential area. This allows them to park on the street in their designated zone without having to pay for parking. Something similar was available for lots at the college that I attended in Arizona.
In other cities or settings, you might pay for a monthly parking pass to a garage. You save money as compared to paying the daily rate every time that you park.
5. Barter for Daily Parking
In San Francisco, there are many people who work in the Financial District but live elsewhere. At the same time, there are people who live in or near that district who have a parking spot in their building that they aren’t using. You can often rent one of those parking spots. And, if you’re savvy, maybe you can even barter something that the other person needs to further reduce the cost of parking there.
6. Read The Parking Signs and Follow Them Closely
Sometimes I wonder if I could actually ever figure out driving in this city again if I did decide to get a car. There are so many complicated rules of the road and plenty that apply to parking. Every time that you park here, it’s important to read the signs to make sure that you understand the parking rules. There are various time limits, days when you can’t park there because of street cleaning, exemptions to this and that. And if you don’t follow the parking rules, then you risk getting a parking ticket, which obviously drives your overall parking costs up considerably. So, read those signs carefully each time that you park.
7. Request Parking Benefits As a Job Perk
Next time that you’re up for a promotion or a new job, consider asking your employer if they’ll cover parking permits or reimburse parking as part of your new perks. Wisebread explains that some jobs offer a pre-tax parking benefit, where you can take the money for parking out of your paycheck before paying taxes. Alternatively, they might offer you a free public transportation pass to use instead of driving. Find out what the options are at your particular job.
8. Use Parking Apps
There are a variety of different parking apps for your phone that provide frugal hacks for parking. For example, in the UK you can use JustPark to find parking, comparing prices in the area to choose the lowest rate option. BestPark and Parking Panda are similar options in the US.
There are also apps remind you that you’re running out of time on the parking meter, allowing you to add time via your phone so that you don’t get ticketed extra fees.
There are also apps that allow you to reserve a parking space in advance, usually at a rate that is discounted from the regular parking rate. Many of these also have various promo codes and referral codes that you can use to further reduce your parking cost.
9. Use Parking Promo Codes and Coupons
If you know that you’re going to park in a specific lot then you should check in advance to see if you can find promo codes or coupons to lower the cost. This is particularly useful when paying for long-term parking, such as when parking your car at the airport. You can often find discounts for Airport Parking on sites like Retail Me Not and Groupon.
10. Pay for Parking With Cash Back Credit Cards
You can pay for pretty much all parking, including at a meter, with a credit card these days. If you use a cash back credit card that you pay off in full at the end of each month, then you get a little bit of money back for each time that you park. It’s better than nothing! Every little bit counts when using frugal hacks to save on parking.
Read More:
- How We Became A Single Car Family
- Should You Buy Your College Student a Car
- 10 Ways to Make Money From a Huge Vacant Lot
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Kathryn Vercillo is a professional writer who loves to live a balanced life. She appreciates a good work-life balance. She enjoys balance in her relationships and has worked hard to learn how to balance her finances to allow for a balanced life overall. Although she’s only blonde some of the time, she’s always striving for total balance. She’s excited to share what she’s learned with you and to discover more together along the way.
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