don't wash your car at home ... take it to a car wash

You may feel like you are saving money, or being frugal when you wash your own car at home. However, in the long run, it's quite expensive, both in terms of your water bill, and the impact on the environment.

Professional car washes recycle the water they use, with fairly sophisticated systems that filter the water that goes down the drain. Because of this, they save 100-200 gallons over doing the same job at home. Additionally, they produce heated water, which gets the job done with less overall water.

And, if you shop around a bit, you can find a place to wash it yourself for just a few dollars. Self-serve car washes typically cost $3-4 dollars per wash.