Money. Miles. Math.
Your car is a line item.
Insurance is the receipt.
No quotes. No pitch. Just the numbers behind what driving really costs, written for people who budget on purpose.
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Run the break-even point before you change a single number on your policy.
The framework
The 20% Car Rule.
Your car is a system, not a single bill. The 20% Car Rule keeps every line item, including insurance, in proportion to what you actually earn so a premium hike never wrecks the month.
- Step 1
Cap total car costs at 20% of take-home.
Loan or lease payment, fuel, maintenance, registration, and insurance all share one envelope.
- Step 2
Split the envelope into the four buckets.
Roughly 10% payment, 4% fuel, 3% insurance, 3% upkeep. Adjust to your real numbers.
- Step 3
Insurance is a bucket, not an afterthought.
If your premium pushes the total above 20%, the fix is the policy or the car, not your grocery budget.
True cost calculator
What does your car actually cost you?
Premium plus depreciation, fuel, and upkeep. No quotes. No data sold. Just the number.
One guide. One number a month.
Get the free Money Guide.
Then one breakdown a month.
Plain-English math on what your car costs and why. No quotes, no calls, no carrier referrals. Cancel any time with one word.