Here’s a surprise we all like to hear when we have a routine tire rotation: I can’t legally rotate your tires because they’re wearing out and you’ll need new ones. Great! Isn’t that what you wanted to hear?

If you’re okay right now, shelling out over $500 for a new set of tires won’t be a big deal. But if you’re saving pennies right now, you’ll be glad to know that there are four tips in the following article to help you find cheap tires for half the cost.

Check Craigslist

If you look at the automotive section, you’ll see people and tire shops trying to get rid of excess inventory by selling sets of tires for a fraction of what they’re worth.

I recently bought a pair of SUV tires for $120 installed at a local store that was moving to a new location and wanted to get rid of all their tires in the yard. The previous tire shop had quoted me $650 for the same set.

Ask about gently used tires

Small tire shops buy and sell used tires. Many times they stock lightly used tires that have more than 70% tread. They sell these used tires for half the price of new ones.

I rarely go brand new for longer. Once I found out about this, I also go for used tires. They last about as long and cost me less than half the price of ones I’ve never used before.

scrap yard

Many times vehicles with good tires are scrapped because the body of the car is damaged beyond what is worth repairing. You’ll find lots of junk cars with terrible body damage but perfectly intact tires.

If you own a higher priced newer vehicle I would highly recommend going this route. You can find some high-end tires at extremely cheap prices.

Negotiate a better deal

Here’s something you’d think more people would do: Just ask for a better deal than you’re quoted. Tires have a huge markup. Small and large stores have a lot of room to play and still make a decent profit. No matter how much they give you, ask for a twenty percent discount. If you’re feeling daring, order more. The most they can say is no. But trust me, they will do anything within reason to not let you out and go with someone else.