If there is one thing that we have learned in the last few years it's the importance of living on a budget. Whether it is groceries, bills, or non-essentials keeping a tight budget is how many of us have survived this most recent recession. Try as we might, if there is one thing that can blow our budgets out of the water it's vehicle expenses. As if high gas prices weren't enough routine car maintenance can very quickly add up. Although they typically don't need to be purchased more than every few years, new tires are usually high on the list of expensive car items. When it comes to shopping for new car tires it is in your best interest to shop around and compare tire prices. The key to shopping around for tires is knowing what type of tires you need; the size and type. You can easily determine the size of tire for your vehicle by looking either on your current tires sidewall or in the vehicle's owner's manual. If you are unable to find the information you can also contact the car dealership for the recommended size or look it up online. Equally important is knowing what type of tires your vehicle needs. The type of tires depends largely on where you live and where you drive. Regions that receive a lot of rain or snow would require either rain or snow tires (also known as winter tires ). On the other hand, regions that generally dry and receive little rain can utilize all weather tires. For those people that enjoy sport driving, for example off-roading or racing, there are specialized tires for each sport. It takes long when you are looking for tires to realize that there are many different tire brands at a variety of different prices. All are rated using the same standard set by the Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance , a division of the Department of Transportation. Using this as a guide you can compare brands versus quality and price. One of the easiest places to compare tire prices is on the Internet. There are many tire dealers that operate online and can usually offer lower prices that what is offered in traditional brick and mortar stores. But there is more to compare than just the price of the tires. Many retailers offer specials for buying 2 or 4 tires instead of just one or they have special sales around popular holidays or when the old tire styles are being phased out. To find the best deal on the right tires that won't completely break the bank the key is shopping around.