5 Cars Easy On Your Wallet And The Environment

No gas guzzlers here. Cheap(ish) cars that will get you where you need to go, and leave a smaller carbon footprint.

No budget? That's okay.

As a recent grad, a lot of things are changing in my life. And to help those changes happen... I'm going to need a car. Like a lot of other young students/graduates, my budget for a new car barely exists. I mean, if I have anxiety every time I go to the grocery store or go out to eat, how can I afford a car when I worry about being able to feed myself? With student loan payments peeking around the corner, a car payment is the last thing I want to take on. Besides, the less money I'm spending on a car, the more I can spend on food and clothes, and concerts, and nights out, and going to the movies, and maybe a puppy.

One thing to look out for, however, is a car's lifetime effect on your wallet.

How much is that car going to cost you up front, every month, and every year?

Gas and maintenance also suck money from your (hopefully) existing paycheck.

Another thing to consider is the cost on the environment. Transportation accounts for approximately a third of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions, crazy right? So every time you drive to school, work, the grocery store, etc., you're contributing to global warming. You may think getting 'green cars' comes with a hefty price tag, but that's not necessarily the case.

Here are 5 vehicles that will allow you to remain friends with your bank account, and commute with a good conscious.

1. Volkswagen Golf

Via pinterest.com

The VW Golf is sometimes described as a 'good old friend' by its owners. It has a zippy drive that remains reliable, even with a ton of mileage with good ol' German engineering. Depending on your budget, there are multiple model years you can look in to, pictured above is the 2004. If you drive a manual (like me, *cocky hair-flip), MPG is about 35 city and 44 highway, or 38 combined. This could save you $2,000 in fuel costs over 5 years! What the heck! It uses diesel, so depending on your area, this may be more or less than average gas prices. However, diesel actually burns cleaner than gas, and is more environmentally friendly. The VW Golf uses approximately 10 barrels of oil a year, and releases 268g of greenhouse gas emissions per mile driven.

It's possible to buy these used for $1,000-$4,000 depending on the model, condition, and existing mileage.

2. Ford Escape Hybrid

Via media.caranddriver.com

The first generation Ford Escape Hybrid ran from 2005-2007, and was one of the first SUV hybrids. These get an average of 28 MPG in the city and 26 highway, or 27 combined MPG, which is pretty decent. If you're unfamiliar with hybrids, this one uses gasoline, and charges a battery when you brake (called regenerative braking). The engineering switches from battery power to gas power as you drive, giving you better overall gas mileage. It uses approximately 12 barrels of oil a year, and releases 329g of greenhouse gas emissions every mile.

The 2005-2007 Ford Escape Hybrid can be purchased around $6,000-$8,000.

3. Honda Insight

Honda / Wieck / Via static01.nyt.com

To be honest, I think these cars look pretty funky (not in a good way), but their fuel efficiency might make you look twice. The 2000 Honda Insight will get you 49 city MPG, 61 highway, and 53 combined. Can you imagine the savings you can rack up? It only needs about 6 barrels of oil a year, and is one of the best, I repeat, THE BEST, cars for greenhouse gas emissions with only 168g per mile driven.

You an find these for about $2,000-$3,000.

4. Toyota Prius

Via cstatic-images.com

Ahhh.. the Prius. You either love it or you hate it. You didn't think you'd click on an article about wallet and environmentally friendly cars without seeing the Prius, did you?

Well, it works the same way the Ford Escape Hybrid works, you don't have to plug it in or anything. It gets approximately 48 MPG in the city, and 45 highway, 46 combined. It'll save you a lot at the pump, and is right up there with the Honda Insight for emissions. It uses 7 barrels of oil a year, and releases 193g of greenhouse gasses per mile.

You might find these around $3,000-$5,000 for older models (like the 2005 pictured above).

5. Honda Civic Hybrid

This here is the 2008 model. A normal car that will get you more bang for your buck. It gets 40 MGP in the city, 45 highway, and 42 combined MPG, potentially saving you about $2,750 in fuel costs over 5 years! It uses approximately 8 barrels of oil a year and releases 212g of greenhouse gas emissions for every mile you drive.

These go for $3,000-$6,000 depending on the condition and existing mileage.

Buying used cars...

Buying a car is a pretty big commitment. With the choices above, I was looking into price and fuel efficiency. However, there may be many more factors you need to account for before taking the plunge. Do you need something super reliable? Do you want/need more horsepower? Do you want to be able to take it hiking and travel across some pretty sketchy logging roads?

Comment below your favorite environmentally conscious cars that are < $10,000.

The information I gathered was from the Department of Energy and Kelley Blue Book . You can find a lot of information on practically any car you're looking in to, and I suggest starting here for your search for that new family member.

*endorsement: I'm not affiliated with any of these car companies. I've done research for my own use, and thought I'd share for people who are looking at buying a car for the same reasons as myself.