Besides the cost of getting brakes replaced, there is another cost that many don’t even think about. Using them costs you gas. Every time you step on the gas pedal to accelerate your car, you are spending gas money to buy forward motion. You are spending gas money to keep that forward motion. Since internal combustion engines are relatively inefficient, a large chunk of your gas money is already wasted in the heat that the engine puts off, and in friction. But there is not a lot you can do about that.
But every time you use your brakes, you are converting the forward motion that you paid for, into heat put off by the brake pads rubbing against the discs, or the drums. This is energy that will never be regained. That is gas money down the toilet. But you need to use your brakes, right? Well yes, but experts say that people overuse their brakes. Some more than others. Many people will race from stopping at one red light, to stop at the next red light. Or they will drive close to the car in front of them, and are forced to hit the brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of them. I have seen some idiots who drive on the freeway who seem the drive gas, brake, gas, brake, gas brake. I have no idea what their problem is. All they have to do, is take their foot off the gas when they want to slow down.
If you want to save gas, and radically lengthen the life of your brakes, try driving as if you have no brakes, or very poor brakes. How would you drive if you had no brakes? Would you be speeding from one light to the next? No, you would be watching ahead, and if you saw a red light, you would remove your foot from the gas, and coast to slowdown, hoping the light will change before you get there. Or you can slow down using the brake incrementally, hoping to retain some forward motion when the light turns green. You surely wouldn’t be tailgating anyone, if you didn’t have good brakes. You would try to leave a buffer between you and the car in front of you. If they slow down, you can simply remove your foot from the gas, and coast for a bit to slow down.
Many people speed to turns, when they could coast to slow down as they approach the turn, and minimize the use of the brakes. Some nutty hypermilers don’t even brake here, just taking the corners at higher speeds. I am not sure if I recommend this though.
Use your brakes less, and your gas mileage will go up significantly, and your brakes will last a lot longer!