I switched to Titanium machine needles and they last much longer then regular needles. No need to change so often so I save money. I clean and oil my machine frequently. Some machines don't use oil so check your manual. But all need to be cleaned. Dust and lint will hold heat inside your machine causing all kinds of problems, can groove the tension disc plates, can clog up gears, mess up the bobbin tension and cause the feeddogs to over work.