7 Ways to Cut Your Driving Costs

Although cars are a necessity for a large majority of people, they can often prove quite costly. Because of this, we wanted to give you some handy tips on how you can you reduce your spending when it comes to your car.

Keep an eye on the tires

A drop in tire pressure can increase fuel consumption, so it’s important for you to carry out fortnightly tire checks to ensure that they are pumped up to the correct pressure.

Be efficient

When you need to slow down, instead of putting the car into neutral and coasting, lift off the throttle instead as that means you use no petrol at all.

Only use air-con when you need to

Air conditioning can increase fuel consumption significantly, so when it is not needed, make sure that you turn it off! Opening the windows slightly should guarantee that you stay cool. 

Consider investing in a new car

If your car is fairly old, you might find that it consistently needs more work and new parts – which could prove costly. Although buying a new car is initially expensive, over time it could help to lower costs.

If you currently don’t have the funds to buy a new car, but think it will be a worthwhile investment, consider how you will afford to cover the costs of your new purchase and look into financial alternatives. 

Remove anything that you don’t need

If you have a lot of heavy items in your car that aren’t needed, bring them into the house. Excess weight – including a roof rack – will mean that you use more fuel. Before you set off every morning, ensure that you’ve got your essentials, but nothing more!

Go on the hunt for cheaper fuel

Instead of filling your car up on the motorway where fuel tends to be more expensive, go on the hunt for cheaper petrol stations nearer you. Don’t drive too far though – as you will end up using more fuel on your journey!

Car share

If you work in a busy office and drive to work every day, it could be worth your while to ask around to find out who lives close to you. If you have colleagues that live nearby, you could arrange to share the drive to work during the week. Alternatively, sign up to liftshare.com, where you can join 700,000 like-minded people that want to help reduce CO2 emissions, and save money on their journeys to work.