Money saving tips for motorists

Owning and running a car can be costly. There’s no getting away from the fact that your motor will eat away at your bank balance each and every month. However, for a large proportion of the UK, their car is vital to their life. Whilst it is worth coming to terms with the fact that your car will end up costing you a lot of money over time, it is also worth looking at ways in which you can bring those overall costs down.

So, here at Friday-Ad Motors we have come up with our top ten tips on how to save money on your car…

1. Fuel efficient driving – Don’t drive like a donut!

Fuel costs really can eat into your balance. Sadly, it’s pretty much impossible to run your car on anything else, so trips to the petrol station are a must. However, by driving in a certain manner you can make your car run far more efficiently making your pit stops at the petrol station less frequent.

It’s a good idea to keep your roaring accelerations to a minimum, whilst trying to drive as smooth as possible all the time. By keeping your car at a constant speed you will be able to reduce the amount of fuel that you use. It’s also worth switching off your engine when you’re stuck in traffic as this really helps to reduce fuel consumption.

2. Time to lose weight

Don’t worry, I am not going to suggest you jump on the Butterfield Diet Plan, or invest in a rowing machine. However, if you shed unnecessary weight from your car, it will cost far less to run. It’s worth making the effort to empty your boot when possible, especially for longer journeys. If you don’t need it, don’t take it with you. All that added weight will lead to reduced fuel economy and extra added costs.

As with a lot of the money saving techniques in this article, you may not see the benefit straight away, but come the end of the year you will be able to look back and see that you’ve saved a decent amount of cash.

3. Tyre pressure

It’s a good idea to ensure that your tyres are at their correct pressures at all times. This may seem like a small thing to worry about in the grand scheme of things, however, a good level of tyre pressure can help keep your fuel consumption down. Under-inflated tyres will use up more energy to roll smoothly, which will, in turn require more fuel.

There should be a sticker located in your car to tell you what pressures your tyres should be at. It is usually located within the petrol cap or somewhere on the driver’s door frame. If you cannot find this information on your car then you can always consult your car manual or search on the internet.

4. Avoid fines!

Now I don’t want to teach a granny how to suck eggs, but driving within the allocated speed limit and parking legally are both good ideas. If you’re strapped for cash then you don’t want to be lumped with a speed ticket or a substantial parking fine.

5. Think before you drive

Is this journey really necessary? That is what you should be thinking before getting in the car. Rather than making 10 trips to the shops throughout the week in your car, why not do one larger shop and save money on fuel?

Sometimes, and we are all guilty of this, but sometimes, we hop in the car when we could walk. If you can walk the distance and it’s not hammering down with rain, make the effort to walk. This will save you fuel costs and will help you keep fit and healthy.

6. Car pool

If you drive to work, why not arrange a lift share with some of your colleagues? You drive to and from work one week, then the next week it’s someone else’s turn. This is a great way to save money as you will only be driving once every other week (or every three weeks if you can get a third driver).

And, on top of that, it will also save the environment as you’re reducing the amount of cars on the road. It’s also a good way to get to know your colleagues and have someone to talk to when you’re stuck in rush hour traffic.

7. Exhaust check

If your car exhaust has holes in it, it can make a lot of noise and be rather annoying. However, what you may not be aware of, is the fact that it can also end up making your car far less fuel efficient. Therefore, you need to ensure that you keep an eye on your exhaust and get any issues fixed straight away.

This rule doesn’t only apply to your exhaust, however. No, when it comes to all aspects of maintenance on your car, you should always get any issues fixed immediately. It may cost a bit up front, but it will essentially save you money in the long run. Check out some great mechanics in our motoring services section.

8. Plan

If you are about to undertake a long journey in your trusty car, you should always take a little time out to plan ahead. If you need to fill up, it is always worth doing so at a petrol station in town, or in a supermarket as these tend to be cheaper than those situated in service stations.

It’s also worth pre planning your food. Anything bought at a motorway service station will cost you a bomb compared to if it is made at home or bought before you set off. Packed lunches are the way forward!

9. Shop around for insurance

Insurance is another costly expense for motorists. You should shop around as much as possible to find the best deal available. If your car insurance is up for renewal, compare your cost to other quotes for the same policy. If you are able to find a cheaper deal, it’s worth contacting your current insurance provider. They may be willing to match the cheaper deal in order to keep you on board.

If you live at a property with multiple cars and multiple drivers, some insurers offer ‘multi-car’ policies, where a number of cars are insured on the same policy. This can provide a saving compared with insuring a car on its own.

10. Car tax

Car tax must be paid. There’s no avoiding it. However, there are ways in which you can save time and money. Applying for car tax online means you don’t have to spend time queuing up and then you also aren’t paying for postage.

If you know your car is going to be completely off the road for at least six months, it’s worth knowing that you don’t have to pay road tax on it. So if you are going away for a long holiday (over six months) or you don’t need your car for a sustained period of time, you can save money by not renewing your tax until after the six months is up. You must, however, declare it off the road by applying for a SORN notice from the DVLA. Leaving your road tax to lapse and parking it on the drive is not good enough – do this and you may just get the DVLA on your case.

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