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If you are a car owner, you will know how costly driving and running your vehicle is. For many people, driving is a necessity, and it is difficult to cut it out entirely from your life. However, that doesn’t mean it has to be a huge drain on your finances. Cut driving costs by taking some simple steps.
Cut Driving Costs
Purchase A Cheaper Car
A real obvious way to cut driving costs is to cut the cost of your car! Some cars will always be more expensive to run than others, and newer ones and more powerful ones will come under that umbrella. Instead of thinking brand new, consider buying a second-hand car.
There are plenty in car dealerships up and down the country, or on websites like Craigslist. Look around and see if you negotiate on the price, or get a few extras thrown in. Obviously, unless you’re paying cash, the higher the cost of a car, the more you will be spending on payments every month.
You must also consider insurance when BUYING the car. It can be tempting to dive in for the highest spec model, with the most power, but this will increase your insurance premiums.
The cost of running the car is also important. Look for something that is more economical to run and gives you more miles per gallon of gas.
Shop Around For Insurance Deals
This is one cost you cannot avoid as it is a legal requirement, but you can shop around a find a better deal. There are so many car insurance companies out there!
New and younger drivers will, unfortunately, pay a higher premium until they have a few years accident-free experience under their belts. However, many companies will offer deals or price match.
You can do things like installing a dashcam from somewhere like BlackboxMyCar, which many places will provide a discount for. It gives you extra coverage in the event of an accident.
Remember, the value of your car, the location, the size of your engine and how many miles you intend to drive annually will all affect your premium.
Save on Gas and Be Safe
Cut driving costs by driving smarter! Take your foot off the gas and drive slower and safer - you won’t be stopping at every gas station to fill up. Make sure your tires are fully inflated and that you keep to a strict maintenance schedule to ensure your car is safe and roadworthy. This helps your car’s gas mileage as well as makes sure you are safe!
Avoid using your cell phone at whatever you do, do not drive under the influence of alcohol or illegal narcotics. Not only could you end up causing a fatal accident, but you could also wind up in jail - and bump up the cost of your insurance premium for the rest of your life.
Even minor accidents can increase your insurance costs!
Don’t Keep Unnecessary Things In Your Car
There are two reasons why you shouldn’t keep unnecessary items in your car. First of all, they might attract the attention of thieves, and you will then have to pay to replace them and any damage to your vehicle.
Secondly, if you have any heavy items in there, they will weigh the car down. If the car is weighed down, it will need to use more gas while on the road - which soon adds up.
Happy Driving!
Driving doesn’t have to cost you a fortune. Hopefully, all of the tips can help you bring down your driving expenses.
These are some really good points to consider, especially about not hauling around things you aren’t using to save on gas. That is a really good point; time to clean out the car…..
These are great tips! I think so many families face the reality of having car expenses come creeping close to their rent or mortgage. It adds up fast if you have a higher monthly payment. We always stick to used cars, and it saves us money in the long run.
Shopping around for car insurance saved us so much! I have no idea why we stuck with the same company for so long, when there were so many options out there.
These are great tips! After 13 years, we finally got rid of our old car and bought a new one. These tips came in handy (i.e. shopping for insurance, not to put stuff in your car so you won’t attract thieves).