We all have a wide range of financial burdens that we have to manage in life, and it’s important to consider how you might go about doing that balancing when it comes to driving and your vehicle. There are so many costs associated with those things and they can easily spiral if you’re not careful.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be that way though. There are many different steps you can take to ensure that your car and driving related expenses are kept in check, and that’s exactly what we’re going to delve into today. So read on to find out more about how you can save money as a driver.
USE LESS FUEL BY MAKING YOUR CAR LIGHTER
Using less fuel should be one of your top priorities if you want to start spending less money as a driver. One of the easiest and most straightforward ways in which you can do this is by making your car a little lighter. With a lighter car, you’ll need less energy to get it moving, and that means less gas. You can make your vehicle lighter by not filling up the back with things that don’t need to be there. And if the roof box is still there from last year’s camping trip, it’s probably a good idea to remove it.
CHECK FOR BASIC FAULTS BEFORE ANNUAL SERVICING
Many people take their car in for annual servicing without first giving it a check themselves. That might sound a little counterintuitive, but it really pays off to give it a once over. That way, you can find any relatively minor faults that you can fix yourself. Those small things can cause your car to fail its inspection, and all that means is that you’ll have to pay for another one in the near future. It’s money that doesn’t need to be spent if you make those small fixes ahead of time.
TAKE TIME TO FIND THE BEST INSURANCE DEAL
Insurance is a major expenditure associated with driving, but you don’t need to spend quite so much money on insurance as you might think. It’s in your best interests to take time to find the best insurance deal by comparing the options. As well as doing that, you should take steps to lower your premiums. Everything from changing the wording of your job title to adding your partner to the insurance can help you to bring down those premiums, and every little helps in this department.
MAKE PARKING CHEAPER WITH THE HELP OF AN APP
For many people, parking is a major cost that comes with driving. If you find yourself paying far more than you’d like to on parking, whether it’s long-term or short stay parking, you should use apps to your advantage. There are now apps out there that allow you to find parking in the area where you’re located. This parking is often cheaper than regular parking options as people can offer out their private property to drivers who want to park somewhere safe and affordable. It’s definitely worth a try.
SAVE FUEL AND FUTURE COSTS BY INVESTING IN HIGHER GRADE TIRES
Another thing that can help you to start spending a little less on gas is the quality of your tires. Sure, when you’re trying to save money, it can be tempting to go for the lower grade tires that are cheaper. But you’ll actually save yourself money in the long-term by choosing higher grade tires. That’s because higher grade tires lead to more fuel efficient driving and they need to be replaced less often too. Both of those things are good for your bank balance.
DRIVE MORE ECONOMICALLY WITH THE HELP OF AN ADVANCED DRIVING COURSE
Believe it or not, the way in which you drive also has a pretty big impact on how fuel efficient your car is. You might be costing yourself more money with the way in which you drive without even realizing it. If you want to make sure you’re driving safely and economically, you should consider taking an advanced driving course. Doing so could be just what you need to start saving money and becoming a better driver.
UNDERSTAND YOUR FUEL COSTS BETTER
We all understand paying for gas is a necessary evil as a car owner, but there certainly are things you can do to make sure that you use less of it and spend less on it. A good gas trip calculator will help you start to familiarize yourself with how your driving correlates with your fuel expenditure. You can then get better at reducing journey times and reducing the cost of your fuel as you do. It’s also important to remember that there’s no sense in paying extra for “premium” gas as it’s no different from the regular version in most cases.
DRIVE A LITTLE MORE GENTLY WHEN TEMPERATURES DROP
The way in which you drive should subtly change as the seasons change. When the weather starts to get more wintry and the temperatures drop, you should ideally start to drive your car in a more gentle way. This will lead to fewer problems related to the cold, such as engine issues and fuel efficiency problems. Simply take the time to move gently and drive smoothly when winter arrives.
CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURE REGULARLY
Finally, you should make sure that you’re regularly checking the air pressure in your tires. If your tires are not filled with the right amount of air, they won’t be moving on the road in the way they should. This will not only lead to lower level of fuel efficiency for your vehicle, but it’ll also leave you with less control over the car and its handling too.
None of us can afford to spend an excessive amount of money on our car and the costs associated with driving. So if you want to make sure that you don’t have to do that, you should make the most of the tips and ideas we’ve outlined here. Each of them should serve you well moving forward.
Photo Credit: BMW
