Owning a car tends to be viewed as a privilege, but to many people, it’s not a privilege — it’s a necessity. Some 70% of UK adults say that they depend on their vehicle to manage everyday life, including getting to work and going to the supermarket.
So it can be a little frustrating to have to pay a small fortune just to meet the day’s necessities. Yet, while you probably won’t be able to eliminate car-related expenses entirely, there probably are things you can do to keep the costs down. In this post, we’ll run through some of the most effective strategies that, when combined, should lead to noticeable savings.
Improve Your MPG
You would never voluntarily put a lighter to a bank note and set it on fire, yet that is, in effect, what many drivers do via their driving habits. For all intents and purposes, petrol = money, and it could be that your driving habits are causing you to visit the petrol pump with more frequency than necessary.
Making small improvements to your MPG (miles per gallon) rate really can make the petrol in your fuel tank last longer, and they’re easy to do — simply braking/accelerating gently and maintaining a steady speed will make a difference.
Extend the Life of Your Car’s Tyres
Nothing lasts forever, and there’ll come a point when you simply have to replace your car’s tyres. However, when that time arrives is within your control, to an extent, and it makes no sense to have to pay for tyre replacements when a little bit of time and effort could have kept your current tyres on the road.
Keeping your tyres properly inflated and rotating them every 5,000 – 8,000 miles can be highly effective at keeping them at their best. It’s also important to remember that flat tyres caused by nails, screws, and other items don’t necessarily mean that you have to replace the tyre. Puncture repairs are usually possible, especially if you haven’t driven on the damaged tyre. That information alone could save you hundreds of pounds if your car’s tyres are from a premium brand.
Plan On Routine Maintenance
Most people have a reasonably firm grip on their everyday car-related expenses. It’s when things go wrong that trouble arises. While you can’t prevent all car issues, you can keep many at bay simply by investing in routine maintenance. As they say, it’s much easier to prevent a problem than to treat it. Even if an issue does present itself during maintenance, it’ll likely be easier and cheaper when the issue is still minor.
Take Public Transport When Possible
Finally, remember the best way to save money on your car-related expenses is to drive it less. While you might need your car for a huge chunk of your journeys, there’ll probably be some where you could leave the car at home. Taking public transport saves on petrol, parking costs, and keeps your mileage down, which ensures your car will need replacing less frequently.