Driving Down Your Motoring Costs
by ANDREW REGAN
The costs of owning and running a car have soared in recent times with fuel costs going through the roof, rises in road tax for cars with high emissions, congestion charging and the prospect of tolled motorways to come in the future. With other domestic bills also on the up, there are a number of things you can do to try and reduce your driving costs.
The price of petrol and diesel has rocketed recently and there are a few ways you can trim your fuel bills. The first is to either use public transport more often, for business or pleasure which has the added benefit of being good for the environment. Car-sharing with colleagues from work is also a great way to save money by dividing up the costs. However, if neither of these is a viable option then shopping around for your fuel and filling your tank when you find the cheapest place will prove more economical in the long run.
You can also adapt the way you drive to help reduce your overall fuel costs. Simple things like block gear changing rather than going through them one by one, leaving the radio switched off when you��re not really listening to it and driving at a steady speed rather than accelerating and braking harshly can all make a real difference if you implement them on a consistent basis. You��ll soon find that the petrol or diesel you��re putting in your car will last for longer than before.
Changes to the road taxing system have left many people facing much higher bills based on their car��s emissions. The only way to get round this is to exchange your vehicle for a different model and type. Road tax can now vary widely from as little as under ?50 for a year to hundreds of pounds. As a general rule, diesel cars tend to be cheaper to tax than their petrol equivalents.
When something goes wrong with your car and it needs repaired, there can be a significant difference in costs between garages. Quite often smaller independent mechanics will be cheaper than approved dealerships as they don��t have many of the overheads a large showroom with lots of staff have to cover. The parts will usually be around the same price but you can save a lot on the labour charges if you��re prepared to shop around.
The internet has made it easier to get discount car insurance with most providers offering money off if you buy online. You can also benefit from real savings if you can build up a no claims discount and by paying a little extra to protect this you can ensure you��ll continue to enjoy a reduced insurance premium throughout your driving life.
By implementing some or all of these methods above, you could ease the financial burden of running your car and start to enjoy life on the open road again.
Disclaimer: Andrew Regan writes on behalf of a digital marketing agency. He hopes you enjoyed his article, but urges you to seek further understanding of its topics before making any decisions based on its content.
