If you own a car, you’ve probably had to shell out quite a bit for that privilege. Rather than just keeping things as they are, however, why not look to slash some of these costs?
Take a look at our list to see how you can reduce six typical driving costs!
Expensive driving lessons
Driving lessons cost an arm and a leg, and it’s not unusual to spend over $1000 just to obtain your license.
To reduce these costs as best you can, look into a ‘quick pass’ driving school. These can be week long or weekend long courses that charge a one-off fee. The goal is to get you to pass a test in a short amount of time and at a reduced cost. Give it some thought!
Traffic ticket legal fees
If you receive a traffic ticket and wish to fight it, you can opt for a court battle. These court battles can go on for a long time and can cost you a huge amount of cash. Fortunately, this isn’t your only option when it comes to reducing this cost.
Other options include trying out a 5 dollar traffic school, which can offer you the outcome of a court battle at a fraction of the cost. Just make sure you don’t allow those license points to stay there – they could have devastating ramifications.
Car servicing costs
The servicing and MOT of a car is an annual cost that can end up being very pricey, depending on the state of the vehicle.
But, if you conduct some thorough pre-MOT checks, you can iron out a lot of issues yourself. This slashes money from your overall bill all for thirty minutes of work. Some common failures include lights that aren’t working and poor tire pressure. You can rectify both these issues yourself at home, before you go for the MOT.
High-performance fuels
Many gas stations will try and flog you high-performance fuels, at a heftier price than standard fuels. These fuels don’t really make much of a difference to the performance of your car, so it’s best to just avoid them altogether.
Pricey insurance quotes
This is especially true for newer drivers, but even for more experienced ones it can prove costly. Fortunately, there are several solutions here, and you likely haven’t heard of a couple.
One option is to look into a ‘pay what you drive’ scheme. These quotes usually appear on comparison sites too, and are frequently cheaper than full quotes. A pay what you drive scheme means that your insurance costs are tied to mileage and car usage. A tracker is fitted to the car so the insurer can keep tabs on it.
Or, new drivers can visit brokers that specialize in young insurance, or parents can add their kids onto their policy. All these can save you money!
Costly, cold winter months
Car breakdowns and failures are inherently more common in the winter months. The colder weather can have a severe impact on the performance and look of your vehicle, so be prepared.
Simple steps to take include stocking up on anti freeze, checking battery levels and using vaseline to stop doors from sticking. By keeping your car prepared for the colder weather, you can avoid any costs incurred via the snow, ice or wind.