After passing your driving test and getting your first car, the thought of paying more expenses to drive may seem like a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there are a number of things that you can do, both in and outside the car, which will help to cut costs.
When it comes to lowering your driving costs, keeping an eye on yearly trends can be really useful and enlightening. Below we have included some of our top tips for managing your driving related finances in 2018, leaving you free to enjoy driving without worrying about your bank balance.
1. Research the cheapest fuel options
Whether you have been driving for a long time, or just passed your test in 2018, it is important to keep an eye on your local petrol stations in order to see which ones have the best prices. According to RAC research, supermarket petrol stations continue to come out the most favourably when it comes to fuel prices. This is also helped by supermarket discount cards, which provide even greater value for drivers when using the same supermarket frequently.
Websites such as petrolprices.com, and the online calculator on Confused.com’s website, allow you to type in a postcode or location and find out the cheapest fuel costs in that area. This can be especially useful if you are planning a longer journey which will require filling up in an area you aren’t familiar with.
2. Share your journey with others
Though sharing your car with a group of people you don’t know may not sound like your kind of thing, car sharing apps such as BlaBlaCar and Liftshare allow you to share lifts with other users, potentially saving huge amounts during the course of the year.
The apps allow you to use the service as a one off, or arrange regular trips, meaning that if you regularly travel to one location, for example, work or home, you could experience substantial savings. Not to mention cutting pollution and meeting new people as additional benefits.
3. Research parking spots
Another way in which technology is helping to cut costs for drivers is through the use of parking websites and apps, such as Parkopedia.
These allow you to type in a destination and find a list of options for parking, which you can then rank by potential costs. This can be especially useful if you are travelling to a location for a specific amount of time, as the website will show you the best options, based on the amount of time you need it for, rather than just an hourly rate.
4. Keeping up to date with driving legislation
In 2018 there are a number of new laws which will affect drivers in the UK. Among these is the new law which punishes drivers who ignore red ‘X’ signs on overhead gantries on a motorway with a potential £100 fine.
There has also been an increasing number of Smart Motorways in the UK, and new legislation has been brought in to help increase their efficiency – so it’s well worth reading up on the differences between these and conventional motorways to ensure you’re prepared when driving, and avoid any fines that may be put into place.
5. Telematics insurance
For drivers who are worried about insurance prices, telematics insurance providers, such as as insurethebox, provide insurance which rewards safe drivers through Bonus Miles – and potentially discounted insurance costs. This can lead to lower overall rates when safe driving is observed throughout the year. To find out more, contact us for a quote today.